The IOC Refugee Olympic Team (, ÃÂOR) competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. 37 athletes from 11 countries of origin represented the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in 12 sports, with 14 of the 37 athletes being Iranians.
Yahya Al Ghotany and Cindy Ngamba were the delegation's flagbearers during the opening ceremony.
Ngamba was the sole Olympian to have achieved a bronze medal in women's 75 kg in boxing. Notable athletes include Manizha Talash who was ultimately disqualified in B-Girls event in breaking for displaying a political flag and Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru who failed to finish the race in women's individual road race in cycling.
Cindy Ngamba won a bronze medal, becoming the first-ever Olympian to win a medal for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games.
On 2 May 2024, the IOC announced that 36 athletes would represent the Refugee Olympic Team, before adding the 37th athlete afterward.
Masomah Ali Zada was the chef de mission for the team.
The following is the list of number of competitors from Refugee Olympic Team at the Games.
The Refugee Olympic Team entered one badminton player into the Olympic tournament. Former Iranian badminton player, Dorsa Yavarivafa entered the games after being selected by the IOC.
Refugee Olympic Team entered two boxers. Former Cameroonian boxer, Cindy Ngamba (women's middleweight) secured the one spot the Refugee Olympic Team squad in her weight division by finishing in the top two at the 2024 World Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament 1 in Busto Arsizio, Italy. Later on, the IOC announced that Cindy and former Iranian boxer, Omid Ahmadisafa would compete at the Games.
Refugee Olympic Team entered a breakdancer to compete in the B-Girl dual battles for Paris 2024. Former Afghan B-Girl Manizha Talash (Talash) qualified for the games following the announcement of Refugee Olympic Team by IOC.
During her event Talash wore a cape with the phrase "Free Afghan Women" on it in the pre-qualifier round. She lost the round 0âÂÂ3 to India Sardjoe from the Netherlands, before the result was updated to her being disqualified for displaying a political slogan, which is a violation of rule 50 of the Olympic Charter.
Former Iranian canoeists, Amir Rezanejad confirmed a boat in the men's C-1 for the Games, after being selected by the IOC to represent the Refugee Olympic Team.
Kayak cross
Two Former Iranian canoeists, Saeid Fazloula and Saman Soltani; and a former Cuban canoeist, Fernando Jorge; confirmed a boat in their respective classes for the Games, after being selected by the IOC to represent the Refugee Olympic Team.
<small>Qualification Legend: Q = Qualify to next round; FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)</small>
Refugee Olympic Team, entered two cyclist to compete at the games. Ex-Afghan cyclist Amir Ansari, and ex-Ethiopian cyclist Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru were nominated by the IOC to compete at the games.
Refugee Olympic Team entered 6 judoka (three men and three women) into Paris 2024. The team including; Two ex-Iranian judoka, Mohammad Rashnonezhad and Mahboubeh Barbari Zharfi; two ex-Afghan judoka, Sibghatullah Arab and Nigara Shaheen; two ex-Syrian judoka, Adnan Khankan and Muna Dahouk. Dahouk, who left Syria for the Netherlands with her family in 2019, told CBS that she wants to use her platform as a refugee athlete to break down stereotypes and challenge misconceptions about refugees: "I will represent the refugees around the world â to show people what the refugees can do. We are not weak people. We can be athletes, we can be students, we can be anything we want." Khankan, aged 30 and originally from Damascus, fled Syria in 2015 and now lives in Cologne in Germany; he describes Muhammad Ali as his inspiration.
Two shooters achieved quota places for the Refugee Olympics Team. Former Eritrean sport-shooter, Luna Solomon; and former Venezuelan sport-shooter Francisco Edilio Centeno; both would compete at the Games after being announced by the IOC.
Two swimmers; Alaa Maso (former Syrian swimmer) and Matin Balsini (former Iranian); would represent the Refugee Olympic Team, after being announced by the IOC.
Qualifiers for the latter rounds (Q) of all events were decided on a time only basis, therefore positions shown are overall results versus competitors in all heats.
Refugee Olympic Team announced five athletes to compete at the games. Three former Iranians; Hadi Tiran, Kasra Mehdipournejad and Dina Pouryounes; one former Syrian, Yahya Al-Ghotany; and one former Afghan, Farzad Mansouri; were all set to compete at the games.
Originally, two athletes already qualified for the games; Ali Reza Abbasi qualified for the games by winning the semifinal round in his division at the 2024 Asian Qualification Tournament in Tai'an, China; and Kimia Alizadeh qualified for the games by winning the semifinal round in her division at the 2024 European Qualification Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Later on, both of them could not compete at the games, because Kimia received her Bulgarian passport, which made her represent the Bulgarian team; and Ali's quota was declined by the IOC and being replaced by Yahya.
Refugee Olympic Team entered two weightlifters into the Olympic competition. Former Cuban weightlifters, Ramiro Mora Romero; and former Iranian weightlifters Yekta Jamali secured their spots, respectively in men's under 102 kg and women's under 81 kg, after being nominated by the IOC.
Refugee Olympics Team entered two wrestlers to compete at the Olympic competition. Former Iranian wrestlers, Iman Mahdavi and Jamal Valizadeh entered the games after being announced to represent the team by the IOC.