UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

08/12/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/12/2024 00:11

Refugee Olympic Team inspires as it makes history

On the water, three refugee canoe sprinters reached the quarterfinals: Fernando Dayan Jorge Enriquez in the men's canoe 1,000m, Saeid Fazloula in the men's kayak 1,000m, and Saman Soltani in the women's kayak 500m.

But no matter where they finished in competition, every member of the 37-strong Refugee Olympic Team displayed tremendous determination and courage across their 12 different sports at Paris 2024, flying the flag for the 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide.

At the Tokyo 2020 Games, 29 refugee athletes competed, including road cyclist Masomah Ali Zada, who led the Refugee Olympic Team in Paris as its Chef de Mission and spokesperson. For the opening ceremony in Paris, the team's flag bearers were Ngamba and Yahya Al Ghotany, who competed in taekwondo.

The team was represented during the Closing Ceremony by flagbearers Farida Abaroge and Kasra Mehdipournejad. Ngamba also took to the stage alongside IOC President Thomas Bach, French swimmer Léon Marchand and athletes representing the five participating continents to extinguish the Olympic flame, marking the end of the Games.

In addition to those competing under the IOC Refugee flag, other sportsmen and sportswomen also underscored the strength and resilience of displaced people, proving they can reach the highest levels when given the opportunity and support.

Among them, Kimia Alizadeh - a member of the Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo who now competes for Bulgaria - claimed the country's first-ever medal in taekwondo, winning bronze in the women's 57kg category.

Meanwhile, South Sudan's men's basketball team - made up of former refugees including UNHCR supporter Wenyen Gabriel - represented the African continent in Paris, beating Puerto Rico before losing out to Serbia and the United States in a tough group.

From the Opening Ceremony through every bout, race competition and personal best, to the podium itself, the Refugee Olympic Team showcased the power of sport to inspire, uplift and provide hope to other displaced people.

"As the Olympic flame is extinguished here in Paris, the legacy of the Refugee Olympic Team will continue to inspire us all," Clements concluded.