University of Bolton graduate and boxing talent Cindy Ngamba flies flag for Olympic Refugee team

A graduate from the University of Bolton is representing the Refugee boxing team at the Olympics.

Cindy Ngamba, aged 25, will face Canadian Tammara Thibeault in the Women’s 75kg boxing competition on Wednesday afternoon at around 4pm UK time.

Cindy graduated from the University of Bolton with a Ba (Hons) in Crime and Criminal Justice last year.

She previously studied at Bolton College, part of the University of Bolton Group, from 2016 on a Uniformed Public Services courses, then completed sports qualifications and progressed to an HND in Public Services which she completed in 2022, before studying at University.

She was one of the flagbearers for the Refugee Team at the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday.

Cindy grew up in Cameroon with her mother before moving to the UK, aged 11, with her brother, Kennet, to live with their father in Bolton.

After being bullied in school, two gym teachers looked out for her and became mother figures in her life.

Cindy started boxing at the age of 15 and trained at Elite Boxing Gym in Bolton, supported and guided by coaches Dave Langhorn and Alex Matvienko.

As a refugee in the UK, Cindy had to sign papers every week to stay in the country. She came out as gay at the age of 18, meaning that she could be sent to prison if she were ever to be sent back to Cameroon, where homosexuality is illegal.

Once she secures a British passport, she will qualify for full funding as a member of the GB boxing squad and have the chance to represent Team GB in future Olympic Games. She says she already feels a strong sense of belonging with the GB boxing team, with whom she trains on a regular basis.

Cindy is one of 70 Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holders, who are funded by the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity programme.

She qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games via the first World Qualification Tournament in Italy in March, knocking out Valentina Khalzova in the quarterfinals of the 75kg category to secure her Olympic place.

She was Gold medallist at the 2024 World Boxing Cup GB Open in Sheffield and she is a three-time English national champion (2019, 2021, 2022).

Bill Webster, Principal of Bolton College, said: “We are incredibly proud of Cindy – seeing one of our own reach the pinnacle of sporting achievement is amazing.

“It is a huge achievement to even compete in the Olympics, made all the more remarkable considering Cindy’s background. We wish her every success and will be cheering her on here in Bolton.”

The Refugee Olympic Team members are hosted by 15 National Olympic Countries – Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.

In Paris, they are competing in 12 sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling.

The 37 athletes were predominantly selected from among 73 Refugee Scholarship-holders who live in 24 host countries, and represent 14 sports.

At the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in October 2015, confronted with the global refugee crisis that has seen millions of people in the world displaced, IOC President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Team – the first of its kind – to take part in the Olympic Games Rio 2016.