Thirty-six athletes from 11 countries have been named as members of the refugee Olympic team. They will compete in 12 sports during the Games in Paris this year. This is reported by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, reports UNN.
A refugee team representing millions of displaced people around the world will participate in the Olympic Games for the third time. According to UNHCR, as of September 2023, there were about 114 million people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes. For the first time, the refugee team will compete under its own logo.
The composition of the team was approved by the IOC Executive Committee based on a number of criteria, including, first and foremost, each athlete's performance and refugee status as verified by UNHCR.
"We welcome you all with open arms. You enrich our Olympic community and our societies," said IOC President Thomas Bach, addressing all members of the national team.
"The Refugee Olympic Team should remind us of the resilience, courage and hope of all those who have been forced to flee their homes because of war and persecution. These athletes epitomize what human beings are capable of, even in the face of extreme adversity," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
"Sport can offer a respite, an escape from everyday life, a sense of security, a moment of pleasure. It can give people a chance to heal physically and psychologically and become part of society again," he added.
The team included refugees from Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Congo, Congo, Ethiopia, Cuba, Venezuela, Sudan, Eritrea, South Sudan.