Officially called the Refugee Olympic Team, 10 refugees – six men and four women – will march together behind a new flag that will represent athletes who have escaped conflict-riddled countries in the opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium on August 5.
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All of the athletes nominated for the Refugee Olympic Team were required to meet athletic standards specific to their sports-and have their refugee status verified by the United Nations-to be eligible for the team, the first of its kind.
He continued: “This will be a symbol of hope for all the refugees in our world, and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis”. They will, he added, “send a signal to the worldwide community that refugees are our fellow human beings and are an enrichment to society”. The reality is that political and military disputes that dot the entire planet often sweep up innocent athletes in their tornado, and the International Olympic Committee can express views as partisan as any nation. Team ROA will use the Olympic flag and Olympic anthem for official appearances and any medal ceremonies that they take part in. The Refugee Olympic Team, as it will be known, will compete in running, swimming, and judo, and is made up of athletes from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Syria.
The five South Sudanese runners had been living in a refugee camp in northwestern Kenya when they were selected to train as potential Olympic runners.
· The refugee athletes will continue to receive support from the International Olympic Committee even after the completion of the Rio Games.
“If professionals want to go and compete in amateur competitions, why not?” the 51-year-old told The Irish Post.
Biel will be competing in the 800 meter run.
The 10 athletes are from Syria, Ethiopia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She will compete in the 800-meter event in Rio.
While Curtin wouldn’t disclose how much the refugee athletes are getting, he said it’s the same deal as the other athletes sponsored by Visa, which includes Kerri Walsh Jennings, Carli Lloyd and Ashton Eaton. I didn’t start training judo only in Brazil (she began as a child back in Congo). Lokoro works on a ranch when not training, but ten years ago he was a child that found refuge from the South Sudan civil war in Kenya with his mother.
“I can’t describe how happy I am”, she told The Associated Press by phone from Berlin shortly after the announcement.
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Yonas Kinde is the team’s only long-distance runner.
