Story at a glance
- A refugee team consisting of 29 athletes across 12 sports has been assembled for the Tokyo Olympics.
- The team, which will be identified as EOR, will be operated by games officials and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
- “It shows what is possible when refugees are given the opportunity to make the most of their potential,” UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi said.
A refugee team consisting of 29 athletes across 12 sports has been assembled for the Tokyo Olympics.
The team was selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) out of a group of 55 athletes, consisting of people who fled their home countries and were awarded scholarships to train for the games.
Former Olympic medalist Kimia Alizadeh, now in Germany after defecting from Iran, is among the group, according to The Associated Press. Alizadeh told reporters in Germany last year that she had “a great feeling to have made a decision” for her life that could “definitely” change her future.”
Other team members are originally from countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Congo, Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela.
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“You are an integral part of our Olympic community, and we welcome you with open arms,” IOC president Thomas Bach said during the announcement.
The team, which will be identified as EOR, will be operated by games officials and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
“It shows what is possible when refugees are given the opportunity to make the most of their potential,” UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi said in a press release.
“These athletes embody the hopes and aspirations of the more than 80 million people around the world who have been uprooted by war and persecution,” Grandi added. “They serve as a reminder that everyone deserves the chance to succeed in life.”
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The delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics are set to begin July 23.
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