Sport and refugees weekly: 17 May 2021
Refugee Para swimmer Abbas Karimi: UNHCR High Profile Supporter aiming for Tokyo (UNHCR and IPC)
Mohammad Abbas Karimi was born without arms in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. But life in Afghan society as a disabled person was not easy, and throughout his childhood he was often bullied. As a Hazara, his life was perpetually in danger in Afghanistan, so at the age of 16, he fled his home country and resettled in Turkey. Now living in Portland, USA, Karimi is a successful swimmer, and was the first refugee athlete to win a medal at the World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico in 2017. He is now preparing for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Olympic Dreams: Syrian refugee Ibrahim Al Hussein (The National News)
Syrian refugee Ibrahim Al Hussein was left disabled after surviving a bomb attack in his home country. But he did not let his disability get in the way of his dream to become a swimmer. In 2016, he was part of the first Refugee Paralympic Team at Rio, and is now training every day in Athens to make it to the Tokyo Games.
Finland's National League offers players sports hijabs (Yle)
Children in Finland that play football in clubs are usually given jerseys, shorts and socks to play in. However, starting this spring, clubs will begin offering children with hijabs as part of this kit, if they would wish to wear one. This move aims to encourage more girls from immigrant and refugee backgrounds to participate in sport, and is reflective of the diverse reality of Finland’s population.
Afghan cyclist Masomah Ali Zada hopes to join the Olympic Refugee Team (BBC)
Masomah Ali Zada left Afghanistan with her family in 2016 – she was afraid of the repercussions of her being a woman cyclist, and feared violence from the Taliban. Now resettled in France, she is hoping to join the Olympic Refugee Team at the Tokyo Games.
Refugees on a mission to stop human trafficking through sports platform (ABC News)
Wesley Mukerinkindi, a Rwandan refugee, and Gaetan Ekoondo, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, both escaped their homelands for Europe, and studied in the USA. They created an online platform, Search Your Team, to help refugee athletes find professional soccer or basketball teams they can try out for. Through this platform, they are trying to prevent refugees from being exploited by traffickers and attempting to give them sporting opportunities through legal means.
Climbers for Peace initiative raising funds for the “Live Together” Program (IFSC)
On IDSDP 2021, the International Federation of Sport Climbing launched the #ClimbersForPeace initiative. Through the initiative, funds have been raised for the “Live Together” program, which works with over 350 girls and boys who participate in weekly training sessions in various sports, run all year round by refugee coaches.
Ode Fulutudilu: Glasgow City & South Africa striker on being a refugee (BBC Sport)
Ode Fulutudilu was three years old when she fled with her family from her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and moved to Angola, eventually resettling in Cape Town, South Africa. Though life has been challenging, including her stay in a children’s home, she has her faith in God and her passion for football have helped her overcome difficulties posed in life.
LFC Foundation joins forces to help refugees through Football Welcomes (Liverpool FC)
In 2019, LFC Foundation, Liverpool County FA and Amnesty International UK joined forced to launch a three-year Football Welcomes Community Project. Till date, the project has trained 200 asylum seekers and refugees, both male and female, in football. The activities of the project have allowed these refugees and asylum seekers to play football together and enjoy themselves in a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment.
Ebrima Darboe: From a migrant boat to Italy's top football league (Info Migrants)
Ebrima Darboe left his home country of Gambia at the age of 14, leaving behind his family, in search of a better future. Tortured and abused at a detention camp in Libya, he was able to board a migrant ship and eventually reached Sicily. On 2 April 2021, he played his first match in Serie A, Italy’s top football league, playing for the AS Roma.
The Scottish FA is involved in creating a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), aimed at supporting the inclusion of refugees through football. The free and interactive online course is open to all those interested in setting up a project which includes refugees in football programmes.
Netflix and Working Title Films are collaborating on a new film which will explore the story of refugee swimmer sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini. Yusra Mardini swam for the Refugee Olympic Team at Rio. The sisters fled Syria in 2015, after their house was destroyed. The film is set for a 2022 release.
This information has been compiled by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
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