Very often, the achievements of ordinary athletes go unnoticed, but there are certain athletes in the world who are very special. Instead of becoming discouraged, they have learnt to live with determination and courage. Many of them are involved in a variety of sports. These were the athletes we had in mind when we decided to attend an event organised by the Paralympics Committee and spoke to refugee athletes who live in Greece; we gave them encouragement and we asked them what motivates them.
Ibrahim Al Hussein is from Syria. He has been living in Greece for the past few years and does swimming and wheelchair basketball. When we spoke to him, we learnt a lot of interesting things about what he has been through up till now and how far he wants to go.
What sort of difficulties did you have to face, Ibrahim?
There were many. I can talk about some, but not about others. I try to forget the ones that have to do with the tragic events of the past. I was first involved with athletics as a child. I faced many problems, the worst being when I lost both legs, my right leg and the joint of my left. I came to Greece in 2014 and some Greeks helped with my therapy, so in 2016 I took up sports again and entered a few competitions.
How did sports help you overcome your injuries?
Because of the sports I do, I don’t think of myself as handicapped. I don’t consider physical handicap to be a condition, there is no such thing as physical handicap only psychological handicap.
Could you share with us some moments you experienced in the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016?
My participation in the Rio games was among the best times of my life and it opened up a whole new path.
How do you manage to combine swimming and basketball? Isn’t it hard for you to do both?
It’s hard, but if you have the will, you can walk right through any wall that appears in front of you. Training isn’t that hard, what is hard is going home after your training and having to clean and tidy up your house.
What are your future aims?
I’ve been thinking that what I would like to do is send a message to everyone saying that even if we are refugees with disabilities and other issues, we can still make our dreams come true. My aim is to win a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. But, as I told you, my other aim is to send a message to other disabled people and tell them that nothing is impossible in this life; if you really want to do something, you can.
What is the greatest honour you have experienced up to now?
It was when I carried the Olympic torch. I set off from the Elaionas refugee camp in 2016, and I was the first to carry it. The other was in 2016, when the US Sports Academy gave me the prize for the most courageous all-round athlete in the world.
That’s truly amazing. How did the Greek Paralympic Committee discover you? Or did you find them?
I got to know that Committee after carrying the Olympic torch from the Elaionas camp. I was the first disabled refugee in Greece to take part in paralympic sports.
Thank you so much!
And I thank you and hope to see you as a journalist in Tokyo in 2020.
Of course. We support you and we will continue to do so. Don’t forget that you have supporters everywhere.
What you just said is a great honour for me. The only thing I know is that the road to success is full of difficulties, and the only thing you can do is overcome them
Ouisam Sami is from Mosul in Iraq, which he left in 2014. He spent two years in Turkey and is now in Greece where he does wheelchair fencing.
Ouisam, could you tell us about your achievements and your participation in competitions.
I can’t tell you about my achievements because I don’t have any so far, but I can talk to you about participation. I have been unable to take part in competitions because I have been waiting for my asylum application to be accepted and for my official papers. I have, however, taken part in local events in Athens and this has motivated me to take part in more competitions in the future
How does you injury affect your everyday life?
I don’t have a problem. I am a photographer by profession, which doesn’t require much physical effort and overall my disability is very minor. It does not prevent me from walking or moving freely. It’s something that could be cured in the future and it has not affected me socially or practically in any fundamental way.
What is your particular sport and how did you start?
I do wheelchair fencing. Solidarity Now, the organisation that took on my case, suggested that I try various Paralympic sports. In the end, about a year ago, I chose wheelchair fencing.
What is your aim?
Like every human being who hopes for success, I would like to reach a good level, to take part in more events and to win a medal which will lift my country’s name up high and make me extremely happy.
What message would you like to send to refugees with disabilities who find themselves in Greece?
My message to all refugees who have willpower – I don’t want to say disability – is to set themselves free and not to let any obstacle stand in their way. Obstacles try to close the doors in your life but you are able to do anything you want, so you must take advantage of any opportunity and not be influenced by negative thoughts. The best example of all this is the athlete Ibrahim Al Hussein who has achieved so much and has taken part in international competitions. Ibrahim came here as a refugee. Make the most of the opportunity and take part in Paralympic sports. You must break the bonds that influence you in a negative way. People with disabilities are considered undesirable by some individuals who believe that they have nothing positive to offer to society. That’s why I advise them not to stop at the obstacle called disability, which I don’t recognise anyway, because I only recognise willpower.
How have Paralympic sports influence you?
It was an escape, something I used in order to get away from my daily routine as a refugee. Paralympic sports help with assimilation and integration, and they also allow you to meet new people through participation in sports events. It was the point at which everything changed. From zero to eternity.
As I explained earlier, that is how the Paralympic athletes represent their teams. By taking part in events they teach us an important lesson: that even those of us without disabilities should do our best to make our lives better and that we should encourage all those taking part in the Paralympics. We should be proud of all those who do not allow disability to become an obstacle in their lives and who do their best to show us we can all be better than we are.
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