Meet Nacer Zorgani, the vision-impaired Para-judo athlete who doubles as boxing’s Olympic voice

PARIS (AP) — The crowd at Roland Garros, the legendary home of French tennis that’s now hosting Olympic boxing, erupted in applause as Nacer Zorgani’s deep, resonant voice filled the venue.

“Ladies and gentlemen, in the red corner, representing France — Billal Bennama!” he announced in French, his words reverberating through the stands. The 20,000 spectators hung on his every word, unaware that the man captivating them with his powerful baritone couldn’t see a single one of them, because he’s acutely vision-impaired.

It wasn’t until the fourth semifinal match Thursday night — when Zorgani stood up from his seat and felt his way with a white cane — that some realized. As he and his volunteer guide, Laureline Jeunemaitre, made their way to the restroom, heads turned, and whispers filled the air.

“He’s tall, he’s big, and he carries a walking stick. You can’t help but notice him,” remarked spectator Florian Warth. “But when he got back to his seat and started speaking to the crowd, I realized he was speaking to us all along. That’s outstanding.”

By day, Zorgani is a fiercely dedicated Para-judo competitor, training tirelessly for the Paralympic Games that run Aug. 28-Sept. 8. This 38-year-old mountain of a man will compete in the men’s 90-kilogram division that includes athletes with acute vision impairments.

RELATED COVERAGE

Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola wins men’s marathon at Paris Olympics to end Kenya dominance

Afghan refugee breaker disqualified for wearing ‘Free Afghan Women’ cape at Paris Olympics

Cleaning up the Seine: the Olympics boosts a Parisian dream, but it’s still far from fully achieved

By night, he transforms into the voice of Olympic boxing, a role he never imagined for himself until a fateful night in 2017 at Wembley Stadium. There, while attending a title fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko, Zorgani was mesmerized by legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer.

He says he told himself: “’Wow, this guy is great. This thing is great. I would love (to) do that one day.”

And now, he’s living out that ambition at the Paris Olympics.

That’s both a testament to his determination and a powerful example of how small adjustments by others — like having someone act as his eyes — can ensure that people with disabilities are fully included and not sidelined at major events.

Jeanmaitre, a 24-year-old Olympics volunteer, is one of the key figures allowing Zorgani to put his vocal talents to Olympic use. Wherever he goes in the boxing venue, she is by his side, guiding him, reading the match schedule, and feeding him information during the show.

Arriving early at the venue having already exhausted himself at judo training earlier that day, Zorgani warmed up his voice while sipping hot water with honey to soothe his vocal cords, which he considers his God-given talent.

“Maybe I’m visually impaired, maybe God did take my eyes, but he gave me the voice,” he said.

Zorgani was declared legally blind at 17 after a doctor diagnosed progressive deterioration of both retinas. By 20, he had lost most of his vision and could only see blurry shapes in very bright environments. His phone and computers are set to high contrast modes and equipped with audio transcription systems. Sitting just 10 feet (3.3 meters) from the Olympic boxing ring, he could barely distinguish the white ropes from the red and blue fighters battling in front of him.

Throughout the night, Jeanmaitre whispered details into his ear, described the crowd, and ensured he had everything he needed, from coffee to toilet breaks or making sure his phone charger is plugged in.

When he draws a blank, he taps his aide’s knee to get her attention — such as when Zorgani forgot the weight category of the fourth match of the night.

“Usually, I only have to read him the entire schedule once, before the show starts. But sometimes, he forgets one tiny thing,” Jeanmaitre said. “It’s pretty rare, my job is pretty easy.”

Zorgani’s ability to memorize text and address a crowd he can’t see amazed his co-host, Mike Markham, who handles the English announcements.

“I have no clue how he does it,” Markham, a veteran with 15 years of experience, admitted. “He’s a perfect example of how heightened senses can compensate for the lack of one.”

Zorgani’s journey has inspired many, including longtime friend Redouane Bougheraba, a well-known stand-up comedian in France. Bougheraba, who grew up with Zorgani in the Belle-de-Mai district of Marseille — a neighborhood with a poverty rate more than twice the national average in 2024 according to the French national institute for statistics — was in the stands Thursday night.

“Where we are from, we call him Daredevil,” Bougheraba said with pride, comparing Zorgani to the famous comic’s blind superhero. “Because of him, I realized there was no excuse in life.”

As the night drew to a close, Zorgani faced a reminder of the daily challenges of acute lack of vision. He struggled to find a cab, waiting on the sidewalk for 15 minutes, his cane in one hand and his damp judo gear from earlier in the day in the other.

The following day, he had two training sessions scheduled in the morning and more boxing matches scheduled that night. In total, he will have taken part in more than 200 bouts in less than 14 days. While many would consider this routine exhausting, Zorgani sees it as a form of exercise that has helped steel him for his upcoming Paralympic challenge.

“Doing the ring announcements — with the crowds, the lights, the people, the noise, the music, the ceremonies — it’s a kind of training, mental training,” he said. “On my D-Day in September, I won’t be influenced, I won’t be emotionally taken by the atmosphere … one helps the other.” ___

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games