2016 Rio Olympic Games - International Olympic Committee (IOC)Unveils its first-ever team of refugees Friday June 03,2016

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday June 03,2016 unveiled its first-ever team of refugees which will have 10 members and 12 officials and will compete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games under the Olympic flag.

On what IOC president Thomas Bach called a 'historic day', the team includes  -
5 athletes from South Sudan
2 from Syria
2 from Democratic Republic of Congo and
1 from Ethiopia.

The athletes, six men and four women, will compete in the sports of swimming, judo and athletics.

They include swimmer Yusra Mardini from Syria who trains in Germany, South Sudanese middle-distance runner Rose Nathike Lokonyen, living in a refugee camp in Kenya, and democratic Republic of Congo judoka Yolande Bukasa Mabika, training in Brazil.

Refugee judo athlete Yolande Bukasa (left), from Democratic Republic of Congo, wipes tears next to her refugee compatriot Popole Misenga at the news conference where they were named among the refugee athletes

 


"These refugee athletes have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem," IOC president Thomas Bach said. "The invention of this refugee team is to give them a home in the Olympic village together with all the athletes around the world."

"The Olympic anthem will be played in their honour, the Olympic flag will lead them into the stadium," IOC president Thomas Bach said.