Lesbian boxer Cindy Ngamba, Refugee Team's first Olympic medal

Lesbian boxer Cindy Ngamba, Refugee Team's first Olympic medal Lesbian boxer Cindy Ngamba, Refugee Team's first Olympic medal

Cindy Ngamba was granted refugee status in 2021 because she could have been imprisoned for being gay in Cameroon

The Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba This Sunday he assured the refugee team the first Olympic medal in its history by qualifying for the semifinals in the category of -75 kg after defeating the French Davina Michel.

After a highly contested first round, the refugee went from strength to strength to end up defeating the local boxer, highly supported by the public. With the ticket to the semifinals, I am afraid made sure to leave these Games with at least a bronze and the refugee team, which has existed since river-2016, the first Olympic medal in its history was guaranteed.

Triple champion in England

Lesbian boxer Cindy Ngamba, Refugee Team's first Olympic medalIn total, 36 athletes, 23 men and 13 women, from eleven different countries, make up the refugee team in the Paris Games. They come from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Cuba and Venezuela. They integrate the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, representing the global displaced population of more than 100 million people. An initiative that is repeated for the third time, after Rio 2016, with nine athletes, and Tokyo 2020, with 29.

In this edition they will compete under the acronym EOR, from the French «olympique team of refugees«, and for the first time they will have their own emblem – with a heart in the center – to unify the team, instead of competing under the Olympic flag.

Cindy Ngamba represents the main hope of a first medal for the refugee team due to the criminal repression of homosexuality in their country. Arrive to United Kingdom At 11 years old, she is a triple champion of England in three different weight categories. She qualified for the Games in the -75 kg. The British wanted to have her on their national team for the Olympic tournament, but the attempts of British boxing officials were not enough for her to obtain a passport.

Criminal repression of homosexuality

Bullied at school, I am afraid He went through a difficult youth in United Kingdom. Two sports teachers took her in and introduced her to boxing. He COI announced the creation of an Olympic refugee team in 2015, a year marked by the displacement of millions of people, linked especially to the war in Syria.

Two years ago, in 2022, she was granted refugee status. «The reason I am a refugee is because of my sexuality. In my country it is illegal to be gay, so if I was returned I could have been imprisoned", remember. But before, in 2019 she was on the verge of being deported after being held in a detention camp: «It was one of the scariest experiences of my life.«.

At first, she admits that she was embarrassed to be called a refugee «because I felt helpless«. «But you live and learn, and now I have a different mentality about it. At the end of the day, you're still human. You should never look at someone because they are a refugee or migrant, you should look at them for who they are.«, he claims.

FOR I am afraid «It is sad and shocking to think that a country can judge someone for their sexuality. It happens not only in Cameroon, but in many other countries where people's lives are in danger» just because they are LGTBIQA +.

Cindy Ngamba She has made history by becoming the first refugee not only to qualify for the Olympic Games through the pre-Olympic tournaments but also to win a medal.

Lesbian boxer Cindy Ngamba, Refugee Team's first Olympic medal

Sources: El Periodico

↑ ↓ Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *