Refugee Olympic Team takes the stage
The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s commitment to using the Olympic Games as a symbol of hope and inclusiveness for refugees took centre stage at Rio 2016, as a Refugee Olympic Team participated in the Olympic Games for the first time.
The team’s inspirational stories raised public awareness of the challenges faced by refugees, and their perseverance, success stories and courage countered the negativity which often surrounds refugees. The IOC Refugee Olympic Team consisted of 10 refugee athletes who competed under the Olympic flag because they could not return to their home countries, let alone compete for them. The team was made up of two swimmers from Syria, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a marathoner from Ethiopia and five middle-distance runners from South Sudan. Their participation in the Olympic Games despite the hardships they had endured showed what refugees are capable of when given an opportunity.
In September 2015, the IOC set up a USD 2 million fund for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to organise programmes to assist refugees. Around Rio 2016, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) used media coverage and the support given to the team to create more awareness about the plight of the world’s 65 million forcibly displaced people (this figure has since increased to 100 million). Support for the Refugee Olympic Team included a standing ovation at the Opening Ceremony, a visit from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and messages of encouragement from US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis.
Following the success of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016, Olympic Solidarity (OS) launched the Refugee Athlete Support Programme, which offers NOCs the opportunity to identify refugee athletes living in their host countries and support them in preparing for and participating in high-level competitions.
In addition, and as a further sign of the IOC’s long-term commitment to support forcibly displaced young people, in September 2017, during its Session in Lima, it launched the Olympic Refuge Foundation to support the protection, development and empowerment of children and young people in vulnerable situations through sport. The ORF’s aim is for one million forcibly displaced young people to have access to safe sport by 2024.
In 2018, the IOC announced that a Refugee Olympic Team would participate in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. In 2021, the IOC supported around 50 refugee athletes with scholarships through the Refugee Athlete Support Programme. Athletes supported by this programme are in contention for positions on the team, allowing them and their families to dream of a better future. The IOC Refugee Olympic Team has grown steadily since 2016, with 29 athletes from 11 countries representing it at Tokyo 2020, and 37 at Paris 2024.