Nike shifts the narrative for refugee athletes

Marking its signing of the first refugee Olympian, boxer Cindy Ngamba, sports brand Nike has released this impactful campaign, created by Wieden + Kennedy, which reframes harmful perceptions around displaced athletes. 

Directed by Vellas through 100%, Watch Where We're Going features four members of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team – boxer Cindy Ngamba, judoka Mohammad Rashnonezhad, cyclist Eyeru Gebru and 800m runner Perina Lokure Nakang. 

Subverting the undermining and inappropriate question often directed at refugees…’So, where are you really from?’,  the creative flips the script to put their determination and athleticism at the centre of the conversation, showing the world that this is a team defined by what they do, and where they’re going.

“Being refugee athletes, we are like any other athlete. The only difference is that we have a different paper or different citizenship,” Cindy says. “The moment I realized boxing can change my life is when I first stepped inside a boxing ring. I felt overwhelmed and at the same time excited; that was the moment when I realized I was made for this.”