The Rio 2016 Refugee Team is, without a doubt, a team the entire world can root for during the Olympic Games. The two Syrian Swimmers, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a marathoner from Ethiopia and five middle-distance runners from South Sudan have fought for more than just medals—these athletes have fought for their lives.
This year, the International Olympic Committee aims to protect the athletes affected by international crises. The ten athletes, who will compete in twelve events in three sports, will fight for medals under the Olympic flag.
Even this year's torch relay reflected the Games' message of showing solidarity with the world’s refugees. 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.
“Refugees, by their very presence, challenge the nationalistic ethos of the Games. They have been stripped of their nation, their flag, and their anthem. They have existed in one form or another throughout the 120-year history of the Olympics. But until this year, they’ve fallen through the cracks of the world recognized by the organizers of the Games.” —The Atlantic
Every member of the team has a unique story to tell, each story bound together with similar themes: hardship, violence, and the determination to create a brighter future for themselves and their families.
Anjelina Nadia Lohalith, a Track & Field runner from South Sudan, for example, has not seen or spoken to her parents since she was six, when she was forced to flee her home. Lohalith will compete in the 1500-meter race with other international contestants in the hopes that she will eventually be able to meet and help her family once again. The first thing the runner would do with a big win? Build her father a better house back home.
James Chjengjiek, another Track & Field runner from South Sudan, also has a challenging background. Chkengjikeh, who will becompeting in the 800-meter race, fled his home when he was 13 to avoid being kidnapped by rebels who were forcibly recruiting child soldiers. Following his departure from his family, he attended a school known for its runners and trained with older boys in long-distance events, where he discovered his love of running.
Chjengjiek hopes to inspire others during his time in Rio. “By running well, I am doing something good to help others, especially refugees,” he added. “Maybe among them are athletes with talent, but who did not yet get any opportunities. We have to look back and see where our brothers and sisters are, so if one of them also has talent, we can bring them to train with us and also make their lives better.”
A swimmer from Syria, Rami Anis, was also stripped from his home and family members; the athlete now considers the “swimming pool” his new home. Anis started his formal swimming training as a 14-year-old growing up in Aleppo. Due to the increasing number of bombing and kidnapping incidents in his hometown, however, his family sent him to Istanbul to live with his older brother who was learning Turkish.
He eventually began training at the elite Galatasaray Sports Club in Turkey, but without Turkish nationality, he was unable to swim in the competitions. Frustrated and determined to compete at the professional level, Rami travelled to Ghent, Belguim and trained with Carine Verbauwen, a former Olympic swimmer. Even Anis' trip to Ghent was not an easy one; his journey included riding an inflatable dinghy to the Greek island of Samos before finally arriving in Belgium. Yes, you read that right.
Yusra Mardini is another swimmer with an impressive story. Mardini was stranded off the Turkish coast in a flimsy vessel with around 20 other passengers when she realized she had to push the boat towards Greece to ensure the safety of her and her fellow passengers. Mardini reflects on the near-death experience: “I wasn’t going to sit there and complain that I would drown,” Mardini said. Fortunately, she and the members on the boat arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos. She then travelled north with a group of asylum-seekers until she arrived in Germany in September 2015; there, she started training with a club in Berlin.
In addition to helping their families and creating a brighter future for themselves, these athletes hope to inspire refugees around the world.
Popole Misenga of the Democratic Republic of Congo hopes his position as a judoka on the Refugee team will encourage other refugees to keep fighting for their dreams and futures. “In my country, I didn’t have a home, a family or children. The war there caused too much death and confusion, and I thought I could stay in Brazil to improve my life,” he said. “I want to be part of the Refugee Olympic Athletes team to keep dreaming, to give hope to all refugees and take sadness out of them,”Kisenga said.
Keep fighting, athletes. You’ve already made the world proud.