The Paris Olympics will feature a Refugee Team made up of 36 athletes from 11 countries competing in 12 sports. Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, announced the team’s selection from over 70 scholarships. Instead of competing under the Olympic flag, the refugees will have their own emblem, which features a heart at its center surrounded by arrows. The team will be known as EOR, short for Équipe Olympique des Réfugiés, the French name for Refugee Olympic Team.
Masomah Ali Zada of Afghanistan, who serves as the team’s chef de mission, emphasized the importance of having their own emblem. According to her, it creates a sense of belonging for the athletes and helps them feel proud to represent their country on an international stage. The Refugee Team will participate in athletics, badminton, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting
