Tokyo: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday approved the list of 29 refugee athletes who will compete at the Tokyo Olympics under the Olympic flag.
During the opening ceremony on July 23, the refugee athletes — from 13 host National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competing in 12 sports — will enter the stadium “in second position after Greece”.
The team, which will compete under the Olympic flag and include people from countries including Syria, South Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and Iran, is almost three times as big as the inaugural team at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
Kenya’s Tegla Loroupe, Olympian and former marathon world-record holder, will be the team’s Chef de Mission.
The selection of the refugee team for Tokyo was based on the athletes’ sporting performance and their refugee status as confirmed by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Personal background and “balanced representation in terms of sport, gender and regions, were also considered”.
The full Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) delegation will meet for the first time in Doha on July 12 and 13, before flying to Tokyo on July 14.
List (gender, event, host NOC and country of origin in parenthesis):
Aquatics: Alaa Maso (M, 50m freestyle, Germany, Syria); Yusra Mardini (W, 100m butterfly, Germany, Syria)
Athletics: Dorian Keletela (M, 100m, Portugal, Congo) Rose Nathike Likonyen (W, 800m, Kenya, South Sudan); James Nyang Chiengjiek (M, 800m, Kenya, South Sudan); Anjelina Nadai Lohalith (W, 1500m, Kenya, South Sudan); Paulo Amotun Lokoro (M, 1500m, Kenya, South Sudan); Jamal Abdelmaji Eisa Mohammed (M, 5000m, Israel, Sudan); Tachlowini Gabriyesos (M, Marathon, Israel, Eritrea)
Badminton: Aram Mahmoud (M, Singles, Netherlands, Syria)
Boxing: Wessam Salamana (M, Light weight, Germany, Syria); Eldric Sella Rodriguez (M, Middle weight, Trinidad and Tobago; Venezuela)
Canoe Sprint: Saeid Fazloula (M, Kayak Single K-1 1000m, Germany, Iran)
Cycling: Masomah Ali Zada (W, Time Trial, France, Afghanistan); Ahmad Badreddin Wais (M, Time Trial, Switzerland, Syria)
Judo: Sanda Aldass (W, Mixed team, Netherlands, Syria); Ahmad Alikaj (M, Mixed team IJF, Germany, Syria); Muna Dahouk (W, Mixed team IJF; Netherlands, Syria); Javad Mahjoub (M, Mixed team IJF; Canada, Iran); Popole Misenga (M, Mixed team, Brazil, DR Congo); Nigara Shaheen (W, Mixed team IJF, Russia, Afghanistan)
Karate (Kata): Wael Shueb (M, Kata, Germany, Syria)
Karate (Kumite): Hamoon Derafshipour (M, 67kg, Canada, Iran)
Shooting: Luna Solomon (W, 10m Air Rifle, Switzerland, Eritrea)
Taekwondo: Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi (W, 49kg, Netherlands, Iran); Kimia Alizadeh (W, 57kg, Germany, Iran); Abdullah Sediqi (M, 68kg, Belgium, Afghanistan)
Weightlifting: Cyrille Fagat Tchatchet (M, 96kg, UK, Cameroon)
Wrestling: Greco-Roman Aker Al Obaidi (M, 67kg, Austria, Iraq)
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