41-580: The Refugee Olympic Team is a group made up of independent Olympic participants who are refugees . In March 2016, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team, as a symbol of hope for all refugees in the world in order to raise global awareness of the scale of the migrant crisis in Europe. In September 2017, the IOC established
82-742: A group of athletes preparing at the Tegla Loroupe Refugee Training Center in Kenya . All were assisted by Olympic Solidarity as part of its support program for refugee athletes. The IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the 2020 Tokyo Games consisted of 29 athletes—19 men and 10 women—hailing from 11 nations: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela. These athletes competed across 12 sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, canoeing, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wrestling. Swimmer Yusra Mardini , who competed in
123-531: A rank of 41st among 45 entrants, but did not qualify for the semi-finals. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said of the refugee athletes, "We help them to make their dream of sporting excellence come true, even when they have to flee war and violence." Mardini also competed at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo . She carried the flag of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team in
164-677: A voice". After her decision to end her swimming career, Mardini moved to Los Angeles in 2022 to study Cinema and Visual arts at the University of Southern California . In May 2017, Mardini became the youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Since then, she has met and encouraged refugees for example in Zaatari camp , Jordan, spoken at numerous high-level advocacy meetings and media interviews as well as in schools. In October of
205-600: Is based both in the US and Germany, consisting of a small team that has been working with refugees before. Presenting famous fashion brands, she was pictured in January 2023 on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and modelling at Milan Fashion Week in September of the same year. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Mardini was hired by Eurosport and Discovery TV channels to report on
246-609: The 1976 Olympic boycott , its sprinter James Gilkes asked the IOC to be allowed to compete as an individual, but was refused. The IOC first made provisions for athletes to compete under the Olympic flag in time for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow . Some NOCs, mostly from Western Europe, wished to attend the Games despite their governments' support for the American-led boycott in protest of
287-403: The 2014 Winter Olympics . Therefore, the three Indian athletes who qualified for the Games were scheduled to compete as Independent Olympic Participants. On 8 and 9 February, Shiva Keshavan participated in the luge competition and received 38th place. He would end up being the only athlete to officially compete as an Independent Olympic Participant. On 11 February 2014, the IOC reinstated
328-655: The 2018 Winter Olympics over its state-sponsored doping program . Russian athletes were allowed to participate under the Olympic flag as "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (OAR) if they were cleared by a panel, which was chaired by Valerie Fourneyron and had representatives from the IOC, the World Anti-Doping Agency , and the Doping Free Sport Unit of the Global Association of International Sports Federations . The IOC Refugee Olympic Team competed at
369-454: The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo , Japan , as independent Olympic participants. Twenty-nine athletes from 12 sports and 18 countries competed for this team. The IOC code was changed to the French acronym "EOR" which stands for Équipe olympique des réfugiés . Following a decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), it was announced that Russia would compete under the acronym "ROC", after
410-589: The 2022 Beijing Games under the "ROC" acronym due to WADA's sanctions. Yusra Mardini Yusra Mardini OLY ( Arabic : يسرى مارديني ; born 5 March 1998) is a Syrian former competition swimmer and refugee of the Syrian civil war . She was a member of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team (ROT) that competed under the Olympic flag at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro . On 27 April 2017, Mardini
451-459: The Belarus-assisted invasion of Ukraine . Apart from Russian athltes who won more than hundred medals under a neutral designation, medals were won by independent Olympians at the 1992 and 2016 Olympics, both times in shooting. The naming and country code conventions for these independent Olympians have not been consistent. Independent Paralympians have participated at Paralympic Games for
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#1732851959844492-649: The International Association of Athletics Federations suspended the All-Russia Athletic Federation in November 2015. As a result, no Russian athlete would be able to compete internationally, including the 2016 Olympics, until the suspension was lifted. The IAAF announced a path for athletes who train outside the Russian system and could prove themselves to be clean, as well as those who have helped in
533-625: The Kuwait Olympic Committee was suspended by the International Olympic Committee due to governmental interference. This was the second suspension in five years; the first suspension resulted in Kuwaiti athletes being forced to compete under the Olympic flag as Athletes from Kuwait at the 2010 Asian Games . Fehaid Al-Deehani became the first Independent Olympic Athlete to win a gold medal. Like with some gold medals of
574-549: The Olympic Refuge Foundation to supporting refugees over the long term. The Olympic flag and the Olympic Hymn are used as team symbols. The participating athletes marched in the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics , with the team entering the stadium as the penultimate delegation, just before the host country. At the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics , the team entered the stadium second after Greece. At
