Refugees to be honoured at Olympics
The International Olympic Committee has made special plans to include refugees at the upcoming Olympic games.
1 min read
The Olympic torch will stop off at a refugee camp in Athens [Getty]
The torch relay for this year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil will include a stop at a refugee camp in Athens, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has revealed.
Bach has also promised to build sporting facilities on the island of Lesbos - hard hit by the refugee crisis.
Bach visited a refugee camp in Athens on Thursday and met potential candidates who could compete for the first time as part of a stateless refugee team at the games in Rio.
Bach said the athletes will attend the opening ceremony, marching behind the Olympic flag before host team Brazil enters last.
Last year, football fans across Europe welcomed refugees with banners in matches. Since, however, the reception that refugees have received has somewhat cooled.
The news comes shortly after Human Rights Watch said in its world report on Wednesday that Western governments were adopting counter-productive policies towards refugees in the name of security.
This week, Denmark passed a controversial law requiring refugees to sell belongings in order to contribute to their upkeep.
Bach has also promised to build sporting facilities on the island of Lesbos - hard hit by the refugee crisis.
Bach visited a refugee camp in Athens on Thursday and met potential candidates who could compete for the first time as part of a stateless refugee team at the games in Rio.
Bach said the athletes will attend the opening ceremony, marching behind the Olympic flag before host team Brazil enters last.
Last year, football fans across Europe welcomed refugees with banners in matches. Since, however, the reception that refugees have received has somewhat cooled.
The news comes shortly after Human Rights Watch said in its world report on Wednesday that Western governments were adopting counter-productive policies towards refugees in the name of security.
This week, Denmark passed a controversial law requiring refugees to sell belongings in order to contribute to their upkeep.
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