Refugee Paralympic Team takes center stage at Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony

Members of the largest-ever Refugee Paralympic Team received a rousing ovation as they joined the procession of thousands of athletes along the Champs-Élysées and into Paris’ iconic Place de la Concorde on Wednesday, during the Opening Ceremony to mark the start of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Tens of thousands of spectators thronged the streets to cheer on the 4,400 athletes, including Refugee Paralympic Team flagbearer and T11 Para athletics sprinter Guillaume Junior Atangana.

“This Refugee Paralympic Team is one of the great stories of the Paris 2024 Paralympics,” said Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee. “Each of these athletes has overcome tremendous odds to get here and has a compelling message to share with the world. They are all great sports champions.”

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said: “The Refugee Paralympic Team is an inspiration to us all. These incredible athletes have overcome unimaginable adversity to achieve the highest pinnacle of sporting success.”

The eight refugee athletes are based in six countries and represent more than 120 million people forcibly displaced worldwide because of war, conflict, violence and human rights violations. This includes at least 18 million people with disabilities, who face higher risks of violence, discrimination, exploitation and abuse, as well as barriers in accessing critical support, assistance, education, sporting and livelihood opportunities.

“The Refugee Paralympic Team’s presence on the global stage sends a message of hope to millions of refugees across the world, and indeed to all of us. This remarkable team reminds us of how important it is for people with disabilities to have the chance to fully participate in society on an equal basis,” said Grandi.

This is the third time the Refugee Paralympic Team will compete at the Games. The first team, comprised of two refugee athletes, competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympics Games. The team grew to six for Tokyo 2020 and in Paris, the eight refugee athletes and two guide runners will compete in six of the 22 sports – Para athletics, Para powerlifting, Para table tennis, Para taekwondo, Para triathlon, and wheelchair fencing.

The first refugee athlete to compete on day one will be Para taekwondo star Zakia Khudadadi, the European champion in 2023 in the 47kg division. Khudadadi, who now lives in France, is an advocate for the rights of women around the world and made headlines after a harrowing escape from her country just days before Tokyo 2020.

“This team is made up of athletes, each with a different story,” Khudadadi said. “Being a part of this team is a privilege, and my goal is to show how strong women can be and to inspire other girls and women to pursue sports and aim for the Games.”