Refugee Olympic Team make their mark at Dakar 2026 beyond the field of play

Besides being highly visible in their bright yellow uniform, the team have made their mark at the Youth Olympic Village and beyond. Wherever they go, they are praised for what they represent.

The warmth with which they have been welcomed is a testament to Africa’s embrace of  the Refugee Olympic Team. The spirit of Teranga can be felt in every interaction.  

The media have been keen to hear directly from these young athletes, and the photo opportunities have kept coming. The athletes were delighted to meet the IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, as she visited the Village where she took the time to greet them and offer words of encouragement.

This was followed by a high-level visit from Edem Wosornu, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, as well as Abdouraouf Gnon-Kond, Regional Director for UNHCR.

An opportunity for dialogue

For the athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team, this has also been an opportunity to interact with people from all over the world, and particularly those who may have faced similar challenges but who may come from completely different parts of the world.

Following her arrival at the Youth Olympic Village in Diamnadio, flagbearer Lourence spoke of what this meant: "Since I started doing sports, my life has really changed because now I am able to travel globally, and I have an opportunity to get to know other people’s culture.”

When visiting the iconic Monument de la Renaissance in Dakar, the team were joined by Syria's baseball5 team – a team established through a programme by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and supported by Olympic Solidarity and the Olympic Refuge Foundation. The team is made up completely of Syrian refugees living in Az'raaq camp, Jordan, and the programme provided young residents of the Az’raaq camp a path to play sport, and compete on the global stage.

The team is representative of a Syrian population that has been displaced for many years, but which is seeing large numbers returning home – UNHCR estimates that 1.8 million Syrians have returned to the country.

Though the athletes shared no common language, there was a shared understanding which led to camaraderie amongst the athletes.

The following day, the Team was at the Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf to support the Syrian squad as they faced the host nation. They cheered and chanted as their fellow refugees stormed their way to a 2-1 win over Senegal.

This baseball5 team have had a long journey to make it to these Youth Games – an achievement which has in part been possible thanks to support from the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Refuge Foundation and the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

A unique team representing millions

In the spirit of the first Olympic event on the African continent, the Refugee Olympic Team at Dakar 2026 is a team composed completely of African-based athletes.

The team is made up of six athletes competing across three different sports:

• Arno, 15 (Host NOC: Kenya, Sport: Judo, men’s -55kg)
• Clement, 16 (Host NOC: Kenya, Sport: Athletics, men’s 800m)
• Florence, 16 (Host NOC: Uganda, Sport: Athletics, women’s 200m)
• Lourance, 16 (Host NOC: Kenya, Sport: Taekwondo, women’s -49kg)
• Nyataba, 17 (Host NOC: Kenya, Sport: Athletics, women’s 800m)
• Rachid, 16 (Host NOC: Uganda, Sport: Athletics, men’s 200m)

The team represents a platform to elevate young refugee athletes, and highlight Africa’s role in addressing global displacement.

Their participation comes at a time when more than 117 million people remain forcibly displaced worldwide, including 39 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly a third of those displaced in the continent are refugees and asylum-seekers and around half are children.