Claude Marshall, a key figure at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), has long been committed to supporting refugee athletes. A remarkable individual, Marshall fled Nazi Germany just before World War II and arrived in New York, where he built a new life. His personal experience as a refugee fueled his dedication to helping others in similar circumstances.

In August 2016, Marshall played a vital role in coordinating the first Refugee Olympic Team for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. This team of ten young athletes, including Yeich Pur Biel, a runner who fled South Sudan and sought asylum in Kenya at the age of nine, represented the strength and resilience of refugees worldwide. The Refugee Olympic Team in Rio was the first of its kind, followed by teams in Tokyo and Paris.

Marshall’s work goes beyond the Olympic Games. In 1993, he helped launch a sports program for refugee youth at a camp in Nepal, where kids often had to make their own footballs due to a lack of resources. Over time, with support from athletic federations and donors, the program grew, providing these young refugees with the opportunity to thrive through sport.

Marshall also supported refugee girls and women in a Kenyan camp, where traditional clothing made it difficult to play volleyball. Nike stepped in, designing sportswear that was both functional and culturally sensitive. The women received the material and patterns to sew their own sportswear, empowering them to participate in the sport they loved.

Claude Marshall’s lifelong commitment to refugee athletes highlights the transformative power of sport in creating a positive and empowering environment for young refugees worldwide.

Photo courtesy of UNHCR

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