Forget underdog stories—the Refugee Olympic Team is rewriting the script at #Paris2024! 🎉 With 37 athletes from conflict zones competing across 12 sports, this squad isn’t just raising awareness for 100 million displaced people—they’re here to win. 🥊🥋
🗣️ 'We’re fighters, hungry athletes part of a family,' says Cameroon-born boxer Cindy Ngamba, who’ll carry the team’s flag. 'Refugees worldwide will hear our names and know we’re proud, not afraid.'
The IOC’s refugee initiative began in 2016 with 10 athletes. Now, eight years later, the team’s Jordan-based taekwondo star Yahya Al Ghotany sums up their mission: 'We’re proof that passion brings hope. Every kick, every punch—it’s for everyone who’s had to rebuild their life.' 🌍💪
As the opening ceremony nears, these competitors are flipping the narrative: 'Don’t just see us as refugees,' Ngamba insists. 'We’ve got the same fire as any nation here.' 🔥 Will this be the year a refugee athlete climbs the podium? The world’s watching. 👀✨
