They fled from their home countries. Now, they’ll compete in Paris for the Refugee Olympic Team

Associated Press

They compete under the same flag but speak different languages and come from different parts of the world. After fleeing war and persecution, 37 athletes from 11 countries will compete in the Paris Games as part of the Refugee Olympic Team. They take the stage at a time of record global migration, with hundreds of millions working to reinvent themselves as these athletes have. They’ll compete in a host country where the anti-immigration far-right party saw a surge of voter support in parliamentary elections, but was beaten back by a coalition of the French left and failed to win a majority. The refugee athletes will compete in 12 sports. For many, the journey to Paris is already a victory in itself.