Refugee Paralympic Team leaves Paris with historic medals and lasting legacy

PARIS – Zakia Khudadadi, the Refugee Paralympic Team’s (RPT) historic first medal winner, will lead the team out of Paris as the flagbearer at the Paralympic Closing ceremony on Sunday, marking the end of a stunning Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Since August 28, eight refugee athletes and one guide runner have competed in six of the 22 sports – Para athletics, Para powerlifting, Para table tennis, Para taekwondo, Para triathlon, and wheelchair fencing.

Khudadadi – competing in women’s Para taekwondo K44-47kg – and Guillaume Junior Atangana – competing in Para athletics in the men’s T11 400m – took home the RPT’s first ever medals, both bronze medals, dedicating their podium finishes to “refugees around the world”.

“I was lucky enough to be at the Grand Palais when Zakia won her bronze medal and it was happiness, immense pride, (and her) being grateful to the universe. It was just pure joy,” said Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, who delivered the news of Zakia being the closing flag bearer personally to the RPT.

Parsons told the team, “We are super proud of each and every one of you. With medals around your neck or not, each of you are all winners.” 

“The team’s reception here in Paris has been overwhelmingly positive,” said UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, who watched the team compete. “They are a symbol of perseverance and hope, and spectators have united in support for the athletes. It’s a reminder that people everywhere crave the same things in life: safety and a chance to fulfill their dreams.”

For Khudadadi, whose post medal celebration made headlines around the globe and who has lived in France since escaping her country in 2021, carrying the flag in the Closing Ceremony is another moment from the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she won’t soon forget.

“To carry the flag for the Refugee Team, I’m proud of myself but also for all the female refugees around the world.”

Just days before the closing ceremony, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo welcomed the team at the Eiffel Tower and expressed her admiration. “This refugee Paralympic team is a symbol of hope and courage. The City of Paris stands by their side and will continue to support them," she said.

Across the team, personal records were broken and ambitions achieved. Ibrahim Al Hussein finished the Para triathlon in sixth place, his goal. Atangana and his guide runner and fellow refugee, Donard Ndim Nyamjua, achieved a personal best to win bronze in the Men’s T11 400m, as well as a personal best in the qualifying heat for the Men’s T11 100m. Making it to the semi-final, Atangana was proud of his performance, as were his coaches.

Wheelchair fencer, Amelio Castro Grueso, made it to the second repechage round of his first competition, and narrowly lost in a hard fought competition to the world’s number one fencer in his second competition of the Games. In closing the team’s competition, he said: "For me, for us, being in Paris is an answered prayer. I am proud to be part of this very special team".

Hadi Hassanzada in taekwondo, Sayed Amir Hossein Hosseini Pour in table tennis, and Hadi Darvish in the men’s 80kg Para powerlifting all competed but did not progress to the finals in their events. Salman Abbariki closed the team’s competitions today.

Forced displacement disproportionately affects people with disabilities. Globally, it is estimated that at least 18 million people with disabilities have been forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is partnering with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Refuge Foundation to support refugees at the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Paris. This Games has built a legacy for the Refugee Paralympic Team, growing in both performance and numbers. “This has been the summer of dreams for refugee athletes around the world and builds a strong platform for the 2028 Los Angeles Games and beyond,” added UNHCR’s Menikdiwela.

For more information please contact:

• In Paris: Paula Barrachina Esteban, [email protected], +33 6 23 16 11 78 
• In Geneva: Mel Paramasivan, [email protected], +41 79 526 59 48