The city of Paris is preparing to honor the memory of Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically lost her life in a horrific act of violence. The proposal, announced by Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Friday, will be discussed by elected city officials in October. It involves naming a sports venue after Cheptegei, a poignant tribute to her athletic achievements and a call to action against gender-based violence.
Cheptegei passed away on Thursday at a Kenyan hospital, succumbing to injuries sustained after her partner, Dickson Ndiema, doused her with gasoline and set her ablaze during a dispute over land ownership last Sunday. This act of violence left 80% of her body burned. Ndiema himself was also injured in the incident and was treated at the same hospital.
Cheptegei’s death has sparked outrage and grief, highlighting the alarming prevalence of violence against women. According to UN Women and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member every 11 minutes globally. In Kenya, a staggering 41% of dating or married women have experienced physical or sexual violence from their current or most recent partner, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.
Cheptegei’s life was cut short just weeks after competing in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics. Her performance, though finishing 44th, demonstrated her spirit and dedication to the sport.
“Paris joins its elected representatives in expressing its support for the family of the athlete, victim of a femicide a few weeks after her participation in the Olympic Games,” Paris city hall said in a statement.
Mayor Hidalgo expressed her deep sorrow and commitment to honoring Cheptegei’s memory. “An emotional thought for Rebecca Cheptegei,” she told a press conference on Friday. “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 be present among us.”
This dedication signifies Paris’s commitment to not only honoring Cheptegei’s athletic legacy but also raising awareness about the devastating impact of gender-based violence. By naming a sports venue after her, the city aims to keep her spirit alive and serve as a reminder of the need to fight for the safety and equality of all women.
