Olympics-Swimming-Palestinian flies the flag in Paris pool

[Pelican Press 0]

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Olympics-Swimming-************ flies the flag in Paris pool

By Alan Baldwin

PARIS (Reuters) – ************ swimmer Yazan Al Bawwab’s sole Olympic race lasted less than a minute but just being in the water was a statement in itself.

The 24-year-old pointed to a ************ flag on his chest as he explained what it meant to represent a homeland not just lacking a pool but struggling for basics like food and water.

“France does not recognise Palestine. Yet here I am with a flag on my chest,” he said after finishing third in a 100 metres backstroke heat that proved to be his first and last swim of the Paris Games.

“I’m very, very happy … to raise my flag, to have time just for Palestine, a lane just for Palestine. I think this is my message of peace.

“We’re trying to get the world to know that we’re human beings. I can play sports like everybody else,” he told reporters.

France said in May that conditions were not right to officially recognise a ************ state and any decision must be more than symbolic or political posturing.

More than 39,000 Palestinians have been ******* in the ******** offensive in Gaza, say local health authorities.

******* launched its military action in response to a ******-led ******* in southern ******* in October. About 1,200 people were ******* and 250 were taken ******** in the Oct. 7 *******, according to ******** tallies.

The only ******** swimmer in the 100 backstroke was in a later heat to Al Bawwab and their paths did not cross.

HOMELESS ********

Al Bawwab, an aerospace engineer born in Saudi Arabia, educated in Canada and Britain, living in Dubai where he runs a furniture business and also half-Italian, said his father had been a homeless ******** in Italy before rebuilding his life.

“I look at people like my dad who came from nothing,” he said. “I’m never complaining in the pool, I remember people in Gaza, people in Palestine that suffer properly. I don’t mind if I’m waking up at 5am. It’s not a problem.”

The twice Olympian spoke of the consequences of conflict.

“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,” he said. “They don’t want me to exist. They want me to leave. But I’m here.”

He said, without naming anyone, that some people had shown hostility to the six-strong Palestine team at other competitions.

“People telling us to ‘take off your flag, take off your shirt. We don’t want to see Palestine on it’,” he said. “Imagine if it was your country.”

Al Bawwab said an ****** Games roommate, a team coach, had been ******* in Gaza. A young fan who sent a message of support was also *****.

A runner friend had posted photos of himself “bandaged up, trying to eat some rice”.

“I don’t like to comment too much on that. But just know this is the reality of a ************ swimmer, a ************ athlete. We all have stories,” he said.

Al Bawwab mentioned Gaza 100kg weightlifter Mohammad Hamada who had lost 20 kg “because he didn’t have food” and ******* to qualify.

“We’re trying to educate people about how to swim and teach … but there’s a war going on,” he said. “What are you supposed to do when there’s a war? You can’t talk to people.”

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)

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