Paoline Ekambi is a great lady. Already in terms of height, the former French international basketball player measures 1m85, but also in terms of fighting. In 2021, the basketball player delivered a powerful testimony to The Team, revealing that she was raped by her father from the ages of 14 to 17. Two years later, his fight continues in a book.
In My legacy promise, Paoline Ekambi retraces her life. Helped by journalist Liliane Trévisan, former major reporter for the daily The Teamthe businesswoman delivers a powerful testimony and describes the brutal reality of domestic violence and incest.
“One day I exploded and told my coaches I wanted to kill myself”
It was basketball and the educators at Insep who offered him a framework and a way out of a horrible daily life. “At 16 or 17, I couldn’t take it anymore. One day I exploded and told my coaches I wanted to kill myself. I unpacked the hell I was going through at my parents’ house… They decided to go talk to my parents, but it had no effect. So Insep has put an avoidance strategy in place so that I return home as little as possible. » remembers Paoline Ekambi. The former Stade Français player is infinitely grateful: “Sport can change lives and basketball saved mine. This sport gave me a framework to not sink even if at times I felt alone. Basketball was leading me toward the light and my parents were pulling me toward the darkness. »
His full testimony can be found in the video at the top of this article.