Cameroon-Born Boxer Fights for UK and Olympic Glory

Cameroon-born boxer Cindy Ngamba has faced and conquered numerous challenges since moving to the UK at the age of 10. Now, at the age of 25, she is competing for a place on the  International Olympic Committee (IOC) refugee team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, encountering obstacles on both personal and professional fronts.

Ngamba is facing challenges in her journey to achieve her Olympic dream due to bureaucratic hurdles. She is working hard to secure a UK visa and citizenship after residing in the country for 15 years. Due to not having a British passport, the boxer cannot compete for Team GB in the upcoming Olympics, but her determination remains unwavering.

Ngamba’s journey took a dramatic turn at the age of 20, during a routine signing-on process that became a nightmare. Detained with her brother Kennet, she was quickly transferred to a detention camp in London, an unsettling experience that remains shrouded in mystery regarding the motives behind it.

Reflecting on the incident, Ngamba shared her disbelief with BBC Sport.

“Imagine thinking you’re just going to sign then go back to your house to go about your day and then you’re put in the back of a van with handcuffs on,” she said.

Confronted with the uncertain destiny in detention, Ngamba found herself among individuals who had been there for months and even years, their experiences raising questions about her own prospects.

Ngamba cannot go back to Cameroon due to the severe repercussions of her sexual orientation, as it is punishable by up to five years in prison in her homeland. She has established a life in England, managing to balance work and studies to graduate with a degree in criminology from Bolton University.

Ngamba found solace in boxing, using it as a way to cope with the challenges of adjusting to her new surroundings. Despite facing initial restrictions from coaches, she established herself as a strong middleweight, securing National Amateur titles in three different weight classes, an accomplishment not seen since Natasha Jonas.

Her achievements caught the eye of GB Boxing, which wanted to involve her in the Olympic programme. Nevertheless, the need for British citizenship posed a challenging obstacle, resulting in a sorrowful exit from the programme. Ngamba expressed her disappointment.

“They couldn’t help me, and they had to let me go, and it was devastating for me, but I knew that I had been through worse,” she said

Unfazed, Ngamba persisted in pursuing her goals, receiving training from professionals such as IBF welterweight champion Natasha Jonas and Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price. Encouraged by the challenges she encountered, Ngamba heads to the initial world qualification event in Italy with a specific objective of earning a place at the Paris Olympics.

Despite the obstacles in the way, Ngamba stays determined, viewing the challenges as a source of resilience. Competing for a sought-after position on the IOC refugee team, her story embodies the determined spirit of an athlete who is confident in her ability to accomplish any goal she sets, driven by a track record of overcoming challenges.

Mimi Mefo Info