Refugee Paralympic Team Training Camp Before Paris 2024
Author: International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
Published: 19 Aug 2024 - Updated: 4 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Informative
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This information covers the first ever training camp for the Refugee Paralympic Team, held at the CREPS sports center in Reims, France, from August 12 to 21, 2024, ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Organized by the International Paralympic Committee with support from the French Ministry of Sport and Paris 2024, the camp gave athletes final training, sports medicine support, media practice and their first chance to meet as one team. The squad of eight athletes and two guide runners was the largest refugee team in Paralympic history, competing in six sports, with four athletes returning from earlier Games. The story matters because the team represents more than 120 million displaced people and over a billion people with disabilities worldwide, showing how sport can offer belonging to athletes who have lost their home countries.*
At a Glance
- 1 - Airbnb has supported the team as its official partner since Tokyo 2020.
- 2 - The team led the athletes into the Opening Ceremony at Place de la Concorde.
- 3 - School children in Reims gave each athlete a personal message and drawings of support.
- 4 - The Asics team kit features a Yagasuri pattern representing determination and strength, in the red, blue and green of the IPC symbol.
Topic Definition
- Refugee Paralympic Team
The Refugee Paralympic Team is a team formed by the International Paralympic Committee so that athletes with disabilities who have been forced to flee their home countries, and cannot compete for them, can take part in the Paralympic Games. First entered as the Independent Paralympic Athletes team at Rio 2016 and as the Refugee Paralympic Team from Tokyo 2020, it competes under the Paralympic flag and represents displaced people around the world.
Overview
As they finalize preparations for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, members of the Refugee Paralympic Team have been taking part in a training camp in Reims, France, at the Centre for Resources, Expertise and Sport Performance (CREPS).
Organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) with the support of the French Ministry of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Paris 2024, the training camp ran from August 12 to 21, 2024, and was the first time the athletes have come together as one team.
In addition to final training sessions and providing access to sports medicine experts at CREPS, the athletes have been taking part in team bonding sessions, doing interviews with the world's media, and receiving the official Asics kit they will wear during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Paris 2024 marks the third successive Paralympic Games the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has assembled a Refugee Paralympic Team. According to London 2012 Paralympian and Refugee Paralympic Team Chef de Mission, Nyasha Mharakurwa, the group is the best prepared yet.
"It has been fantastic to bring the team together for the first time to benefit from such world class sport facilities at CREPS in Reims as we put the finishing touches on our preparations for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games," said Mharakurwa.
Worldwide Paralympic partner, Airbnb, is the RPT Official Partner and since Tokyo 2020 has been supporting the IPC's efforts to bring the team to the Games, providing individual support to each athlete to enable them to focus on their training and perform at their best.
"The IPC has been determined to ensure this is the best prepared RPT yet and this first ever training camp for the RPT has ensured our team is as ready as possible thanks to the incredible hospitality of our hosts," Mharakurwa said.
"I'm really proud of how quickly the athletes have come together. On paper, we thought this might be a challenge bearing in mind the diversity of the team and the differences in language and culture. In reality however, they have built relationships and shown support for each other from day one, united by the fact that at Paris 2024 they are part of something much bigger than themselves."
The team of eight athletes and two guide runners, the largest Refugee Paralympic Team in history, will compete in six different sports and boasts a wealth of experience. Four of the athletes have competed at previous Paralympic Games, including Para triathlete Ibrahim Al Hussein.
"I feel like we are much more than a team, we are a family," said Al Hussein. "It's incredible to see how much we have in common because of the difficult journeys we've all gone through. It's like with our common struggles, we've known each other all our lives."
"We are all proud to be members of the Refugee Paralympic Team and representing not just ourselves but the 120 million displaced people from around the world and the more than one billion people with disabilities," he added.
One of the special moments of the training camp took place on 18 August with a celebration of the team including local dignitaries and school children from Reims. The children presented each with a personal message of support and special drawings where they highlighted how inspired they were by the athletes and their stories.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the team members couldn't stop smiling in photos with the children, wearing their Asics team uniform for the first time. Asics is the official kit supplier of the Refugee Paralympic Team.
The official sportswear features a design of "Yagasuri," that represents determination and strength, and incorporates the IPC symbol mark colors of red, blue and green. The material used is lightweight with excellent water absorption and quick drying properties.
"It's an honor to receive this uniform, I am so excited to wear it in Paris on the biggest stage of all. Sport changed my life - I can't imagine my life without it. Being part of this Refugee Paralympic Team and going to the Paralympics is a dream come true," said wheelchair fencer Amelio Castro Grueso who will be competing in his first Paralympics.
The Refugee Paralympic Team will be hard to miss as they are the first team to march into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony at Place de la Concorde on 28 August.
On the opening day of competition, Zakia Khudadadi, who won the 2023 European Taekwondo Championship in the 47kg category, will be the first team member to compete hoping to land the team's first ever podium place.
"It would be a dream come true to be the first to ever win a medal for the Refugee Paralympic Team," said Khudadadi who has been based in Paris since 2021.
"If that happens, I know how much inspiration and hope that would give to millions of people around the world, especially women and girls. It will show them that no matter how difficult the struggles they face, they should never give up."
Update
On August 29, 2024, the opening day of competition, Zakia Khudadadi won bronze in the women's K44 under 47kg Para taekwondo event, the first medal ever won by the Refugee Paralympic Team.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
How are athletes chosen for the Refugee Paralympic Team?
Athletes must have refugee or similar protected status, meet the eligibility and classification rules of their sport, and show a competitive level of performance. The IPC selects the team with input from sports federations and support programs.
Which flag does the Refugee Paralympic Team compete under?
The team competes under the Paralympic flag, and the Paralympic anthem is played if a team member wins gold.
Is there also a Refugee Olympic Team?
Yes, the International Olympic Committee has entered a Refugee Olympic Team at every Summer Games since Rio 2016. The two teams are organized separately.
What is a guide runner in Para athletics?
A guide runner runs alongside an athlete with a vision impairment, usually linked by a tether, to help them stay on course. Guides are part of the team and can receive medals.
What does K44 mean in Para taekwondo?
K44 is a sport class for athletes with an impairment affecting one arm, such as a limb deficiency. Para taekwondo at the Paralympics uses kicking-based sparring.
How do refugee athletes find a place to train?
Many train with the help of national Paralympic committees, clubs or sports programs in their host countries, and some receive scholarships through the IPC and its partners.
How many people with disabilities are displaced worldwide?
Estimates suggest that about 15 percent of displaced people have a disability, which would mean many millions of people. They often face extra barriers to shelter, health care and education.
Where can I watch past Paralympic events?
The International Paralympic Committee posts highlights and replays on its official website and video channels, and national broadcasters often keep coverage online for a time after the Games.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The camp paid off quickly: on the first day of competition, Afghan-born Para taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi won bronze in the women's K44 under 47kg class, the first medal ever won by the Refugee Paralympic Team. Her result came three years after she was evacuated from Kabul and made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo. Refugee teams remain small, and their athletes still face problems with training access, travel papers and classification, but each Games has made the team larger and better prepared. For displaced people with disabilities, many of whom live in camps without accessible facilities, a podium in Paris showed that support and opportunity can change what is possible.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and published on 19 Aug 2024. Last updated on 4 Nov 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.