How the Refugee Olympic Team is changing lives and re-shaping narratives

The Olympics.com podcast, hosted by Nick McCarville, highlights the Olympic Refugee Team's journey and impact, featuring interviews with Jojo Ferris, director of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, and athletes Masoma Alizada and Cyril Shashi. The episode discusses the team's origins, its role in offering hope and unity for over 100 million refugees, and the significance of World Refugee Day. Masoma and Cyril share their inspiring stories of overcoming adversity and how being part of the refugee team has transformed their lives. The podcast also touches on the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics and the foundation's ongoing efforts to support displaced athletes.

• The second Olympic qualifier series stop is taking place from June 20 to 23 in Budapest, Hungary.
• June 23 marks Olympic Day, celebrating the games, Olympians, and the power of sport.

"It's a special week here in the Olympic world with the second Olympic qualifier series stop. Taking place June 20 to 23rd in Budapest, Hungary, with the host of Paris 2024 quota spots up for grabs."

• Olympic Day highlights the significance of the games and the impact of sport on global unity and personal development.

"June 23 also marks Olympic Day, a day to celebrate the games, Olympians themselves, and the power of sport to help us all move, learn, and discover together."

• June 20 marks World Refugee Day, focusing on individuals forced to flee their homes.
• The Refugee Olympic Team was launched in 2015 to represent displaced athletes.

"June 20 marks World Refugee Day. And today we have an episode centering around those people who have been forced to flee their homes."

• Jojo Ferris, director of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, discusses the team's role in providing hope to over 100 million refugees globally.

"Jojo Ferris is the director of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, which helps to support the refugee team. And she's going to join us today on the pod to discuss how the team serves as a beacon of hope for the over 100 million refugees across the globe today."

• The Refugee Olympic Team debuted at Rio 2016 and has grown significantly, supported by the Refugee Athlete Scholarship Program funded by Olympic Solidarity.

"Having made its debut with a ten member strong team at Rio 2016, the refugee team and its surrounding programs have grown infinitely over the last eight years, with a majority of the athletes on the team supported by the refugee athlete scholarship program, which is managed by the foundation and funded by Olympic Solidarity."

• Evelyn Wada discusses her coverage of the Refugee Olympic Team and her conversation with Masoma Ali Zadan and Cyril Shashi.

"You had a really unique conversation just in the last few days with a couple members of the refugee Olympic team, including Masoma Ali Zadan, who is the chef Dimichon. I think you can kind of help us understand that a little bit more. And also a member of the Tokyo 2020 refugee team. Surreal chasse. How was that chat?"

• Masoma Ali Zadan, a road cyclist, represented the Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo 2020.
• She discovered cycling while living as a refugee in Iran and faced challenges cycling in Afghanistan due to cultural taboos against women cycling.

"Looking at Masoma, she came to prominence as a road cyclist and represented the Ise refugee Olympic team in the Tokyo 2020 team trial event. She discovered cycling while living as a refugee in Iran, you know, and then after her family moved back home to Afghanistan due to the return of the Taliban, she couldn't be able to cycle freely because back in her country, women's cycling was considered a taboo."

• Masoma aims to normalize women's cycling in Afghanistan and inspire women to cycle without fear.

"When I saw the situation, my objective became to normalize cycling for the women in Afghanistan. That as I always when I rode bike in Afghanistan, I had fear. But I wanted that one day women could do a sport without fear. And cycling be normal for women in Afghanistan? As a transport, as a sport, it's totally normal."

• Evelyn relates to Masoma's story, sharing her own experience of being discouraged from cycling in Kenya due to cultural beliefs.

"Speaking to Masoma reminded me of my own childhood. I never rode a bike as a girl because we were discouraged from cycling. And I'm not from Afghanistan, I'm from Kenya. It was believed that it affects women health. So that's something that I related to."

• Cyril Shashi, a refugee turned Olympian, moved to the UK in 2014 and experienced homelessness.
• He competed at the Tokyo Games and will be in Paris as a welfare officer for the refugee team, offering emotional and motivational support.

"He too, like Masoma, is a refugee turned olympian. He moved to the UK in 2014 and ended up being street homeless. He competed at the Tokyo Games held in 2021, but will be in Paris not as an athlete, but as a welfare officer for the refugee team, drawing on his vast experience as a mental health nurse for the NHS in England, so he will offer the athletes the much needed emotional and motivational support during the games."

• Cyril's integration into the community was facilitated by his involvement in weightlifting, highlighting the power of sport in connecting people.

