There will be 36 of them, representing more than 100 million refugees or displaced people around the world. This Thursday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revealed the names of the athletes who will be part of the refugee team at the Paris 2024 Games this summer. She will take part in the competition for the third time in its history, after Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Thomas Bach, the IOC president, himself announced the selected athletes one by one in a live broadcast on YouTube. Reaction from elected officials connected via video conference was immediately shared. Mostly with great joy as a result. Masoma Ali Zada, Chief of Mission for the Paris 2024 Refugee Olympic Team, and Yeh Pour Bil, IOC Member and the first Rio 2016 Refugee Olympic Team, assisted Thomas Bach.
Masoma Ali Zada, an Afghan cyclist who took refuge in France, herself competed in the Tokyo Olympics. During a press conference organized after this announcement, she emphasized the importance of the refugee team: “Many people have to leave their country, start their lives from scratch. But they never give up, they are symbols of perseverance. »
The refugee team will meet in Bahia (Calvados) shortly before the opening of the Olympic village to train, said James McLeod, director of communications for National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Among the 36 athletes selected by the IOC, some have already qualified for the Olympics through traditional channels, such as Anglo-Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba.
“A medal would be important”
It is the biggest medal chance yet for the refugee Olympic team, which has never made the podium since its inception. For Yeha Pur Bil, anything is possible this year: “In 2016, we wanted to give refugees a little hope. But today we are participating on a whole new level. A medal will be important not only for individual athletes, but also for the team as a whole. »
Beyond athletic performance, the former 800m runner, originally from South Sudan, believes in the social role of the team. “I would like people to understand the concept of a refugee. They think they are cruel people from war-torn countries. This is not true, everyone has their own experience, their own story. Some of them find their home through sports. »
A sentiment shared by Masoma Ali Zada: “Refugees do not have the right to leave their country, but they have the right to escape. I hope that this team will show a positive image and that people will change their mentality. These athletes can be an inspiration to others and they left their country without giving up on their dreams. »
Source: Le Parisien
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a keen interest in sports and have written for many different publications. I am currently working as an author at 24 News Recorder. I cover mostly sports news but also write about other topics such as current affairs and politics. I have a strong interest in social media and how it can be used to engage with audiences.
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