The Azraq Refugee Camp Baseball5 team took on the French national team in an historic game held in Paris highlighting the inclusive nature of the discipline during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The Baseball5 Refugee team travelled to France to compete in the exhibition matches at Parc de la Vilette on 10 and 11 August, in addition to meeting with the Olympic Refugee Team competing at the Games and experiencing the magic of an Olympic City between 8 and 12 August.
The World
Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) supported the project alongside the
International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Refuge Foundation, the French
National Olympic Committee (NOC) and the French Federation of Baseball and
Softball.
President Riccardo Fraccari hailed the initiative, which is part of the WBSC’s aim to have a Refugee Team compete at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.
President
Fraccari said: “It is inspiring to have the Baseball5 Refugee Team here in
Paris because they show that Baseball5 is not only a sport, but a way of
inclusion. In the Azraq Refugee Camp, Baseball5 was able to give them something
more than just a sporting activity.
“I asked our players what it means for them to play Baseball5, and the majority of them said it gave them a sense of the day. In the morning, they go to school and in the afternoon, they go to practice. These guys are fantastic, and they are only a few because we have more than 100 who play Baseball5 in the camp, including many women.
“The WBSC is very proud of our project, and we want to give all the players the possibility to grow and to dream in the future," President Fraccari added. "We must thank the French Baseball Softball Federation and the French National Olympic Committee for their hospitality and support for this trip, without whom it would not have been possible.”
Head Coach Amjad Alatoom emphasised the ambition to compete at the Youth Olympic Games and the importance of Baseball5 for the players in the camp.
“It’s a golden opportunity to be here in Club France, and through this match we will improve our skills and we will improve our vision to reach Dakar 2026," Alatoom said. "The players consider Baseball5 their life, because all of them suffered from a shortage of water or electricity, and we express our big thanks to the French national team and the WBSC for their efforts to invite us for this event.”
Ahmed Alshehadat, 15, was one of the
Refugee Team players in France and he expressed how much being invited to
compete meant to him and his teammates.
“It is a great honour to be here, and it is a golden opportunity to play with the French national team, one of the best teams in the world," Alshehadat said. "We hope from this participation to express our feeling for humanity, and we want to present our thanks for all who supported us, especially the WBSC and the French Federation.”
