Refugee Athletes Ready to Compete in Paris 2024 Olympics

The journey to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 is about to get even more inspiring as a special team of athletes, forced from their home countries, prepares to compete as part of the refugee Olympic team.

Muna Dahouk, a brave judo fighter from Syria who now lives in the Netherlands, shares her mission to use her platform to change the way people see refugees. Having fled her war-torn homeland in 2019, competing in judo was the last thing on her mind, but she found her way back to the sport and even qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Dahouk emphasizes that all of her fellow refugee athletes share a unique bond due to the hardships they’ve faced. She passionately stated, “I will represent the refugees around the world – to show people what the refugees can do. We are not weak people. We can be athletes, we can be students, we can be anything we want,” in an interview with CBS News.

The International Olympic Committee, or IOC, has created the refugee Olympic team to give athletes who have been displaced the opportunity and resources to compete at the highest levels. At Paris 2024, this team will feature 37 talented athletes participating in 12 different sports.

Among the nations supporting these athletes are Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA. The athletes will compete under the acronym EOR, which stands for Équipe Olympique des Réfugiés.

This year’s games will see the refugee Olympic team carry an emblem that represents hope and unity, featuring a heart surrounded by colorful arrows, symbolizing the stories of over 100 million displaced people around the globe.

Back in 2015, in response to the global refugee crisis, IOC President Thomas Bach announced the formation of the refugee Olympic team, with the inaugural team competing in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

<p“Sport is a symbol of hope and of peace,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who emphasizes the important role of sport in healing and uniting communities. He will be present at the Paris Games, promoting peace and mutual respect through the stories of the refugee athletes.

<p“Sport brings people together, benefits mental and physical health, gives children role models, and teaches valuable life lessons,” he added. Grandi’s presence at the opening ceremony will further highlight the hope these athletes symbolize.

<pWith each passing Olympics, the refugee Olympic team grows stronger and larger. For Paris 2024, they aim to inspire the world and represent the strength of resilience among displaced communities.