Back in 2015, Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Team at the United Nations General Assembly. The aim was to bring attention to the magnitude of the global refugee crisis and to stand as a symbol of hope.
The following year, a team of 10 athletes from Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo competed at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
This year, the team includes more than 25 athletes competing in road cycling, swimming, boxing, judo and taekwondo, just to mention a few.
Among them is 21-year-old wrestler Aker Al Obaidi. He’s an Iraqi refugee who grew up in Mosul. He was forced to flee when ISIS began recruiting young men. After leaving his family behind and escaping to Iraqi Kurdistan, he eventually resettled in Austria, where he trains seven times a week and helps coach local children. More on his journey here.
