On the occasion of World Refugee Day on Friday, the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) announced the names of the 47 refugee athletes awarded scholarships by Olympic SolidarityAmong them, boxer Cindy Ngamba, the first ever medalist from the refugee Olympic team at the Paris 2024 Games, Matin Ghalami, first squash player in the program, and Afraa Mohammad, the first climber. All of these athletes are eligible for a spot on the Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games, as well as the Youth Olympic Games.
For the first time, young athletes are part of the program, with the aim of to form a refugee Olympic team for the Dakar 2026 YOGThe 47 selected athletes represent 15 different sportsAthletics is present in force (15 athletes), as is judo (8). Road cycling, boxing, climbing, badminton, biathlon, alpine skiing, taekwondo, canoeing, wrestling, swimming, squash, weightlifting and shooting are also involved.
