For the first time in history, a team comprised of refugees will compete at the Olympics.
According to CNN, the International Olympic Committee announced on Friday that a team of 10 refugees will compete in various sports over the course of the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The 10 competitors were selected from an original pool of 43, and they will be accompanied by 15 officials.
Congrats to judokas Popole Misenga & Yolande Mabika. They made the Olympic Refugee Team & live in Rio! #RoadtoRiopic.twitter.com/8scAcyzwPP
— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016_en) June 3, 2016
IOC president Thomas Bach addressed the situation:
"These refugees have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem ... We will offer them a home in the Olympic Village together with all the athletes of the world. The Olympic anthem will be played in their honor and the Olympic flag will lead them into the stadium."
The group of competitors will officially be called the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT). They will march into the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 5 just ahead of host country Brazil, who will enter last.