"Just to put that in context, I came to Birmingham, I was housed in a hostel in Birmingham because I was a weightlifter and I had my training equipment with me. I started looking around weightlifting clubs around my accommodation. I remember walking to the University of Birmingham Weightlifting Club and met some people doing weightlifting there. And, you know, it quickly, you know, we started talking as if we knew each other, which kind of shows how sport can be strong in, you know, spot is very strong in connecting people."

• Sport helped Cyril integrate quickly and form lasting friendships, demonstrating its role in social cohesion.

"I think because I was a weightlifter, my integration was quite speedy, was quite quick. I was able to mix with these weightlifters not just in the club, but also out of the club. We used to go out with this. I used to go out with these friends because they're my friends today. I used to go out with them, and they will show me how you live life in England."

• Cyril recounts his experience of living on the streets for 60 days.
• He describes the realization of his dire situation upon arriving in Brighton.
• Cyril discusses the emotional and mental toll, including thoughts of suicide.
• He eventually seeks asylum and finds safety.

"I think I came to the realization that I am in trouble. You know, when I was on that coach, that going down to Brighton, on that bus, going down to Brighton, I didn't really think of what would happen, you know, but when I got there after the first night, I was like. It was like, oops, what have I gotten myself into, you know?"

• Cyril describes the moment he realized the severity of his situation.

"I found myself on the street, Brighton, feeding on biscuits as I used to go to this supermarket just to get some cheap biscuits, which is what I fed on. And I had to, you know, find yourself even, you know, begging for money just to capture and fit yourself."

• Details the struggles of finding food and basic necessities.

"I eventually came to a point where I became quite hopeless, which was the kind of the. My worst point where I actually thought about committing suicide. But luckily I was quickly rescued from that point and that's where I seek asylum and was taken to safety."

• Recounts the lowest point and the eventual rescue that led to seeking asylum.

• Masoma discusses experiencing discrimination in Iran and Afghanistan.
• She reflects on how her ethnic identity affected her opportunities.
• Joining the refugee Olympic team helped her feel a sense of unity and acceptance.

"When I first went to Iran, we suffer a lot of discrimination because of our difference, because of our nation. And then I, when I was child and I didn't know that we are all different. We are from different countries, we are different because of our face or our type of eyes."

• Masoma describes early experiences of discrimination based on nationality and appearance.

"When I integrate the refugee Olympic team, I saw that we are one team with different nationality, with different differences, but we are made a team and we represent one team and one flag and one message, one objective."

• Reflects on the unifying experience of being part of the refugee Olympic team.

"I think that refugee Olympic team could be a good example for other countries or other person who think that they are superior than others. And they could be a good example to show that all we all are ego, we have the same right, we have to respect each other and we can live with respecting our differences in peace."

• Emphasizes the message of equality and respect promoted by the refugee Olympic team.

• Cyril speaks about the importance of the refugee Olympic team in providing a sense of belonging.
• The team helped him achieve his dream of competing in the Olympics.
• He highlights the challenges refugees face in competing internationally.

"Being part of the refugee Olympic team makes me feel accepted. I think it was. It helped me achieve my dream of competing at the Olympics."

• Expresses the personal significance of being part of the team.

"It showed me that everything is possible because being a refugee athlete it was very difficult to compete internationally."

• Highlights the difficulties refugee athletes face in international competition.

"I saw, you know, mixing with some of my colleagues from different countries, different parts of the world, different sports, different races. You know, I felt, you know, I felt. I felt part of that big family, and it just showed that being hopeful is very important, because this is what keeps us going."

• Describes the sense of family and hope fostered by the team.

• Masoma discusses the significance of representing over 130 million refugees.
• She emphasizes the responsibility of being a role model and sending a message of hope.
• She calls for better access to sports, education, and opportunities for refugees.

"When they announced me and they proposed me to be chef du museum, I was shocked, because in our team, we have most. Most of the member and every member in this team, they have a unique journey, exceptional."

• Expresses surprise and honor at being chosen as a leader for the team.

"We represent more than 114 million people around the world who were forced to lead their country, and they need to represent them. They need to send them the message of hope and to show them that if we could continue with all the challenges that we had in our journey, but we didn't give up. We continue, and we arrive up to Olympic Games."

• Highlights the importance of representing and inspiring other refugees.

"We hope that refugee Olympic team could help to talk about the challenge of the refugee and to find the solution. And most important, that the war finished in all countries, and we could alive all together in peace in a Pacific world, because all the human rights have right to life in peace and to have equal rights and access to the sport, to do education and others like."

• Calls for global peace and equal rights for refugees.

• Cyril reflects on the unique honor of representing the refugee Olympic team.
• Emphasizes that being a refugee is not a choice, but representing the team is a privilege.
• Discusses the broader implications of refugee representation in various fields.

"Everyone can represent a country if they're good enough, but not everyone can represent the refugee Olympic team. So this is a privilege. This is an honor."

