Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Refugee Olympic Team at the
2016 Summer Olympics

Individuals competed under the Olympic Flag
IOC code ROT
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors 10 in 3 sports
Flag bearer Rose Lokonyen (opening)[1]
Popole Misenga (closing)
Medals
Gold Silver Bronze Total
0 0 0 0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

The Refugee Olympic Team competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016, as independent Olympic participants. In March 2016 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach declared that the IOC would choose five to ten refugees to compete at the Rio Olympics, in the context of the "worldwide refugee crisis",[2] of which the European migrant crisis is a prominent part. The athletes compete under the Olympic Flag. Initially, they were labeled "Team of Refugee Olympic Athletes", with the IOC country code ROA,[3] but this was updated to Refugee Olympic Team with the country code ROT.[4][5]

As part of an effort "to show solidarity with the world’s refugees",[6] the United Nations Refugee Agency selected Ibrahim Al-Hussein, a Syrian refugee residing in Athens, Greece, to carry the Olympic flame through the Eleonas refugee and migrant camp in the city as part of the 2016 torch relay.[7]

In addition, Kuwaiti athletes competed under the Olympic flag and the "Independent Olympic Athletes" title as a result of the suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, their national Olympic Committee.

Team selection and funding

The IOC identified 43 potential candidates for inclusion in the team with the final selection to take into account sporting ability, personal circumstances, and United Nations-verified refugee status.[3] In order to pay for athlete training, a fund of US$2 million was created by the IOC. National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were then asked to identify any displaced athletes in their countries who might be able to reach Olympic standard.[8]

An initial three athletes were identified as potential competitors for Rio; Yusra Mardini, a 17-year-old Syrian swimmer, who crossed from Turkey into Greece in an inflatable boat (swimming after its motor had stopped) before crossing Europe by train through mainland Greece, the Balkans, Hungary and Austria to eventually reach Germany where she now lives and trains;[9] Raheleh Asemani, an Iranian taekwondo athlete training in Belgium; and judoka Popole Misenga, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo but now living in Brazil.[8] Mardini and Asemani have received IOC Olympic Solidarity scholarships.[9] Asemani was later granted Belgian citizenship and has applied to compete instead for the Belgian team, with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach saying that such permission was expected to be granted.[10]

Additional candidates were identified: among refugees of the Syrian Civil War, cyclists Ahmad Badr Waid and Nazir Jaser and triathlete Mohamad Masoo; and in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where a support program run by former marathon world record holder Tegla Loroupe identified 23 athletes.[8][9]

On 3 June 2016, the IOC announced a team of ten athletes would compete as part of the refugee team at the Games.[2] The team was led by Loroupe.[11]

Athlete Country of origin Host NOC Sport Event
James Chiengjiek  South Sudan  Kenya Athletics 400 m
Yiech Biel  South Sudan  Kenya Athletics 800 m
Paulo Lokoro  South Sudan  Kenya Athletics 1500 m
Yonas Kinde  Ethiopia  Luxembourg Athletics Marathon
Popole Misenga  Democratic Republic of Congo  Brazil Judo 90 kg
Rami Anis  Syria  Belgium Swimming 100 m butterfly
Rose Lokonyen  South Sudan  Kenya Athletics 800 m
Anjelina Lohalith  South Sudan  Kenya Athletics 1500 m
Yolande Mabika  Democratic Republic of Congo  Brazil Judo 70 kg
Yusra Mardini  Syria  Germany Swimming 100 m freestyle

Athletics

Rose Lokonyen arriving in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games

Four men and two women competed in the Games in the athletics tournament.[2]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
  • NM = No mark
Men
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
James Chiengjiek 400 m 52.89 8 Did not advance
Yiech Biel 800 m 1:54.67 8 Did not advance
Paulo Lokoro 1500 m 4:03.96 11 Did not advance
Yonas Kinde Marathon N/A 2:24:08 90
Women
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Rose Lokonyen 800 m 2:16.64 7 Did not advance
Anjelina Lohalith 1500 m 4:47.38 14 Did not advance

Judo

Two judokas were selected as part of the team, one male and one female. Both Popole Misenga and Yolande Mabika are originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo but have been training in Brazil.[2]

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank
Popole Misenga Men's −90 kg Bye  Singh (IND)
W 001–000		  Gwak D-h (KOR)
L 000–100		 Did not advance
Yolande Mabika Women's −70 kg N/A  Bolder (ISR)
L 000–110		 Did not advance

Swimming

Two swimmers were selected for the team, one male and one female; Rami Anis, originally from Syria but now training in Belgium and Yusra Mardini also originally from Syria but now living in Germany. An assistant coach, Khamis Agear, is also from Syria.[2]

Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Rami Anis Men's 100 m butterfly 56.23 40 Did not advance
Men's 100 m freestyle 54.25 56 Did not advance
Yusra Mardini Women's 100 m freestyle 1:04.66 45 Did not advance
Women's 100 m butterfly 1:09.21 41 Did not advance

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Refugee Olympic Team flagbearer announced". International Olympic Committee. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Refugee Olympic Team to Shine Spotlight On Worldwide Refugee Crisis". International Olympic Committee. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Rio 2016: Refugee team to compete at Olympics". BBC Sport. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Refugee Olympic Team". Rio 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Refugee Olympic Team To Shine Spotlight on Worldwide Refugee Crisis". IOC. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Refugee swimmer, who lost part of his leg in Syrian war, to carry Rio 2016 Olympic Torch". Official Website of Rio 2016. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Syrian swimmer Ibrahim carried torch for the refugees of the world". olympic.org. Official Website of the Olympic Movement. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Refugee team forming for Rio 2016 Olympics: 'We want to send a message of hope'". The National (UAE). Associated Press. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Urken, Ross Kenneth (10 February 2016). "How refugees fleeing Syria and ISIS are keeping their Olympic hopes alive". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Former refugee Raheleh Asemani earns Belgian citizenship, seeks IOC approval". NBC Olympics. Associated Press. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Tegla Loroupe gives Refugee Olympians A Lesson in Hope, Jere Longmam. 4 August 2016, NYTimes, Retrieved 11 September 2016
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