Amir Khan is one of the leading athletes from Singapore. He competes in mixed martial arts, and has made a name for himself in ONE Championship. He’s tough, fast, and incredibly focused– but things weren’t always easy for Khan.
Khan has Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition that can cause muscle jerking, eye spasms, and involuntary vocalization, like grunts, laughs, or blurted out words. It’s caused by environmental and genetic factors, and cannot be cured. To learn more about Tourette syndrome, click here.
When Khan was a kid, he struggled with his condition. He used to shake his head and blink a lot, or make expressions he didn’t mean to. The other kids around him used to tease, and for a while, and he found it difficult.
This tough phase didn’t last forever, though. Khan made his way out of the thickets and onto the competitive arena.
Khan had actually hoped to become a professional golfer for years, until suddenly, at age 13, he decided to give Muay Thai a try. He picked up the martial art quickly, and loved it.
Now, he’s a career athlete on the Evolve Fight Team, but that’s not the only way that the sport helps Khan. He credits the sport for helping him overcome his rare neurological condition. When he felt overwhelmed by tics and urges that felt beyond his control, he’d head over to the gym and work out. The exertion seemed to calm the power the tics had over him.
Since it’s so essential to keep your eyes on your opponent in MMA, the sport helped Khan gain focus. He was able to transfer these skills out of the MMA cage, and into real life. Soon, he entered a MMA competition– he was only fourteen. He later went to Thailand for intensive training. While his mom, who wanted to protect him, was initially hesitant to see Khan compete, she eventually came around and now supports him full-heartedly.
The focus from the sport helped Khan break out of his childhood shyness. He emerged more confident, and his classmates who had teased him learned that he was now a trained boxing champion. Not only did they stop imitating him, but they grew interested in learning about this new facet of Khan.
People often want to know whether or not he thinks Tourette syndrome affects his performance. He says that he has much more control over it than he once did, but still gets the occasional tic while fighting.
