Sportswear Brand On Champions a Refugee Athlete Through Powerful Story of Resilience and Belonging

Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu was orphaned at the age of nine in South Sudan, setting him on a journey that would take him from his wartorn country to seek asylum in Geneva, Switzerland. Swiss sportswear brand On is sponsoring the long-distance runner, who has taken first place at competitions in Stockholm and Geneva.

On tells Lobalu’s story in a new short documentary released on World Refugee Day (June 20). “The Right to Race” follows Lobalu’s efforts to represent Switzerland in the World Athletics Championship. He began running at the age of 15 while living in Kenya and first came to Switzerland as part of the Athlete Refugee Team.

However, Lobalu is now excluded from official refugee teams but must wait for up to 10 years to become a Swiss citizen.

“The Right to Race is a captivating story of unwavering grit and charisma that personifies the enduring human spirit,” On global head of sports marketing and The Right to Race executive producer Feliciano Robayna said in a statement. “Despite all the setbacks, [Lobalu] has grown to become one of today’s most respected competitors on the world stage. His story is not only about competing and making it to the top, but also about representation and belonging.”

The 30-minute film was written and directed by Richard Bullock through Hungry Man Productions. Bullock also wrote and directed two other short films for the brand, RUN: The Athlete Refugee Team Story and Black Ice.

“The Right to Race is largely a story about the trials and tribulations of a refugee athlete,” Bullock said in a statement. “It’s also a touching story of how a growing friendship can persevere and, as a united front, never give up the fight. We were also glad to capture the innermost thoughts and feelings of those who represent World Athletics as a compelling juxtaposition on how the sport’s authority views and responds to the plight of Dominic, as a refugee, trying to claim his identity not just as an athlete but as a human.”

The documentary was broadcast to 53 countries on Eurosport 1. It will also be available on Discovery+ streaming services throughout Europe and shown as part of Eurosport’s programming tied to the World Athletics Championships in August.

CREDITS:

Written and directed by: Richard Bullock
Director of photography: Robert Farley
Production company: Hungry Man
Executive producers: Feliciano Robayna (client, On) and Matt Buels
Producers: Hannah Stone and Gessica Giulini (client, On)
Production assistant: Sophie Campbell
Additional camera: Guillaume Laurent, Peter Eastgate, Jordan Maddocks, Luke Scully and Richard Bulloc
Editors: Peter Barton and Philip Horn
Assembly editor: Liam Riley
Assistant editor: Harry Learoyd
Post production: The Editors
Executive post producer: Nicoletta Rousianos
Post production supervisor: Grace Rouvray
Music and sound: Heckler Sound
Composer: Dustin Lau
Sound supervisor: Bonnie Law
Music editor: Johnny Green
Re-recording mixer: Dave Robertson
Sound editor: Nick Keate
Sound assistant: Jack Okeby
Title animation: Machines of Loving Grace and Brett McManus
Colorist: Matt Fezz
Assistant colorist: Sam Holman
Online: Matt Edwards
PR team: Elliott Stares ESPR and Jessica Hartley For the RIght Reasons
Official Diamond League competition images: courtesy of IMG
Featuring: Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, Markus Hagmann, Fabian Weiderkehr, Guillaume Laurent, Marc Spescha and Jackie Brock-Doyle
With thanks to: World Athletics, ATHLE.ch, The Hagmann Family, Tom Frischknecht, Jackli and Seitz and Delphine Maiarelli