World Aquatics has announced a three-strong roster that will swim for the Refugee Team at the World Championships in Singapore later this month, where pool swimming runs from July 27-August 3. The team includes Alaa Maso, Matin Balsini, and Eyad Masoud.
Regarding the roster, the organization stated: “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 World Aquatics Championships to feature a Refugee Team.”
Maso, 25, is a two-time Olympian. At the Tokyo Games, he finished 44th in the 50 free in 23.30. At the Paris Olympics last July, he touched 47th in the same event in 23.90. Originally from Aleppo, Syria, Maso fled the country with his brother in 2015, eventually settling in Germany. His brother, Mohamad Maso, represented Syria at the Tokyo Olympics in the men’s triathlon.
Aleppo was one of the primary battlefields of the Syrian civil war, with the Battle of Aleppo lasting for almost four-and-a-half years. The city was left in ruins, with an estimated 33,500 buildings destroyed, including Maso’s training facility.
At the 2023 Fukuoka World Championships, Maso hit the wall 67th in the 50 free (23.74) and 68th in the 100 free (51.76). He placed 55th in the 50 free (23.73) and 60th in the 100 free at the 2024 Worlds in Doha.
He most recently competed at the Short Course Worlds in Budapest last December, touching 74th in the 100 free at 51.33 and 75th in the 50 free in 23.98.
This will be his sixth appearance at the World Championships, short and long course combined, as part of the Refugee Team.
“Many people lose belief in themselves after moving to a new country. You have so many things to be thinking about, whether that be settling in or adjusting to a new lifestyle, your hobby isn’t necessarily the first thing on your mind,” Maso told World Aquatics last December, catching up after the Paris Games at the World Short Course Championships. “But I want to show that you can achieve so much, even while navigating immense challenges.”
Balsini, 24, is also a two-time Olympian. Born in Tehran, Iran, he was a member of the Iranian national team system from the age of 15 and represented Iran at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, earning 33rd in the 200 fly (1:59.97). That remains his best time.
He left Iran in 2022 and was out of the pool for seven months while seeking asylum. He has since moved to the United Kingdom where he trains at the University of Surrey Swimming Club.
He logged 2:00.73 for 26th in Paris last July as his first time representing the Refugee Team. At the Short Course Worlds this past December, he clocked 1:58.51 for 32nd in the 200 fly and touched 44th in the 200 IM (2:03.02).
Masoud will also be competing in his fifth World Championships across short course and long course swimming in Singapore. He fled Syria because of the war and settled in New Zealand, where he now trains at the AUT Millennium Sports Centre.
At the 2022 Budapest Worlds, he finished 53rd in the 50 fly (25.27) and 58th in the 100 fly (59.78). He was 64th in both distances at Fukuoka 2023, notching 25.73 and 58.91 respectively. At the Doha 2024 Worlds, he took 42nd in the 50 fly (25.38) and 55th in the 100 fly.
His 50 fly best remains the 25.27 from 2022, while he logged 57.63 in the 100 fly at the 2024 Apollo Championships in New Zealand.
Most recently, he competed internationally at the Short Course Worlds, hitting the wall 59th in the 50 fly (24.98) and 60th in the 100 fly (55.89).
“It’s an honor to compete on the world stage and to send a message to refugees everywhere: if you have a dream, keep working towards it,” he told World Aquatics. “It’s also not just about refugees, but about anyone facing challenges.”
Swimming is the sport of one of the most famous refugee athletes ever Yusra Mardini who retired in 2023 after two Olympic appearances. She gained fame when, along with her sister and two other refugees, she helped tow a boat carrying 20 people across the Aegean Sea for three hours before it reached land. In April 2024, she was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports and Games list for Europe.
World Aquatics notes that National Olympic Committees in countries that host refugees can still apply for Refugee Athlete Scholarships through the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity program. Each scholarship provides $1,500 monthly to support athletes with training facilities, coaching, medical care, insurance, and travel expenses. To qualify, athletes must be recognized refugees under UNHCR guidelines, demonstrate competitive achievements, and maintain clean records regarding doping and sporting ethics.
It’s good to see refugee swimmers included in high level sports.
They overcome many obstacles to compete.