Parisa Jahanfekrian is a member of the Weightlifting Refugee Team (WRT), which entered six athletes for the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships here. 

Only two of them made it to Saudi Arabia.

Two in Britain, originally from Iran and Cameroon, could not leave the country because the processing of their applications for refugee status has taken so long and they remain at the "asylum seeker" level.

Addriel Garcia, originally from Cuba and now in Italy, completed the first leg of his journey but boarding gate staff in Germany refused to allow him on to the plane to Riyadh.

Despite having a valid travel document and visa that had got him to Germany and through departure control, he was told he could not fly.

The airline would not take phone calls when IWF staff tried and failed to help him, and a second attempt to fly from Rome a day later was also blocked, this time by a different airline.

In an effort to avoid a repeat for Jahanfekrian, originally from Iran and now living in a refugee camp in Germany, the IWF changed her flight so it could arrange for a visa within her travel document, and also gave her a letter confirming her status and reason for travel.

Again, Jahanfekrian was denied entry to the plane.

Yesterday, Jahanfekrain wrote to insidethegames to say, "It is always said in sport that sport is separate from politics, but for me, sport has always been political.

"When I was in Iran, because I was a woman in a misogynistic society, I could not compete in fair conditions. 

"Living in Germany, because I am a refugee I cannot compete in fair conditions.

"Today I have not only lost the competition but my soul and heart are broken.

"In the last year I had a hard life, I have been in a refugee camp, I trained every day because I have a love for my sport.

"Today I am not allowed to compete in the World Championships because I'm a refugee. It’s not fair at all."

The IWF created the refugee team, approved by its Board in March, with the specific purpose of sending the original seven members to compete at its flagship event, the 2023 World Championships.

It became six when a Yemeni lifter who moved to Saudi Arabia withdrew from the team because of work commitments.

The only two who made it here were Aline de Souza and Monique Lima, who sought refugee status in the United States after leaving their native Brazil.

Lima will lift tomorrow in the 87 kilograms B Group, while De Souza, 24, competed on Tuesday in the women’s 55kg.

In her first competition since 2015, when she won three South American titles as a 16-year-old, De Souza finished 16th and said, "I feel blessed to have this opportunity.

"Being selected to be part of this group was like a miracle. I know very well the meaning of the word and I don’t hesitate in using it - a miracle.

"When everything seemed dark for us, when we couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, came the news: we are part of the Refugee Team and we can again compete in the sport we cherish so much. It’s a new life for us."

IWF Board member Florian Sperl, head of the refugee team project and President of the German Weightlifting Federation, said, "I feel very sad about this, we are all so sorry for Parisa and the others who could not travel.

"We hope they will stay with us.

"We wanted to give them another chance to overcome this disappointment and now we can."

Last week, the IWF Board approved a proposal for the WRT to become permanent project under a new, wider policy called Weightlifting for Refugees.

It offers more opportunities to those in the team, aims to link directly with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Refugee Team, and plans visits to refugee camps to offer coaching and equipment to those living in them. It will be permanent rather than aiming for a one-off target.

More immediately, Jahanfekrian and Garcia will be invited, all expenses paid, by the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) to lift at the landmark EWF Cup, an innovative competition being staged for the first time at Ancient Olympia in the last week of September.

"Travel within Europe is easier. Parisa and Addriel both went to Sweden for a training camp without any problems," said Sperl.

"We will learn from what happened this year, we will have a new policy to go before the Board in December."

Once the project is approved and given a budget, applications will open, hopefully on January 1.

Refugees can apply - asylum seekers will have to wait until their status is changed - at any time, and they will leave when they gain citizenship where they live.

Sperl will ask leaders of continental federations to invite WRT members to lift at their  championships.

The two from Iran and Cameroon lifted as guests recently at the British Championships.

Supporting refugee camps is an important part of the plans. 

"This would involve talking to the respective Government and National Olympic Committee, as well as the IOC, to make it happen," said Sperl.

"We would encourage people to try weightlifting and help them to do it."

Another change would be creating a direct link with the IOC Refugee Team, which has athletes in a range of sports, to bring its weightlifters into the IWF team. 

The IOC team has one lifter, the former Iranian Yekta Jamali, who lives in Germany now.

"It’s a long-term project in which we can do so much for refugees and for our sport," said Sperl.

"I know they are heartbroken, but I hope Parisa and Addriel can have some good news in future."