'I need to be there for her': Dad of Olympic hero Cindy Ngamba in desperate plea ahead history-making fight

The father of Olympics history-maker Cindy Ngamba says he needs help getting back to Paris to support his daughter before her massive medal fight on Thursday (August 8).

Last week, the 25-year-old boxer became the first person in history to secure a medal for the IOC’s refugee team after her win against France’s Davina Michel. Despite growing up in the UK, Cindy from Bolton, has not been granted citizenship and is unable to represent Team GB in Paris.

Her status is currently that of an asylum seeker as she is unable to return to her native Cameroon after coming out as a lesbian when she was 18-years-old. Cindy has been representing the Refugee Olympic Team for which she was the flagbearer during the opening ceremony.

And her father, Jerome Ngamba, says he has been with Cindy since the start of the games supporting her.

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However, the 58-year-old, also from Bolton, told the MEN that he has had to return to the UK after running out of money in Paris. Speaking to the MEN he said: “I was with her backstage before she was about to go out and fight, when she saw me she asked ‘how did you get the money to be here’ and I said don’t worry, wherever you are, I’m here.

“But I have to come home because I’ve ran out of money. The bank won’t give me any money and benefits say I’ve reached the limit of how much I can borrow. But I must be there in the semi-final.”

Cindy was born in Cameroon where she lived with her mother before moving to Bolton at 11-years-old to live with her father. The adjustment period in the old mill town was tough, and Cindy suffered at the hands of bullies for limited English, her weight,