From Taliban to taekwondo

By Emma Sun
IF ONE thing is for certain in Ali Rahimi’s life, it is his love of taekwondo. After all, he fled from war-torn Afghanistan to Australia 10 years ago to continue on his quest to teaching and judging the martial art.
Ali, who spent the first years of his Australian life in Dandenong, has been practicing taekwondo for more than 25 years, and it was because of this that he had to leave his country.
“Back then, the Taliban regime was still in power and they destroyed everything in Afghanistan,” Mr Rahimi said.
“I was a sports teacher, working with one of their political parties. If I continued teaching taekwondo, the Taliban would’ve caught me and if they caught me they would’ve killed me.”
Coming to Australia was a spontaneous thing for Mr Rahimi, who spoke to many people who told him Australia was a great country.
“It just happened I came here, which was very good,” he said.
“Australia is one of the best countries in the world. I’m glad I came.”
The transition was quite difficult for him, as he came without being able to speak one word of English. However, Mr Rahimi was determined to settle in and did what he could to adapt. His opportunity came during his time teaching taekwondo at Dandenong Oasis.
“Of course, we have an international taekwondo language, but when you want to explain to your students you need to know the language,” he said.
“I couldn’t explain the technique, the punching and the kicking, all the stuff we learn in taekwondo. Sometimes, I had to ask my students the name of the technique in English and I had very great students, they helped me a lot.
“I tried to learn English, talking to everyone, to my students, I went to learn English and that makes my job easier.”
Mr Rahimi got his international refereeing qualification in 2007 and now judges and referees all around Australia and on a global scale.
He started up his own dojang, the World Taekwondo Centre, two years later and runs it as fifth dan head instructor. He has never looked back since.
“I decided it was better to have my own business,” he said.
“That’s why I started to set up my gym in Hampton Park and now I’m running kids and adult classes every weekday from 4pm-8pm. I have around 50 to 55 students at the moment.”
Mr Rahimi has no plans on going elsewhere anytime soon, other than going back to Afghanistan to visit his family again for the first time since he left 10 years ago.
“I have my mum and brother and two sisters there who I speak to on the phone,” Mr Rahimi said.
“I miss them a lot. I look forward to going back one day.”