A new gym was inaugurated at the Erbil Senior Home on Thursday, in a ceremony attended by prominent regional officials. The event brought together Omid Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Sardar Ismail, Director General of Sports of the Kurdistan Region; Rojgar Mahmoud, Director of Sports of Erbil; Dr. Khoshnaw, Member of the Kurdistan Parliament; and several other dignitaries.
The gym was provided independently by Ahmad Majeed, widely known as Ahmad Rambo, a pioneering figure in Kurdish bodybuilding. Born in Erbil in 1973, Rambo began weightlifting in 1988, eventually winning national and international competitions, including a silver medal at the 2009 Asian Bodybuilding Championships in Thailand. His nickname, “Rambo,” reflects both his iconic physique and his commitment to strength, discipline, and perseverance. Beyond sports, he has also contributed to Kurdish cinema, writing and starring in the 2016 film Behind the Clouds: Salute to Peshmerga.
At the inauguration, Rambo emphasized the importance of promoting physical activity for seniors and creating spaces that encourage health and wellbeing. Officials praised the initiative as a meaningful contribution to the community and a model of private support for public services.
The new gym, equipped with modern exercise machines, is expected to improve mobility, fitness, and quality of life for the elderly residents, highlighting Rambo’s ongoing commitment to using sport and personal initiative to make a positive impact in Kurdish society.