• Quotes his coach to highlight the unique honor of representing the refugee team.

"Not saying that being a refugee is a good thing, but this is something we find ourselves in, and we have to make it turn it into a positive to. Being a refugee is a very, very difficult experience. We don't choose to be refugees, but it is an honor and a privilege to represent a refugee team."

• Emphasizes the difficulty of the refugee experience and the honor of representation.

"It means that refugees can compete. Refugees can study. Refugees can be nurses, doctors. It also means that refugees can also be administrators. They can also be support staff, and they can also support teams to achieve great things."

• Discusses the broader implications and opportunities for refugees in various fields.

• Masoma emphasizes the challenges refugees face and encourages them to use opportunities in host countries.
• Encourages refugees to pursue education and sports to achieve their dreams.
• Stresses the importance of integration and communication with others in new societies.
• Advises refugees to be hopeful and not to be too hard on themselves.

"My message for all refugees, especially for the girls who would like to achieve their dreams, and mostly for the refugees, because I know as a refugee how much is difficult to start our life from scratch."

• Masoma acknowledges the difficulties refugees face when starting anew and aims to inspire them to pursue their dreams despite these challenges.

"So I encourage them to use the opportunity that they have in their host country to educate, to do higher education or to do sport, and to try to work hard for achieving their dreams."

• Masoma motivates refugees to leverage opportunities in their host countries for education and sports to fulfill their aspirations.

"For the refugees who don't have access to these facilities, I hope that they will have the same rights and facilities as other people in the world, and they could achieve their dreams, but they have to keep hoping."

• Masoma expresses hope that all refugees will eventually have access to the same opportunities and encourages them to remain hopeful.

"For the most of the refugee who are in new country, they don't want to communicate with others. So for integration, it's really important to communicate with the others, to share your experience with the others, and to take help from others."

• Masoma highlights the importance of communication and sharing experiences for successful integration into new societies.

• The Refugee Olympic Team was initiated by IOC president Thomas Bach in 2015.
• The team symbolizes unity, inclusion, non-discrimination, and the right to sport.
• The first team competed in Rio 2016 with ten athletes, and the third team will compete in Paris.
• The Olympic Refuge Foundation, established in 2017, has been pivotal in supporting displaced youth through sport.

"Jojo, almost ten years ago, since that UN announcement ahead of the Rio 2016 Games, what do you see the impact of the refugee Olympic team?"

• The question sets the stage for discussing the impact and evolution of the Refugee Olympic Team since its inception.

"It signifies a real, not just the passion, but also for the Olympic movement. If you think about what the team symbolizes, it symbolizes unity, inclusion, non-discrimination, the right to sport."

• The Refugee Olympic Team embodies core Olympic ideals and values.

"The IOC had been partnering with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, for more than 20 years, so was well aware of the role of sport and the possibilities that sport could provide for refugees and displaced people."

• The IOC's long-standing partnership with UNHCR highlights its commitment to supporting refugees through sport.

"The Olympic Refuge Foundation in 2017, which really now, since then, has been shaping this movement to ensure that young people affected by displacement around the world are thriving through sport, not just at elite, but community level."

• The foundation has been instrumental in promoting the well-being of displaced youth through sport at all levels.

• The Refugee Olympic Team's presence at the Rio 2016 opening ceremony was a significant and moving moment.
• The team helps change the public and media rhetoric about refugees, showcasing their positive contributions.
• The numbers of displaced people continue to rise, with 120 million people currently forced to flee their homes.
• The foundation has launched 16 programs across five continents, involving over 140 organizations.

"I think it really imprinted that image of the refugee Olympic team walking into Marikana Stadium really, really impacted a lot of people."

• The team's entry at the Rio 2016 opening ceremony left a lasting impression and highlighted the plight of refugees.

"We have an opportunity during the Olympic Games to really change that rhetoric. You know, change the way the public, and oftentimes the media are portraying refugees rather than showing the positive contribution they make to our community and societies."

• The Olympic Games provide a platform to shift the narrative about refugees from negative to positive.

"UNHCR released their global Trends report, which, unfortunately, as I said, numbers continue to increase. So 120 million people have been forced to flee their homes. That's one in every 69 people on the earth."

• The alarming increase in the number of displaced people underscores the ongoing global crisis.

"We've have more than 140 organisations. We've pulled together into a coalition to really get behind the role of sport to support refugees and displaced people."

• The foundation's coalition of organizations demonstrates a collective effort to support refugees through sport.

• The foundation runs programs in areas affected by climate displacement, like northern Kurogram in Bangladesh.
• Focuses on providing sports opportunities to girls in regions with high rates of early marriage.
• Engages local communities and partners to create sustainable sports programs for refugees.

