Palestinian swimmer hopes to help build sports infrastructure to give people hope

NANTERRE, France (AP) — Yazan Al Bawwab's refugee father never reached his goal to become an Olympic swimmer. He had to leave Palestine at 18, bouncing around Europe and the Middle East, even selling tomatoes in Italy at one point to get by.

Eventually opening a furniture business in Dubai, Rashad Al Bawwab made sure his son Yazan had time and training to swim to accomplish what he never could. But work kept the father from traveling to Paris to see his son's last Olympic race.

Yazan Al Bawwab had no supporters in the stands Sunday. He said he swam for his father while honoring the memory of those killed during the Israel-Hamas war. He spoke after his race in no official capacity. Al Bawwab is one of eight Palestinian athletes at the Games.

The son never heard his dad complain.

“He was the one who suffered for me to at least be able to speak about it,” Al Bawwab said. ”It was his dream to be a swimmer and he made me a swimmer.”

A two-time Olympian, Al Bawwab was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Dubai. He studied aerospace engineering in Canada and received a master’s degree in London.

He said he knows countless Palestinians who have been killed or injured, including a coach who was his roommate at the Asian Games. He spoke of a runner he knew who is injured and stuck. “Now he posts photos of him bandaged up trying to eat some rice.”

Being part of the Paris Games gave the 24-year-old Al Bawwab a brief respite from the stress of the on-going Middle East conflict. And being here reminds him of all the Palestinian athletes who don't have this chance or even facilities to train.

He mentioned weightlifter Mohammad Hamada, who is in the 100-kilogram (220.46 pounds) weight class and couldn't get enough calories to sustain himself.

“He lost 20 kilograms, because he didn't have food and he still tried to go and compete. He didn't qualify, so it's unfortunate for these circumstances,” Al Bawwab said. “... Again, being a Palestinian athlete, these are the things that I'm talking about, I'm talking about people being killed, not about my swimming.”

Palestine Olympic Committee President Jibril Rajoub has said about 400 athletes of varying levels are estimated to have died since October. The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing approximately 1,200. The war has killed more than 39,200 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

Al Bawwab, who is half-Italian, was last in Palestine about six months ago. He said he has mostly been treated well and with respect in Paris.

“People generally love Palestine. And it's either people like Palestine or they completely hate it, there's kind of no middle ground over there,” he said. “... A lot of people don't want us to be here, they don't want to see the flag, they don't want to hear my country's name. They don't want me to exist, they want me to leave. But I'm here."

Al Bawwab raced in the first heat of the 100-meter backstroke among the slowest qualifying swimmers and that was it. He was the lone male swimmer representing Palestine.

Al Bawwab hopes one day Palestine will begin building sports infrastructure. Right now there's no suitable pool to train, educate coaches or even teach children to swim.

“There's a war going on, what are you supposed to do when there's a war?” he said.

He intends to one day take a more formal role in the Palestinian sports leadership efforts, though even some of the contacts he had begun making have died.

Constructing adequate sports facilities would, “give a way out for a lot of people, it can make them smile for at least five minutes a day where they don't," he said. "So that's why I believe in sports, that's why I believe we should invest in Palestine, in Palestinian sports, but nobody wants to.”

He added: “We first have to get past the human issue and then we can start talking about sports.”

Once home in Dubai, Al Bawwab will return to selling lounge chairs and fire extinguishers, having branched off from his dad's business. He also works as a sports consultant and coach.

Al Bawwab spoke for more than 30 minutes after his race. He said he appreciated, even for a brief moment, the chance to share his story for the world.

“I am strong,” he said, “but I might go home and cry.”

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games