615-498: The Olympics . She attempted to qualify in the 200 metres freestyle swimming event, and in June 2016, Mardini was one of ten athletes selected for the newly formed Refugee Olympic Team . Mardini competed in the 100 metres freestyle and the 100 metres butterfly at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio . She won a 100m butterfly heat against four other swimmers, with a time of 1:09.21 and
656-803: The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan . The NOCs hesitated to use national symbols without government approval, so the IOC relaxed this requirement: 14 NOCs competed under the Olympic flag, while three, New Zealand , Spain and Portugal , competed under their respective NOCs' flag. During the 1992 Summer Olympics , athletes from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia competed as Independent Olympic participants. Macedonian athletes could not appear under their own flag because their National Olympic Committee (NOC) had not yet been formed. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbia and Montenegro )
697-643: The Syrian Olympic Committee . In 2012, she represented Syria in the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) 200 metre individual medley , 200 metre freestyle and 400 metre freestyle events. Mardini's house was destroyed in the Syrian Civil War . Mardini and her sister Sarah decided to flee Syria in August 2015. They reached Lebanon , and then Turkey , where they arranged to be smuggled into Greece by boat with 18 other migrants, though
738-595: The Unified Team at the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics, the Olympic Hymn was played in the victory ceremony. Refugees were allowed to compete under the Olympic Flag (one of two delegations to compete under that flag, alongside Kuwaiti IOAs) at the 2016 Summer Olympics , under the label Refugee Olympic Team . Ten athletes from four countries competed for this team. Due to widespread state-controlled doping in Russia ,
779-470: The Unified Team . At the 2000 Summer Olympics , four athletes from East Timor competed as Individual Olympic Athletes during the country's transition to independence. Four athletes competed as Independent Olympic Athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics . After the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and subsequent withdrawal of the country's National Olympic Committee, three athletes from
820-721: The United Nations , the personal situation, and the background of each athlete. At its meeting in Buenos Aires in October 2018, the International Olympic Committee decided to establish the Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) for the 2020 Summer Olympics . This decision built on the legacy of the Refugee Olympic Team in 2016 and was part of the IOC's commitment to play its part in addressing the global refugee crisis and in carrying
861-565: The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). On 20 June 2019, the IOC released the list of Refugee Athlete Scholarship holders who wished to join the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, Tokyo 2020. This announcement was made on World Athlete Day, celebrated every year on 20 June. The 56 Refugee Athlete Scholarship holders include the 10 athletes who were part of the first Refugee Olympic Team in 2016 , new individual athletes, and
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#1732851959844902-646: The 2016 Rio Games as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team, and marathon runner Tachlowini Gabriyesos were selected as flag bearers for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Independent Olympic participants Athletes have competed as independent Olympians at the Olympic Games for various reasons, including political transition , international sanctions , suspensions of National Olympic Committees , and compassion. Independent athletes have come from North Macedonia , East Timor , South Sudan and Curaçao following geopolitical changes in
943-532: The 2016 Summer Olympics, the team used the IOC country code ROT. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, it was changed to EOR (an abbreviation of the French Équipe olympique des réfugiés ). As of 2024, no refugee Olympic athletes had participated in the Winter Olympic Games , nor Youth Olympic Games (regardless of Summer or Winter). The team was awarded the 2022 Princess of Asturias Award for Sport for giving athletes
984-504: The 2020 Summer Olympics , won bronze at the 2022 European Taekwondo Championships while representing the Refugee Team, after previously winning bronze for Iran at the 2016 Summer Olympics , and before winning bronze for Bulgaria at the 2024 Summer Olympics . This category was created in March 2016. The selection criteria include the sporting level, the official refugee status verified by
1025-670: The Indian Olympic Association after Narayana Ramachandran , the president of the World Squash Federation , was voted in as the new president of the Indian Olympic Association, allowing the two remaining athletes to compete under the Indian flag rather than as independent athletes. This was the first time such a reinstatement of a NOC occurred as the Olympic Games were underway. Kuwaiti athletes competed independently, as
1066-546: The Refugee Olympic Team. Mardini's story is told in the short story collection Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls , by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo . The story is illustrated by JM Cooper, and when the story was released as a podcast episode it was narrated by American journalist and long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad . Further, Irish musician Declan O'Rourke penned the song "Olympian" to recall Yusra's story. On 3 May 2018, her autobiography Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian - My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph
1107-483: The athletes’ parade of the opening ceremony . In the women's 100m butterfly , she swam a time of 1:06.78 in the heats, and was eliminated from the next rounds for which only the top 16 women qualified. "After the Olympics, I realised that it’s not just my story anymore. I realised that my responsibility is to raise awareness and bring hope to millions of refugees around the world and speak for all of those who do not have
