Meet the Olympic team you DID NOT know: Refugees find a home in Paris as athletes have a 1 in 100 million chance of Games glory

The Refugee Olympic Team returns to Paris this summer, with 36 athletes who will have a one in 100 million chance of winning Games glory in France.

The team, made up of athletes who faced incredible odds to reach the start line, will compete for the third time alongside some of the world’s best talent, having made their debut at the Rio de Janeiro Games ago eight years.

The inaugural team represented 60 million displaced people worldwide. According to the UN, that figure has since risen to more than 100 million, inspiring the team’s slogan “one in 100 million.”

The likes of Cindy Ngamba (boxing), Dorsa Yavarivafa (badminton) and Ramiro Mora (weightlifting) will represent the team which competes in events such as break, swimming and canoe sprint.

“Qualifying for the Olympics means everything to me,” Ngamba said.

Ngamba was born in Cameroon and moved to Bolton in the United Kingdom when she was 12 years old. His uncle lost his immigration papers when he returned to Cameroon and in 2019, Ngamba and his brother were arrested when they presented themselves at an immigration office.

The siblings were released the next day and Ngamba came out at the age of 18. As a result, she has no desire to return to Cameroon, where it is illegal to be gay.

“Each member of the Refugee Olympic Team has different backgrounds and life experiences, but sport unites us,” she said. “We’re a family and we’re going to go out there and support each other and show the world what we can do.”

Cindy Ngamba, of Cameroonian origin, will be one of the 36 athletes representing the team.

Athletes like Imam Mahdavi had a one in 100 million chance of competing

Weightlifter Mora was once part of the Cuban team and once traveled to Britain as part of a circus group in which he performed as an acrobat.

In 2021, Mora sought asylum in the United Kingdom after participating in a political protest in Cuba.

He said: “I will be very proud to go out wearing the emblem of the Refugee Olympic Team.

“To represent myself, my journey, but also the thousands of people who find themselves in circumstances similar to mine.

“I hope that seeing us leave Paris 2024 will bring hope and inspiration to people around the world.”

Other athletes, like swimmer Alaa Maso and judo star Adnan Khankan, were forced to flee war-torn Syria to pursue their Olympic dreams, while taekwondo star Dina Pouryounes found a home in the Netherlands after fleeing Iran in 2015.

IOC President Thomas Bach says Games welcome team with open arms

The team was founded by the IOC to ensure that all athletes, regardless of their circumstances, have the chance to compete in the Olympic Games.

“We welcome you all with open arms,” IOC President Thomas Bach told Team 2024. “You are an enrichment for our Olympic community and for our societies.

“With your participation in the Olympic Games, you will demonstrate the human potential for resilience and excellence. This will send a message of hope to the more than 100 million displaced people around the world.

“At the same time, you will raise awareness among billions of people around the world about the scale of the refugee crisis.

“Therefore, I encourage everyone, everywhere, to join us in cheering on you, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team.”