World Aquatics has announced a three-member Refugee Team that will take part at the World Aquatics World Championships in Singapore later this month.
The team at the championships featured Alaa Maso, Matin Balsini, and Eyad Masoud.
“World Aquatics has a long-standing commitment to enabling refugee athletes to fulfill their potential and compete at major events, and is proud that Singapore 2025 will mark the fifth edition of the Championships to feature a Refugee Team,” the body stated.
Also Read: How Singapore Is Gearing Up To Host World Aquatics Championships 2025
Meet the Refugee Team At World Aquatics World Championships Singapore
Eyad Maso (Age 25)
Nationality: Originally from Syria
Events: 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle
Olympics:
- Tokyo 2020: 44th in 50 free (23.30)
- Paris 2024: 47th in 50 free (23.90)
World Championships:
- 2023 Fukuoka: 67th in 50 free (23.74), 68th in 100 free (51.76)
- 2024 Doha: 55th in 50 free (23.73), 60th in 100 free
- 2023 SC Worlds (Budapest): 75th in 50 free (23.98), 74th in 100 free (51.33)
Total World Champs Appearances: 6 (long + short course) - Background: Fled Aleppo, Syria in 2015; settled in Germany. His brother, Mohamad Maso, is an Olympic triathlete for Syria.
Alireza Balsini (Age 24)
Nationality: Originally from Iran
Events: 200m Butterfly, 200m IM
Olympics:
- Tokyo 2020 (Iran): 33rd in 200 fly (1:59.97 – PB)
- Paris 2024 (Refugee Team): 26th in 200 fly (2:00.73)
World Championships:
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- 2023 SC Worlds (Budapest): 32nd in 200 fly (1:58.51), 44th in 200 IM (2:03.02)
- Background: Left Iran in 2022, sought asylum, and trained at the University of Surrey (UK) after a 7-month break from swimming.
Mohamad Masoud
Nationality: Originally from Syria
Events: 50m Butterfly, 100m Butterfly
World Championships:
- 2022 Budapest: 53rd in 50 fly (25.27), 58th in 100 fly (59.78)
- 2023 Fukuoka: 64th in 50 fly (25.73), 64th in 100 fly (58.91)
- 2024 Doha: 42nd in 50 fly (25.38), 55th in 100 fly
Total World Champs Appearances: 5 (long + short course) - Background: Fled Syria, now based in New Zealand and trains at AUT Millennium Sports Centre.
