The 30-year-old previously competed for Iran for eight years before fleeing the country in 2015 and arriving in Switzerland.

He now has refugee status in the country and is hoping to compete at next year's postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team.

"At the height of the pandemic, it was very hard to train, and I could only really work on fitness," he said to the UN News.

Naghibzadeh, who competed for Iran in the under-54 kilograms finweight division at the 2013 World Championships in Puebla, Mexico, said he was able to use a gym but there were limits on what he could do.

He was not allowed to kick targets or spar with other athletes.

"This is a big problem, because sparring is essential practice in taekwondo," he added. 

"I live in Appenzell, a rural part of eastern Switzerland and I have to travel to Winterthur or Zurich to use the gym.

"This means I spend between four and five hours a day on the train. 

"My sister says that I should be in the Guinness Book of Records, for the amount of time I spend travelling by train.

"But I don't mind, it's worth it. 

"Sport was my life before, in Iran, it's my life now and will always be the most important thing in my life, whatever happens next year. 

"I go to university two days a week, to study for a degree in sports management, and I am planning to become a taekwondo and fitness coach."