Damascus, SANA- Syrian equestrian Adnan al-Qassar fell in love with horseback riding at an early age. By the time he reached a professional level and began planning his entry into the global arena in show jumping, his dreams were shattered by the former regime, which subjected him to unjust imprisonment, stealing the prime years of his youth.
Born in 1960, al-Qassar endured 22 years in prison, a price he paid for excelling in equestrianism over Bassel al-Assad, who monopolized the sport during the former regime’s era to pass it down to his family. With the revolution, equestrianism was freed from decades-long oppression.
SANA interviewed al-Qassar, who recounted his journey over the years: “I started horseback riding as a hobby during my childhood and trained extensively until I mastered the skills. I participated in numerous local championships and excelled in them.”
“My first international competition with the national team was at the first Arab Games in Iraq. The competitions continued, and I achieved notable results, including winning gold at the Police Championship in Kuwait and earning gold and bronze at the tournament held in Turkey in 1988,” al-Qassar continued.
He added, “I turned professional in 1992 and that year won the gold medal at the Arab Games, earning the Grand Prix title. This marked the beginning of my conflict with the tyrant Bassel al-Assad, who couldn’t tolerate the presence of equestrians better than him.”
He continued: “Bassel al-Assad interfered in the affairs of equestrians daily, especially in the random distribution of horses without considering the vital principle of harmony between rider and horse—a cornerstone of equestrianism. He even seized the horse ‘al-Aghar’ from my brother Ghassan two weeks before the Mediterranean Games to compete with it himself.”
Reflecting on the turning point, al-Qassar shared, “I never imagined that distinction and success would come at such a high cost. On January 8, 1993, my life took a dark turn. I was ambushed one ordinary day while checking on the horses as their supervisor. A military club horseman asked me to drive him in my car, carrying a bag with him.”
“Shortly after, a car intercepted us, and several individuals arrested me, accusing me of owning the bag, which supposedly contained a weapon—a grenade. I was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location, later revealed to be the Military Investigations Branch,” al-Qassar said.
He continued with emotion, “I spent six months at the investigations branch. Despite my insistence on telling the truth, the response was always, ‘These are the orders.’ I was subjected to inhumane torture, which intensified after Bassel al-Assad’s death. I was transferred to Sednaya Prison, where I spent 19 years before being moved to Adra Prison for three years. After repeated demands from international organizations, which served as a pressure point, I was finally released after years of injustice and suffering.”
Latifa Moammar/Ruaa al-Jazaeri
