10 athletes selected for inaugural Olympic refugee squad
Ten athletes have been named to a special refugee team that will debut at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The International Olympic Committee recently established the squad in response to developments across much of Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
“This will be a symbol of hope for all the refugees in our world and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement Friday.
The final roster was created from 43 candidates. It includes runners, swimmers and judokas from Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The team will be provided with uniforms, coaches and support staff and will march in the Aug. 5 opening ceremony under the Olympic flag.
Twitter: @LATimesWharton
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