The Commonwealth Movement mourns the passing of GAPS athlete George Wyndham

George Wyndham represented Sierra Leone with distinction on the world stage for many years. A professional Table Tennis player, he competed for his nation at four consecutive Summer Paralympic Games - in Para Table Tennis at Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020, and in Para Athletics (men's javelin throw F57, finishing 11th) at Paris 2024. George also represented his country at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games reaching the quarter finals. 

Ahead of the Games, George attended the pre Games GAPS camp in Birmingham, providing athletes with access to additional skills, knowledge and resources  and supporting the development of inclusive sports pathways that promote positive social change in sport and local communities.  

This was a subject close to George's heart. He served as an advocate for disability rights in Sierra Leone, where people with impairments often face poverty, exclusion from education (with 46.5% never attending school), and societal stigma. He mentored young athletes with disabilities and promoted the motto "disability is not inability" to inspire inclusion and change perceptions

For athletes coming up behind him, George was more than a competitor. He was proof that Sierra Leonean athletes could stand on the biggest stages in world sport. In training halls and at international tournaments, he carried himself with the discipline of a pro and the humility of someone who never forgot where he started.

His contributions opened doors for the next generation of athletes, particularly within the Para sport movement. The impact he had will be measured not only in medals, but in the young players who saw him play and believed they could do the same.

To his teammates, coaches, and the entire sporting fraternity, George leaves behind a standard of commitment and national pride that will not be forgotten.

Sierra Leone has lost a champion. May his legacy continue to inspire.