A full day and a lot of emotions. Disappointment for James who started very well but fell. Some happy faces for Dorian (PB) and Cyrille (NR) who take with them an invaluable experience for the rest of their careers. And a great moment of sharing and friendship during the mixed team event. This is what the Olympic Games is all about! #cheerforrefugees
Cyrille is a weightlifting Olympic superstar. He is also one of six COVID health workers who carried the Olympic flag during the Opening Ceremony. Such strength. Such determination. We cannot wait to cheer Cyrille on! #Tokyo2020
Both had to flee their home countries. Now they are official torchbearers for #Tokyo2020. Mekkomen Moger, from Ethiopia, and Abrehet Sibhatu Kidnemarim, from Eritrea, embody the hope of the Games. They stand together with refugees from all over the world.
It was her first ever time trial. She finished 25th out of 25 competitors, almost 14 minutes behind Annemiek van Vleuten. Ignore those metrics: they totally miss the point of what is one of the great success stories of this Olympiad.
The International Olympic Committee has given opportunity and hope so 29 refugees to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. These 29 members of the Refugee Olympic Team represent 82 million refugees all over the world. May their participation, their discipline, their striving to give their best bring a renewed sense of hope and purpose to the world’s refugees.
We want all refugees to have better access to sporting opportunities. Sport is not only fun. It helps refugees, to heal and to rebuild their lives. UNHCR calls for all refugees to have access to sport and opportunity to fulfil their dreams, on and off the field.
The stories of refugees – having to flee their home country for safety – and for some – losing a parent and starting afresh in a host nation is a mighty challenge. These members of the Refugee Olympic Team have overcome such challenges, taken up sport, training and competition to rise to world stage. It’s a Dream to Compete in the Olympic Games.
Ahmad Badreddin Wais is a Syrian cyclist and Olympian, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Kuwait Pro Cycling Team. He represents the refugee team at the Olympics. He rode in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
The captain of Australia’s Soccer team (Olyroos) is a South Sudanese refugee by name Thomas Deng. Here, former Socceroo Craig Foster believes Thomas Deng’s journey from a Kenyan refugee camp to leading Australia’s men’s football team at the Tokyo Olympics highlights the “confronting dichotomy” of the nation’s attitude towards refugees.
An eventful and emotional day for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team on Day 1 of #Tokyo2020! With many making their Olympic debut, they fought hard in the opening rounds, in the same spirit that they used to get here!