The 2020 Olympics is a much-awaited occasion world that continues to battle the pandemic missed witnessing the spirit of the games last year. Refugees have been one of the most affected section of the society as they struggle to get medical attention and safe living apart amongst many other aspects that have been left unaddressed.
There can be no better time to take cognizance of The Refugee Olympic Team that has sent a message of hope to million of refugees. 29 athletes from 11 different countries are today representing themselves under the banner of Refugee Olympic Team. The team is competing in several sports such as athletics, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, judo, karate taekwondo, shooting sport, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling.
Has the team competed before? Yes, in 2016 the team comprising of around 10 members competed at Rio de Janerio, Brazil. What is different this year? This is the first time that there is a Refugee Paralympic Team. It was in 2015 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) established a Refugee Emergency Fund and donated to different agencies to train refugees and integrate them. The same year IOC publicly invited refugee athletes to come be a part of this newly born team. The official acronym of The Refugee Olympic Team is EOR, based on the French name: équipe olympique des réfugiés.
Comments