Refugee Team for Paris Olympics has 36 athletes from 11 countries across 12 sports [Video]

LAUSANNE – The Refugee Team for the Paris Olympics will feature 36 athletes from 11 countries in 12 sports.

They were picked from more than 70 scholarships, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said at the team announcement on Thursday.

Instead of competing under the Olympic flag, the refugees have their own emblem featuring a heart at its center, surrounded by arrows symbolizing how lost refugees can find their way back. The team will be known under the acronym EOR from the French name Équipe Olympique des Réfugiés.

“Having our own emblem creates a sense of belonging, and empowers us to also stand for the population of more than 100 million people who share this same experience,” said Masomah Ali Zada of Afghanistan, the team chef de mission who competed in women’s cycling at the Tokyo Games. “I cannot wait to wear it proudly.”

A total of 23 men and 13 women will compete in …