Olympic Games Embrace Refugee Athletes with New Team Entry

How has the International Olympic Committee introduced a refugee team into the Olympic Games?

At the dawn of the Summer Rio Olympics of 2016, the Refugee Olympic Team was introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the first time. 10 athletes from all over the world, mainly from Africa and the Middle East were invited to compete under a brand new banner, responding to the refugee crisis involving millions of people all across the globe according to the BBC.

Establishment of the Refugee Emergency Fund

After the massive refugee crisis of 2015, the IOC had already settled a Refugee Emergency Fund collecting up to $1,9 million before donating those funds to aid international organisations in their efforts to integrate migrants into sports as the International Rescue Committee claimed.

Yet, with the advent of a spot for a deprived population at one of the most prestigious sports competitions existing, this new Refugee Olympic team can be considered as a major progress and a tremendous sports inclusion program.

According to the UN refugee agency, by definition, a refugee is a person who has fled war, conflict, violence, or persecution and crossed an international boundary in search of safety in another country.

The Success of the 2016 Refugee Olympic Team

The 2016 Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) was a clear success, Thomas Bach, the IOC president even declared that same year ”The Refugee Olympic athletes were some of the stars of these Olympic Games”, clearly stating that the refugee athletes involved had been at the same stage as any ordinary other athletes that had competed in the previous Olympic Games.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the refugee team had increased its number of athletes participants up to 29, coming from 11 different countries and 13 host countries, competing across 12 sports according to the BBC. Exclusively, on this occasion a paralympic team was also constituted for the first time, sustaining the success of the Rio Games.

Refugee Olympic Team: Benefits for the IOC and Sponsors

The IOC can be seen as the main group of interest of such a program. By introducing the Refugee Olympic Team, the IOC is harvesting firstly, a comprehensive and altruistic image, and the sympathy of the general public.

Not only specialists, following closely one or many sports present at the Olympics, but also the amateurs being part of the regular audience during the competition can assimilate this positive image broadcasted by the many sponsors implicated and the IOC.

In fact, by carrying noble values of solidarity and a sense of community the IOC is putting itself in a positive dynamic. The IOC must ensure that the Olympic Properties’ integrity and worth are preserved as claimed by the IOC in 2016. Furthermore, the sponsors involved at the Olympics will directly benefit from the good image reflected, and more broadly, all the different actors implicated in the Olympics organisation from the local government to the service provider will take advantage of this new program.

Impact on Athlete Associations

The athletes associations that help to form the future talents are also engaged in the process, which can considerably promote sports participation, and elite sport and develop new talents within young refugee populations. Indeed the mass mediatisation of the Olympic games has propelled new faces to the rank of star.

In terms of institutions, the implementation of the ROT conforms with the Human Rights Constitution, the United Nations and other Non-Governmental Organisations implicated in the matter. For instance, the United Nations is still looking for better ways to safeguard and support these extremely vulnerable people, and it is one of their priorities to face that issue.

Major institutions such as governments and international instances require increased levels of cooperation and coordination among relief agencies while pointing to gaps in international legislation and appeal for further standard-setting on the refugee topic. Especially nowadays, the refugee question is well-valued and follows certain legislations of protection.

In other words, through this sports development program, the IOC is acting according to the values and motives advocated by major institutions involved in refugee protection.

Refugee Olympic Team: Symbol of Hope and Inclusion

The idea was to bring ”a symbol of hope” to refugees around the world and to send a signal to the international community that refugees can be an enrichment to society, according to Thomas Bach. The theory of developing this sports program is the result of the interests and institutions involved in giving birth to ideas.

Indeed, this will to carry a message of solidarity is vital and is meant to encourage the inclusion of refugees all over the world in participating in social activities through sport. Being in the middle of the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War it seems legitimate to bring forward people that have been through arduous experiences.

Thus, competing under that banner gave these athletes a sense of belonging to an entire community and not just to a country they were forced to flee. The statue of refugees is carrying a social identity.

Stimulating Sports Involvement

This program is a stimulating idea that aims to increase participation from refugee populations, encouraging their sports involvement and their implication in society. Indeed, seeing prestigious athletes performing in international competitions will instantly increase participation giving birth to a range of new generations of competitive athletes generating a ‘virtuous cycle’ ​​Apart from pursuing better possibilities in life, sports engagement is now considered as a way for refugees to reclaim their pride and dignity.

Sport is, without a doubt, a strong tool for bringing people of many backgrounds and nationalities together. For instance, Eldrick Rodriguez, a refugee from Venezuela declared; ”In this program, I will have the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games and represent not only me, but millions of people around the world who, like me, were forced to leave their home and dreams behind.” Confirming, he was conscious of the potential positive effect his participation could have on people.

Olympic Refugee Team

The creation of an Olympic refugee team can be partly explained by the Cunnigham multilevel framework. On the macro-level, refugees can be discriminated against by society in countries where they end up residing, notably by being set apart and treated differently by law and society. Refugees are often victims of stereotypes and prejudices impacting the organisational degree at the meso level.

There are certain beliefs on refugees’ attitudes, skills or attributes that engender the rise of prejudices towards them. The emergence of an Olympic team, at the same rank as the Paralympic games, for instance, is offering a fresh and positive image on an under-mediated sample of the population.

The birth of an Olympic refugee team helps to fight discrimination by dismantling clichés notably through media exposure. Such opportunities, bringing light and attention are proffering a certain expediency to people who were lacking ambitions or aspirations. This is influencing the micro-level as well. Indeed, an Olympic team is pushing individuals to yearn for a cultural identity, while setting high personal objectives.

Coordinating Interests and Values

The creation of the Refugee Olympic Team has been able to merge the interests of the group of actors involved in the Olympic process, respecting the values conveyed by the institutions concerned by the refugee crisis issue, while being organised by meaningful ideas.

As a symbol, the Refugee Nation made a specific flag and anthem for the athletes to serve as an international signal that, no matter what they’ve been through, refugees are human beings who deserve a home that brings them all together.

Throughout the first Rio 2016 experience, the focus on the Refugee Olympic Team pushed people all over the world to finally acknowledge, at the very least, the presence of refugees, a community that is rapidly expanding.

Conclusion

Overall, by implementing the ROT, the IOC has been able to coordinate the many ideas and interests emanating from this sports development program.

By establishing a program that was able to satisfy these conceptual tools, it is legitimate to claim that the experience has been a frank success. The many actors involved in the process have been able to join their efforts in order to create a successful program, in developing inclusive sport by targeting the refugee issue.

Photo by Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash