The Azraq Refugee Camp Baseball5 baseball team competed against the French national team in a historic game in Paris, underlining the inclusive nature of the sport during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The refugee team Baseball5 travelled to France to take part in the exhibition games at the Parc de la Vilette on 10 and 11 August, to meet the Olympic refugee team participating in the Games and to experience the magic of an Olympic city from 9 to 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 Baseball and Softball Federation.
President Riccardo Fraccari welcomed the initiative, which is part of the WBSC’s goal of having a refugee team compete at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
President Fraccari said: “It is inspiring to have the Baseball5 refugee team here in Paris because they show that Baseball5 is not just a sport, but a way of inclusion. In the Azraq refugee camp, Baseball5 was able to offer them more than just a sporting activity.
“I asked our players what it means to them to play Baseball5 and the majority of them said it gives them a feeling for the day. They go to school in the morning and practice in the afternoon. These guys are amazing and they are few in number as we have more than 100 playing Baseball5 at camp, including many women.
“The WBSC is very proud of our project and we want to give all players the opportunity to develop and dream of the future,” added President Fraccari. “We must thank the French Baseball and Softball Federation and the French National Olympic Committee for their hospitality and support in this trip, without which this would not have been possible.”
Head coach Amjad Alatoom emphasized the ambitions to participate in the Youth Olympic Games and the importance of Baseball5 for the players in the camp.
“It is a golden opportunity to be here at Club France. Through this game, we will improve our skills and enhance our vision for Dakar 2026,” said Alatoom. “The players consider Baseball5 as their life, because they all suffered from lack of water or electricity. We would like to express our great gratitude to the French national team and the WBSC for their efforts in inviting us to this event.”
Fifteen-year-old Ahmed Alshehadat was one of the players on the refugee team in France and expressed how much it meant to him and his teammates to be invited to compete.
“It is a great honour to be here and it is a unique opportunity to play with the French national team, one of the best teams in the world,” said Alshehadat. “We hope to express our sense of humanity through this participation and we would like to thank everyone who supported us, especially the WBSC and the French Federation.”