"I was in Bangladesh not so long ago and in the northern Kurogram, which is an area very flood prone. It's the first time we've worked and focused on climate displacement there."

• The foundation is addressing climate displacement through sports programs in vulnerable regions.

"In this particular area, more than 70% of girls are married early and there's very limited access to sport they're able to have."

• The foundation is working to provide sports opportunities to girls in regions with high rates of early marriage, aiming to empower them through sport.

"We've have more than 140 organisations. We've pulled together into a coalition to really get behind the role of sport to support refugees and displaced people."

• The foundation's coalition of organizations demonstrates a collective effort to support refugees through sport.

• Traditional games and sports are used to engage participants from the moment they enter the room.
• The curriculum is adjusted to focus on these activities, which are familiar and accessible.
• These games can create a sense of community and connection among participants, even if they didn't know each other beforehand.

"They couldn't tell me the last time they'd been engaged in sport or physical activity, but just being able to engage in a game that they'd known since childhood, I guess some, you might remember it as blind man's bluff type game, you know, before long, with shrieks of laughter and having a terrific time sort of trying to catch each other."

• This quote highlights how familiar games can quickly re-engage individuals in physical activity and create joy.

"These girls didn't know each other before they'd come into this session. So to walk out of that and feel that they had a community, they had a connection with people and they were continuing to engage with that for, you know, many, many months ahead."

• This demonstrates the power of traditional games in fostering long-term community connections and support.

• Access to sports programs is crucial for displaced individuals to find a sense of belonging and community.
• These programs offer opportunities to meet people, learn the language, and find work or volunteer opportunities.
• The creation of safe spaces where people can play and engage in sports is essential for their integration and well-being.

"Imagine pulling the door of your home closed behind you. You're not knowing when you're going to return. You're not actually knowing where you're going. You're leaving friends, family behind, everything familiar, and you're on a pretty perilous, frightening journey, and you arrive somewhere."

• This quote sets the context of the challenges faced by displaced individuals and the importance of finding support systems.

"When we started the program in France, the Tiranda veneer program, we really saw that people on the move were quite quickly finding their way to sports clubs. And this was an opportunity for them to meet people, to connect, to learn the language, in some cases, find other opportunities to volunteer and or to work."

• This highlights the role of sports programs in helping displaced individuals integrate into new communities.

• The Refugee Olympic Team in Paris is the largest and most competitive team to date.
• There is hope for the team to win its first Olympic medal and for the athletes to perform at their best.
• The commitment to supporting refugee athletes extends to LA 2028 through the IOC's Agenda 2025.
• There is a vision of a future where a refugee Olympic team is no longer needed due to improved global conditions.

"I hope when the closing ceremony happens on the 11 August, we have a team that has the first Olympic medal for the refugee Olympic team."

• This expresses the aspiration for the Refugee Olympic Team to achieve a significant milestone.

"We've got the commitment through to LA 2028 because the agenda 2025, which is the IOC's roadmap, which actually dedicates one of the 15 recommendations to supporting refugees and displaced people through sport."

• This quote underscores the long-term commitment to supporting refugee athletes.

• The "Dare to Dream" film follows the journeys of five athletes towards the Tokyo Olympic Games.
• Directed by Wada Kotab, a refugee herself, the film is inspirational and educational.
• The film showcases the athletes' stories and their support for one another, creating a powerful narrative of resilience and teamwork.

"It's directed by a filmmaker who, she was nominated for an Oscar for her first film for summer. She's a refugee herself as well, Wada Kotab, and she directed this following the journeys of five athletes towards the Tokyo Olympic Games."

• This highlights the background of the filmmaker and the focus of the film.

"They didn't necessarily know each other's stories until they saw them put all together on screen and quite naturally just supported one another without any rehearsal, without any. Just organically lifted each other up, gave an opportunity for each other to speak."

• This quote illustrates the organic support and connection formed among the athletes featured in the film.

• The podcast concludes by encouraging listeners to visit olympics.com for more information on the Olympic Refuge Foundation and the "Dare to Dream" film.
• Listeners are also encouraged to download the Paris 2024 official app for more news and coverage.

"Now to find out more of these incredible projects that Jojo is explaining to us today, go to olympics.com. search for the Olympic Refuge foundation. There's also a button at the top of our homepage that you can easily click."

• This call to action directs listeners to additional resources and information.

"You can also download the Paris 2024 official app where you can find more news, the Olympic schedule itself, insights into the Olympic torch relay and wall to wall video coverage, including our fantastic new series on female skateboarders, changing the game and the world."

• This promotes the Paris 2024 app as a comprehensive source for Olympic updates and features.