The refugee Olympic team, there are also two “Italians”
34 athletes from 11 countries for 12 sports: they represent 100 million refugees around the world in Paris 2024
ROME – There are also two refugees resident in Italy among the 36 who will make up the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024: they are Iman Mahdavi, 78 kg freestyle wrestler, and Hadi Tiranvalipour , taekwondo category -58 kg. They will compete alongside the other 34 athletes announced today by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach during a ceremony broadcast live from the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.
For the third time at the Olympic Games, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team – with athletes from 11 countries, hosted by 15 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to compete in 12 sports– will represent the over 100 million refugees in the world. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced this in a note.
“We welcome all of you with open arms: you are an enrichment for our Olympic community and for our societies” said Bach, adding that “with your participation, you will demonstrate the human potential of resilience and excellence, sending a message of hope to the over 100 million displaced people in the world”. The president added: “At the same time, you will make billions of people around the world aware of the scale of the refugee crisis.”
The Paris 2024 Games will be remembered for another novelty: for the first time, the Refugee Olympic Team will compete with its own team emblem: “This emblem unites us all” he declared Team Chef de Mission Masomah Ali Zada, Afghan champion, competed in cycling for the Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo 2020. “We are united by our experience – continued Zasa – we have been on a journey to get to where we are. Athletes do not represent a Specific country, but the Refugee Olympic Team: having our emblem creates a sense of belonging and allows us to represent the population of over 100 million people who share the same experience” and now “the dream of the Olympic Games is closer than ever never”.
Then there are Iman Mahdavi and Hadi Tiranvalipour, the two refugees residing in Italy chosen to go to Paris 2024: Mahdavi will compete in the 78kg free wrestling, and Hadi Tiranvalipour in the -58kg taekwondo category. They joined the Olympic Program for Refugees in 2022 and 2023. Chiara Cardoletti, UNHCR representative for Italy, the Holy See and San Marino, said: “Their selection is undoubtedly a very important milestone not only for them but for what it represents for the cause of refugees and for the Italy that has welcomed them. People on the run dream of being able to rebuild their future in safety and dignity. Too often the narrative that concerns them highlights only their primary needs leaving aside the talent, courage and determination that sport brings with it – concludes Cardoletti – it represents one of the most important stages to reiterate the values of solidarity and inclusion and for this we are grateful to CONI for the commitment shown in supporting the refugee athletes in their Olympic dream.
The composition of the team was approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) and was based on a series of criteria including, firstly, the sporting performance of each athlete and their refugee status verified by UNHCR . A balanced representation of sport and gender was also taken into account, as well as the spread of countries of origin.