The team will be headed by Kenyan runner Tegla Loroupe, a world record holder in several long-distance competitions and the first African woman to win the New York City marathon.
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Six men and four women make up the group and were selected from an initial shortlist of 41 hopefuls.
“These refugees have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem”, IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters after the organisation’s executive board confirmed the group at a meeting in Lausanne.
“They will form a team unlike any other that has competed in the Olympic Games before. giving hope to people displaced by war and social unrest all over the world”, the official Rio 2016 website said.
The first-ever refugee team will enter the opening ceremony in the Maracana Stadium before hosts Brazil and under the Olympic flag. “It is also a signal to the global community that refugees are our fellow human beings and are an enrichment to society”. “They will show to the world that despite the unimaginable tragedies they have faced, anyone can contribute to society through talent, skills and the strength of human spirit”.
“My dream is to help people”, Chiengjiek said.
“Their participation in the Olympics is a tribute to the courage and perseverance of all refugees in overcoming adversity and building a better future for themselves and their families”.
Mardini, the teenage Syrian swimmer, has generated heavy media attention.
One of the most heart-warming cases is that of swimmer Mardini, who escaped Syria on an inflatable boat and helped others onboard who could not swim when the vessel started taking on water during the perilous journey from Turkey to Greece. They will participate in track and field events, swimming and judo.
Also Friday, the International Olympic Committee nominated eight new members – including a South Africa film producer, Colombia’s former ambassador to the USA and the female founder of an Indian charitable foundation. 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.
Coe was elected last August, and Infantino in February.
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“This relationship, which dates back 20 years, has been instrumental in promoting the role of sports in the development and well-being of refugees, particularly children, all over the world”, UNHCR said.
