For the first time in Olympic history, refugees with no home country will be allowed to compete in 2016 Rio Games under the Olympic flag.
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach made the announcement to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, calling for the Olympic Truce – an ancient tradition allowing safe passage of athletes and spectators to and from the games – to be respected.
In a statement, he said:
“The Olympic Games are the time when the values of tolerance, solidarity and peace are brought to life. This is the time when the international community comes together for peaceful competition.”
“In the Olympic Village, we see tolerance and solidarity in their purest form. Athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees live together in harmony and without any kind of discrimination.”
“Having no national team to belong to, having no flag to march behind, having no national anthem to be played, these refugee athletes will be welcomed to the Olympic Games with the Olympic flag and with the Olympic anthem.”
“They will have a home together with all the other 11,000 athletes from the 206 National Olympic Committees in the Olympic Village.”
A total of 180 out of the 193 UN member states supported the resolution. Which is friggin’ adorable and all, but who are you 13 jerks who didn’t want refugees competing and can you explain yourself please?
According to the UN, over 700,000 refugees fleering war and persecution have arrived in Europe, 20% of them children. Over 3,000 more have died or gone missing on the way.
Picture: John Berry via Getty Images.
via ABC.
