Paris plans to commemorate the late Ugandan Olympian, Rebecca Cheptegei, by naming a sports venue in her honor, the city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, announced on Friday. The proposal, which aims to recognize Cheptegei’s athletic achievements and the tragic circumstances of her death, will be presented for discussion among elected city officials in October.
Cheptegei, 33, passed away on Thursday after succumbing to injuries sustained in a violent attack by her partner. She had been receiving treatment at a Kenyan hospital after suffering severe burns over 80% of her body. The attack has been labeled a femicide, highlighting the devastating issue of violence against women.
Just weeks before her death, Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing 44th. In light of her passing, Paris city officials expressed solidarity with her family. “Paris joins its elected representatives in expressing support for the family of the athlete, victim of a femicide a few weeks after participating in the Olympic Games,” read a statement from the city hall.
The attack on Cheptegei occurred after a domestic dispute with her partner, Dickson Ndiema, who reportedly doused her with gasoline before setting her ablaze. Both were severely burned in the incident, and Ndiema is currently receiving treatment at the same hospital.
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The tragedy comes amidst grim global statistics on gender-based violence. According to UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member every 11 minutes somewhere in the world. In Kenya, four out of ten women have reported experiencing physical or sexual violence at the hands of their current or most recent partner, as noted in the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.
Mayor Hidalgo expressed her deep sorrow during a press conference on Friday, reflecting on Cheptegei’s presence in the city during the recent Olympics. “An emotional thought for Rebecca Cheptegei,” Hidalgo said. “We saw her, her beauty, her strength, her freedom. Paris will not forget her, and we will dedicate a sports venue to her, so that her memory and her story will remain with us.”
The city of Paris hopes this gesture will not only honor Cheptegei’s legacy but also serve as a reminder of the ongoing fight against gender-based violence worldwide.
