The Olympic Flame for Rio, will pass through the Open Reception Centre for Refugees in Eleonas, Athens and a refugee will symbolically carry the Flame as a Torchbearer.
The President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach revealed the information, having accepted with great enthusiasm the proposal of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and President Spyros Capralos, for the Greek leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, which will start immediately after the Lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame on April 21, for the Rio Olympic Games.
“I am particularly grateful to the Hellenic Olympic Committee and President Spyros Capralos for a highly symbolical initiative. The Lighting of the Olympic Flame will take place in Ancient Olympia, at the end of April and traditionally the first leg of the Torch Relay follows in Greece. The HOC has taken the initiative to have the Flame pass through the Open Reception Centre for Refugees, so that all the refugees can see it. In addition, a refugee will carry the Flame as a Torchbearer, totally in line with the policy followed by the IOC with the refugees in the Olympic Games. Having no national team to belong to, having no flag to march behind, having no national anthem to be played, these refugee athletes will be welcomed to the Olympic Games with the Olympic flag and with the Olympic anthem.
They will parade behind the Olympic flag, they will be accepted in the Olympic village together will all the other countries and they will be hosted there. This way, we wish to attract the whole world’s attention to those refugees” Thomas Bach said during his visit at the Open Reception Centre for Refugees in Eleonas.
Apart from the HOC President, President Bach was also accompanied by Jacques Rogge IOC Honorary President and Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport appointed by United Nations Secretary-General, Philippe Leclerc Acting Representative of UNHCR Greece, Giannis Mouzalas Alternate Minister of Immigration Policy, Spyros Capralos HOC President, Giorgos Kaminis Mayor of Athens and Spyros Galinos Mayor of Lesvos.
Apart from the issue of the refugees’ participation in the Torch Relay, the HOC, following the program of the International Olympic Committee to embrace the drama of these people, will build a stadium at Lesbos Hot Spot.
Regarding these initiatives as well as the courts built by the Hellenic Olympic Committee at the Open Reception Center in Eleonas providing sport equipment, the IOC President, Thomas Bach said:
“We are here today to show our support and appreciation for everything Greece has done in a difficult time for the whole world. We are also here to express solidarity to the refugees who suffer and this is an emotional visit for all of us.
The sporting facilities that you see here today built by the HOC, is an example of IOC’s actions. With these facilities we seek to make refugees feel the joy of life, to eliminate aggression and strengthen their faith for the future. For this reason, I want to express my personal thanks to the HOC President, Spyros Capralos for the excellent cooperation we have and the result of this will be to build a sporting facility at the Lesvos “hotspot”.
The HOC President, Spyros Capralos, highlighted that the HOC will continue to express solidarity to the refugees. “Greece enters the Olympic Stadium first during the Opening Ceremony, therefore, the HOC wants to be the first to show solidarity to the refugees. This is why we contributed to this Open Reception Center providing sport equipment as President Bach mentioned. This is only the beginning as we will continue to do much more in order to show support”.
The Olympic Movement dignitaries, after having expressed their sympathy to refugees, they had the opportunity to speak with them, learn about the difficulties they went through, listen to their concerns and visited their little houses. President Thomas Bach took the opportunity to play football with them at the football pitch built by the HOC with the financial assistance of the IOC.