Single Palestinian Paralympian Bears the Weight of Representation, Showcasing Palestine’s Endurance on the World Stage

Fadi Aldeeb, the sole Paralympic competitor carrying the Palestinian flag in the Paris Games, insists that this moment of representation has never been more poignant or vital. 

He describes himself as feeling "lucky" and "happy" to participate in the Games amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, though he carries a heavy sense of responsibility. 

“There’s too much responsibility in this time … to show the people that you are from Palestine. This is the flag of Palestine – we are still alive, we are still here, and to show the people there is also life in Palestine,” Aldeeb said about his role as the sole Palestinian athlete at the Paralympics. 

The 39-year-old wheelchair basketball player from the Gaza Strip is set to compete in the shot put at the Paris Paralympics. The only other Palestinians at the Games will be Aldeeb’s coach and the head of Palestine’s Paralympic committee. 

For Aldeeb, this time has been marked by personal heartbreak. Amidst preparing for the biggest sporting event of his career, he has suffered the loss of his brother and two nephews due to the ongoing conflict. 

“This is so difficult,” Aldeeb said. “You can imagine that you are doing your sport to be ready for the Paralympic Games, and at the same time, you are also human. You think about your family, about many things; it’s a complicated feeling.” 

Aldeeb hasn’t been back to Gaza in a decade, with his basketball career taking him through Turkey, Greece, and now France, where he resides. Yet, despite the distance, he has not remained unaffected by the violence plaguing his homeland. 

During the Second Intifada in 2001, Aldeeb was shot in the back by a sniper. At 18 and on the brink of a volleyball career, he underwent a challenging 14-month recovery in two hospitals. The bullet shattered his T11 and T12 vertebrae, leaving him with permanent paralysis. 

Yet, his sports career has provided Aldeeb with a fresh sense of purpose and drive. He embraced basketball in 2004 and later took up athletics in 2007, crafting what he describes as a "new life" far from Gaza and his family. 

“Normal people cannot be living in Gaza – how can you imagine a person with a disability being there?” he says. “So for 10 years, I’ve not seen my family, my brothers, my sisters, my uncles, my whole family. 

“I get many messages from different friends in Gaza, in the West Bank, around the world,” said Aldeeb. “So they are supporting me, [they say], ‘We are with you, we are supporting you, so keep going – this is the message from your country.’”