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Refugee Olympic Team visit Christ the Redeemer statue

Refugee Olympic Team visit Christ the Redeemer statue

Brazil

Members of the inaugural Olympic refugee team visited the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

The team includes five athletes from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Ethiopia.

All are required to have official refugee status, according to the United Nations.

Members of the #RefugeeOlympicTeam RefugeesOlympic spend a little time together in #RIO! ❤️ #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/tqGOPtf7jB

— Olympics (Olympics) July 30, 2016

The International Olympic Committee introduced the team in June to draw global attention to the plight of refugees.

Historical moment..The five members of RefugeesOlympic (Athletics) enter the Olympic Village. #RefugeeOlympicTeam pic.twitter.com/0i3aa8S6GU

— Refugee Olympic Team (RefugeesOlympic) July 29, 2016

The athletes, six men and four women will compete in the sports of swimming, judo and athletics and march with the Olympic flag just before host Brazil at the opening ceremony August 5.

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