Seven female taekwondo athletes, who fled Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, have resettled in Melbourne, Australian Taekwondo’s chief executive Heather Garriock said on Wednesday.
The women are completing quarantine this week. Garriock said former Australia national soccer captain and humanitarian advocate Craig Foster worked with the Australian government, Australian Taekwondo and Oceania Taekwondo on a high-risk evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country.
No other details of the evacuation were provided.
“We’re really pleased the ladies are safe and incredibly grateful for the assistance of the Australian government and Oceania Taekwondo in getting them out of Afghanistan,” Garriock said.
“The lives of these women were in danger. As a sport, we needed to pull together and do something to help. The Australian taekwondo community is incredibly welcoming, and these ladies will be welcomed with open arms.”
Garriock — who played women’s soccer for Australia at two Olympics — contacted Foster to help in relocating the athletes to Australia.