Refugee team wins first Olympic medal in history
The Refugee Team starts for the third time at the Olympics - and can finally celebrate a medal in Paris. Boxer Cindy Ngamba has secured at least bronze with her semi-final entry. Afterwards, the 25-year-old sends an emotional message.
Cindy Ngamba danced joyfully in the ring and pointed to the special emblem on her vest. The boxer has brought the first Olympic medal in history to the Refugee Team and celebrated the historic success. The 25-year-old advanced to the semi-finals with a unanimous points victory against the Frenchwoman Davina Michel (26) and has already secured bronze in the women's 75kg category.
For the Refugee Olympic Team of the International Olympic Committee, which is participating in the Summer Games for the third time after Rio 2016 and Tokyo, this is the first ever medal. The England-based Ngamba had led the Refugee Team as flag bearer at the opening ceremony. For the first time, the team is competing in Paris with its own emblem, which features a heart in its center.
Medal winner wants to be a role model
The Refugee Team is "sending a message of hope to the more than 100 million displaced people around the world," said IOC President Thomas Bach. "At the same time, it is drawing attention to the scale of the refugee crisis." This time, 37 athletes belong to the Refugee Team. Ten of them live in Germany and have found a sporting home there.
"It means the world to me," said Ngamba after her historic success. Her message to all refugees and people worldwide: "Work hard, believe in yourself, you can achieve anything you set your mind to." She wants to motivate people who face similar challenges with her sporting performance.
Although she is a three-time English champion, she is not allowed to compete for the British team due to the lack of a British passport. The boxer left her home country of Cameroon at the age of 11 with her brother to live in Bolton with her father. As a teenager, she ended up in detention, and deportation was only prevented at the last moment. In Cameroon, she fears for her safety due to her sexual orientation, where homosexuality is criminalized. "If I had been sent back, I could have ended up in prison," said Ngamba on Eurosport.
After securing the historical bronze medal, Cindy Ngamba expresses her desire to inspire others, stating, "Work hard, believe in yourself, you can achieve anything you set your mind to." With her success at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, the Refugee Team's participation in the event gains significant recognition, bringing hope to over 100 million displaced people worldwide.
