Two hundred and seven. That’s the number of countries competing in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.
Team USA always ends up in the top three for medal count. We always have one the largest delegations. The United States always ends up being a powerhouse team. We have athletes like Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Mary Lou Retton and Apolo Anton Ohno.
But what about the lesser known teams who compete in Olympic games? Who are they? What makes them special? We can easily answer these questions for teams like China, Russia and Australia. But doesn’t every team deserve to have these questions answered? The lesser known teams are made up of competing athletes, too.
1. Independent Olympic Athletes
Meet the athletes who willingly agreed to carry the Olympic flag if it meant getting the chance of a lifetime to compete in the games. Nine athletes make up this team. Each of these athletes hails from Kuwait, a country banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to governmental interference. But just because the government gets in the way doesn’t mean you should have to sacrifice a spot in the Olympics, right? If you qualify, it’s only fair that somehow you go. Enter the complicated mix of politics and the IOC. But in spite of the complications, nine athletes agreed to bear the Olympic flag and compete Independent Olympic Athletes, a team created to give athletes a chance regardless of the political climate in their native lands. During these 2016 Rio games, Fehaid Al-Deehani won gold.
2. Refugee Olympic Team
Odds are if you’ve paid even somewhat attention to the media, you are aware of the Global Refugee Crisis. The civil war in Syria is causing people to flee elsewhere. Not just Syria, but also Turkey, South Sudan, Ethiopia and more. The living conditions are so bad in these places that people want to leave and live where they can have a chance at enjoying life. Sadly, too many refugees perish while trying to escape. But those who successfully relocate should be allowed to participate in the Olympic games if they qualify. Because of this, the IOC created the Refugee Olympic Team in efforts to try and unite the world. Carrying the Olympic flag, these athletes are also independent participants. While this team might not be on the medal board as of now, they’re still an Olympic team.
3. Syrian Arab Republic
A hotly debated topic, Syria is competing in the Olympics. Syria has a long history of sending athletes to Olympic games. What would make Rio 2016 any different? These seven athletes were able to proudly bear their country’s flag, even in the midst of a civil war and widespread terrorist groups taking over. At the end of the day, these people are just that — people. In the midst of turmoil and crisis, they were able to make their dreams come true. While not on the medal board, for a country so battered, these athletes deserve to be proud of how far they’ve come.
Most other countries and territories have sent athletes just like in any other Olympiad, but these three lesser known or debated teams deserve just as much of a shot at the gold as the US, China, Russia or Azerbaijan. Each team has talent, spirit and hope — three things nobody can take away from them.
