Guillaume Junior Atangana Named Flagbearer for Refugee Paralympic Team at Paris 2024

Atangana, representing over 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, will lead the largest Refugee Paralympic Team in history, which includes eight athletes and two guide runners.

With just three days remaining until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that T11 Para athletics sprinter Guillaume Junior Atangana will serve as the flagbearer for the Refugee Paralympic Team (RPT) at the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday.

Atangana, representing over 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, will lead the largest Refugee Paralympic Team in history, which includes eight athletes and two guide runners. This marks a significant expansion from the team’s debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where only two athletes competed.

The RPT will have a prominent role in the ceremony, marching along the Champs-Élysées and into Paris’ iconic Place de la Concorde. Atangana, reflecting on his selection as the flagbearer, expressed his deep emotions: “I am very moved and happy. It gives me shivers. I can already picture it in my head. I see myself as a big champion, the one who made his dreams come true.” He will carry the Paralympic flag alongside his running guide and fellow refugee, Donard Ndim Nyamjua.

Atangana’s journey to this moment has been remarkable. After losing his eyesight as a child, he turned to Para athletics and sprinting, finding a new path to greatness. He narrowly missed a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, finishing fourth in the 400m T11 event.

The eight refugee athletes on the RPT are hosted in six different countries and will compete across six sports: Para athletics, Para powerlifting, Para table tennis, Para taekwondo, Para triathlon, and wheelchair fencing.

On day one of the Games, Para taekwondo star Zakia Khudadadi will be the first RPT member to compete. Khudadadi, who is the European champion in the 47kg division, is an advocate for women’s rights worldwide. She made headlines after a dramatic escape from her home country just days before the Tokyo 2020 Games. This year marks the third time the Refugee Paralympic Team will participate in the Paralympic Games.

IPC President Andrew Parsons delivered the news of Atangana’s selection as flagbearer during a video call at the team’s training camp in Reims, France. “You were chosen because of your history, the athlete you are. You are an important example to other refugee athletes and other athletes from different parts of the world that have been through what you’ve been through,” Parsons said.

“This Refugee Paralympic Team is one of the great stories of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. 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.”

Globally, it is estimated that at least 18 million people with disabilities have been forcibly displaced due to war, conflict, violence, and human rights violations. Many face heightened risks of violence, discrimination, exploitation, and abuse, along with barriers to accessing critical support, education, sports, and livelihood opportunities.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, praised the RPT, saying, “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. Their 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.”