Sport as a pathway to inclusion: the IOC’s commitment to displaced people
Cindy and Shabnam’s journeys reflect the IOC’s broader work to support displaced people through sport. In 2015, the IOC created the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team, giving athletes who had been forced to flee their homes the opportunity to compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Since then, the team has grown significantly: from 10 athletes at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 to 29 at Tokyo 2020 and a record 37 athletes at Paris 2024, living in 15 countries across 12 sports. The team was led by Masomah Ali Zada, a refugee cyclist and the first refugee to serve as Chef de Mission.
Looking ahead, a Refugee Olympic Team will be competing at the…