1148-897: The boat was meant to be used by no more than 6 or 7 people. After the motor stopped working and the dinghy began to take on water in the Aegean Sea , Yusra, Sarah, and two other people who were able to swim jumped into the water and pushed and pulled the boat through the water for over 3 hours until the group reached the island of Lesbos . They then traveled on foot through Europe to Germany , where they settled in Berlin in September 2015. Her parents and younger sister, Shahed, also fled Syria and live in Germany. On arrival in Germany , Mardini continued her training with her coach Sven Spannekrebs from Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 in Berlin , in hopes of qualifying for
1189-594: The country who qualified for the Games were allowed to compete independently. Several others competed for either Aruba or the Netherlands . The National Olympic Committee for South Sudan was not established between the formation of that state and the 2012 Olympic qualifying. One athlete from South Sudan, Guor Marial , qualified for the Games and was allowed to compete as an independent. Athletes from Kuwait were originally allowed to compete as Independent Olympic Athletes as well, because their National Olympic Committee
1230-435: The fight against doping, to be eligible to compete as neutral athletes at the 2016 Olympics. Two athletes, Darya Klishina and Yuliya Stepanova were initially cleared for competition, as Independent Athletes. Although Yulia Stepanova was cleared by IAAF because of her revelations regarding Russia's systemic doping program, and the IOC's recognition of her "contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes", she
1271-610: The message of solidarity and hope to millions of refugee athletes around the world. The IOC Session tasked Olympic Solidarity with establishing the conditions of participation and defining the team identification and selection process. These elements were carried out in close collaboration with the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the International Sports Federations, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, and
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1312-535: The name of the Russian Olympic Committee . In the aftermatch, the IOC announced that the Russian national flag would be substituted by the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee. It would also be allowed to use team uniforms featuring the Russian national colours, the logo of the Russian Olympic Committee and bearing the acronym "ROC". Similarly to the 2020 Summer Olympics, Russia competed in
1353-400: The opportunity in conflict zones and places where human rights are violated, preventing them from performing their sporting and personal activities. Cindy Ngamba became the first person to win an Olympic medal for the Refugee Olympic Team, winning a bronze medal in the women's 75kg boxing event at the 2024 Summer Olympics . Kimia Alizadeh , who represented the Refugee Olympic Team at
1394-658: The organisers refused to recognise the Czechoslovakia NOC ; however, they were prepared to allow its athletes to enter under the Olympic flag. In any event, the Games were cancelled because of World War II . During the Cold War , some athletes who emigrated from Soviet Bloc countries were unable to compete at the Olympics, as their original state's NOC neither wanted them on its own team nor gave them permission to transfer nationality. Some applied to compete as individuals in 1952 and 1956 but were refused. When Guyana joined
1435-460: The same reasons as independent Olympians. Prior to the 1906 Intercalated Games , entry was not restricted to teams nominated by National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Mixed-nationality teams competed in some team events. Participants in individual events are retrospectively credited to their nationality of the time. The 1940 Winter Olympics was reassigned to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in spring 1939. In concert with German claims on Czechoslovakia ,
1476-661: The same year, Mardini joined a team of international athletes to represent the Under Armour sports brand. Chris Bate, Under Armour managing director in Europe , said: "We are inspired by her drive and accomplishments, both as a person and as an athlete." On 20 June 2023, the UN World Refugee Day , she officially started the Yusra Mardini Foundation to support sports and education for refugee communities. The Foundation
1517-411: The years before the Olympics, from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (present-day Serbia and Montenegro ) as a result of international sanctions, and from India and Kuwait due to the suspensions of their National Olympic Committees. Starting from 2018, athletes from Russia have competed under a neutral designation for various reasoms, mainly mass violations of anti-doping rules and since 2022,
1558-453: Was appointed a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador . She also competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo with the Refugee Olympic Team (EOR). She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023, alongside her sister, Sarah . Mardini was born to a Sunni Syrian family. Growing up in Damascus , Syria, Mardini trained in swimming with the support of
1599-428: Was banned by the IOC in line with the decision to ban all Russian athletes with previous doping convictions. The IOC also rejected the suggestion that 'neutral' athletes could compete outside of national selection. Klishina was subsequently confirmed as competing under Russian colours, the country's only competitor in athletics at the 2016 Olympics. On 5 December 2017, the IOC announced that Russia would be banned from
1640-503: Was suspended. However, the NOC was reinstated allowing the athletes to compete under their own flag . Kuwait competed under the Olympic flag at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and 2010 Asian Games . The Indian Olympic Association was suspended from the IOC in December 2012, due to problems with its electoral process. New elections were scheduled for 9 February 2014, two days after the start of
1681-458: Was under United Nations sanctions which prevented the country from taking part in the Olympics. However, individual Yugoslav athletes were allowed to take part as independent Olympic participants. 58 athletes competed as independent Olympic participants, winning three medals. The former Soviet Union (except the Baltic states ) competed under the Olympic flag at the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics as