Independent Athletes Long for Refugee-Free Society

(ATR) Ibrahim Al Hussein and Shahrad Nasajpour say their Rio 2016 experience made them feel like athletes and not refugees.

Hussein is one of two Paralympians competing at the Rio 2016 Games under the International Paralympic Committee flag along with Shahrad Nasajpour. The pair comprise the first ever refugee team for the Paralympics, following in the footsteps of the 2016 Olympic refugee team. Al-Hussein says that he hopes the team brings awareness to refugees in impairments, but more importantly does not need to exist in Tokyo.

"I hope that in four years' time we will have ended bloodshed, we've ended the war, we will have no more refugees and we'll do away with this IPA team," Al-Hussein told reporters at a press conference. "We don't want any refugees in the future."

Al-Hussein's teammate Sharad Nasajpour toldAround the Ringshe never imagined being able to compete in the Paralympics and the opening ceremony was like a dream come true.

"The IPC actually did great for us," Nasajpour said. "The president and staff on the team and the Chef de Mission all were great. It was a fabulous time for me being part of the opening ceremony on this team."

Both athletes have overcome incredible obstacles to be here in Rio de Janeiro. Hussein is a Syrian refugee who lost his foot to a bomb in 2012 and fled his country in 2014. Nasajpour is an Iranian migrant who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He chose not to disclose why he left Iran. Thanks to the Paralympics, these athletes no longer see themselves as just refugees or people with disabilities.

"I don't define myself as a refugee," says Hussein. "I define myself as an athlete, as part of this athletes' family."

Hussein competed in the men’s swimming 100 and 50 meter freestyle in the S9 classification at Rio 2016 and set personal bests in each of his events. Nasajpour competed in the men’s F37 discus throw and set and had a season’s best throw. Neither athlete reached the podium in their events but say the experience at the Games is about more than just medals.

The team is lead by chef de mission Tony Sainsbury who says while he hopes for the same, the IPA team will continue as long as it’s needed.

"We'll be continuing this program in the athletics championships in London, in the swimming championships in Mexico next year, and hopefully beyond," Sainsbury said.

Hussein and Nasajpour are just two of the estimated 21 million refugees in the world who have been forced from their homes due to war or instability. Hussein now resides in Greece where he trains for swimming while Nasajpour has asylum in the United States and competes in the discus throw.

Both say it has been a great honor to be welcomed to the Paralympic family in Rio and compete against some of the best athletes in the world.

"It was a very successful experience," Hussein said. "I got to meet many champions from all over the world so it was a great experience for me."

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the biggest achievement for any athlete," Nasajpour added. "For me absolutely it's the same. It was my greatest privilege being part of these Rio Paralympic Games."

The two athletes were the first to enter the Maracana during the Parade of Nations in the opening ceremony.

"The best memories are all the many friends that I've made here from Brazil and from different parts of the world," says Hussein. "For me, having met these people is far better than winning a medal."

Sainsbury says his athletes perfectly represent the values of the Paralympic Games.

"What we have in these two, and they're two of a number that we could have brought to the Games, is the power of Paralympic sport to bring about social change, to make people look at other people in a totally different way," he said.

Reported by Kevin Nutley in Rio de Janeiro.

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