Members of the Refugee Olympic Team are gearing up to make their mark at the Paris Games starting on Friday, proudly embracing their identities while pursuing their Olympic dreams. With 37 athletes competing across 12 different sports, the team will be the largest refugee contingent ever assembled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“For our name ‘Refugee Olympic Team’ to be called out, refugees all around the world will acknowledge us,” said Cameroon-born boxer Cindy Ngamba, one of the team’s flagbearers who is currently based in the United Kingdom. “We are seen as a team, we are seen as athletes, as fighters, hungry athletes who are part of a family. We are not afraid, not ashamed, and are proud to be refugees. We know we are not with them, but we can feel the energy.”
The IOC first introduced the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Rio Games with just 10 athletes, aiming to raise awareness for the global refugee crisis. Eight years later, the expanded team symbolizes hope and unity for over 100 million displaced people worldwide.
“It matters 100 percent. The foundation is about the team, about a family. Being part of this unique family is what it is all about,” Ngamba added. “We will hold our heads high and be proud of the team we are part of. It shows we are not just refugees. We are athletes. People see us as refugees but forget we are athletes with the same goals as the other countries represented here. We can achieve the same thing, win the same thing, have the same drive, the same hunger, and the same energy.”
Co-flagbearer Yahya Al Ghotany, who will compete in taekwondo and only took up the sport after arriving at a refugee camp in Jordan, echoed the message of hope and determination. “It is a wonderful feeling knowing I am representing many people who have gone through the same experience as me,” he said. “Representing more than 100 million displaced people across the globe is very important because it sends a message of hope. There is always hope in passion.”
As the Refugee Olympic Team prepares to compete on the world stage, they carry not only their personal aspirations but also the dreams and resilience of millions who have faced adversity. Their participation in the Paris Games is a powerful testament to the unifying spirit of sports and the enduring human capacity for hope and achievement.
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Refugee team members proud of identities, but also have Olympic dreams
cgtn.com
