The International Olympics Committee announced that a team of 29 refugee athletes is going to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. During the virtual ceremony, Thomas Bach, President of the Olympic Committee, unveiled this news, further adding that he is eager to watch them contend.

A Message of Resilience, Solidarity, and Hope

Bach, in the announcement, said that the coming together of the National Olympic Committees from around the world and IOC Refugee Team would magnify the essence of hope, harmony, and strength to the world. He also added that the refugee team forms a fundamental part of the community and is welcomed “with open arms.”

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the IOC Refugee Team symbolizes “Hopes and Aspirations” for over 80 million refugees in the world. Grandi, also Vice Chairman at Olympic Refuge Foundation, further added that thw refuge team is an extraordinary group that has the power to motivate the world. The fact that they can excel at sports after facing adverse conditions fills him with pride.

The Refugee Team of the Tokyo Olympics

On 23 July, the team will compete under the Olympic flag in the second position after Greece and play in 12 different sports.

Among the athletes is Kimia Alizadeh, the first Iranian woman to ever win an Olympic medal in 2016. She won a Bronze medal in Taekwando. Alizadeh played for Iran during the Rio Olympics and was granted refugee status in Germany when she fled her home country.

Of the 10 athletes, who played on the 2016 commencing refugee team, six will compete again at the Tokyo Olympics. Some of these players include James Nyang Chiengjiek the runner and Yusra Mardini the swimmer. The refugees competing in the Olympics belong from 11 countries: Congo, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela, South Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, and Cameroon. Out of 56 refuge athletes, 29 athletes were picked and granted scholarships to prepare for the Olympics.

Several colleges and universities are indulging their student-athletes in programs to help them make money from the image they have created by playing sports. This is change is a result of the recent reversal of the ban that was imposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on taking on advertisement deals and endorsements. The Supreme Court in the USA had ruled it unlawful, just last month. The lawmaker in the State, however, approved this practice subsequently. Penn State said that they will help students get sponsorship deals with big brands or local businesses and have also partnered with two companies to make that happen. Student-athletes from that university ought to be excited.

Opportunities Everywhere

Brokerage firms for advertising are all set to make the most of this opportunity. Keystone State will also be joining the 12 other states in the country that will now allow students to pursue endorsement deals. The Chief Compliance Officer of NOCAP Sports Casey Floyd was on a show titled Smart Talk on WITF where he said that many people were ignorant about the law that disallowed students from taking on endorsement deals and working with brands like Nike or even local businesses. He further added that now that this law is reversed, college athletes can make money in different ways and take full advantage of this opportunity to sponsor themselves.

University Helps Out

The University of Pennsylvania has also incorporated a third party in order to enable students to win endorsement deals. The aim is to ensure that their students are only part of deals that are ethical. The Interim Director of Athletics and Recreation at Penn Rudy Fuller said that their college had some bright and talented young athletes who can now capitalize on their image and name.

Temple University Goes a Step Further

This University plans to prepare and launch a program that will educate their college athletes on how to go about signing endorsements and get the best deals.