There will be 36 of them, of 11 different nationalities, under the same banner, that of the Refugee Olympic team. A banner born at the 2016 Games in Rio in the face of millions of displaced people around the world. The official list for Paris 2024 was announced this Thursday, May 2 by the president of the international Olympic committee, Thomas Bach. And while the number of refugees continues to increase, this team above all wants to shed light on these more than 100 million displaced people.
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From the Olympic house in Lausanne, Switzerland, Thomas Bach listed the 36 names. Chosen from among the 73 refugees receiving an Olympic scholarship to prepare the Paris Olympic Gamesthese athletes were selected “ primarily on sporting performance ”, but also to ensure “ a balanced representation » sports, genders and countries of origin, according to the IOC.
They come from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Sudan, South Sudan, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Cuba and Venezuela, and live in fifteen different countries – the States -United States, Canada, Mexico, Kenya, Jordan, Israel and nine European countries.
The Refugee Olympic Team has opened doors for many refugee athletes to compete, succeed, and believe in themselves. ❤️
From just ten athletes at Rio 2016 to 29 at Tokyo 2020, the team has grown to 36 for #Paris2024representing and sending a message of hope to over 100 million… pic.twitter.com/pW4LfILMFT
— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) May 2, 2024
All will parade behind Greece, during the opening ceremony on July 26, and in front of all the other delegations.
Judo, athletics, swimming, taekwondo, canoeing, wrestling or shooting
Muna Dahouk fled the Syria in 2019, she will participate in judo events. “ I am so happy. So proud of me and all these refugee athletes. Well done everyone, see you soon in Paris! »
Athletes who will be at the Paris Olympics despite exile, persecution, war. For Yech Pur Biel, member of the first refugee team in 2016, it is an opportunity to change our perspective on these displaced populations: “ When we talk about refugees, many people say ‘they are violent people’. But let’s ask ourselves why they fled their country. What an impact on their lives. Everyone must understand their situation, we must put ourselves in their place. This is what I said in 2016, ‘today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to someone else’ “.
In charge of the team, Masomah Ali Zada, Afghan cyclist, who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She sees in this collective adventure a message of hope: “ They will show that refugees are trying to integrate into society. They want to do positive things. To also inspire all the other refugees. It was not your choice to flee your country, but don’t give up, you have the right to have dreams and make them come true “.
The 36 athletes will soon be gathered in Bayeux, in the North of France, to begin their Olympic training.
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