In 2016 at Rio de Janeiro the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed a Refugee Olympic Team to compete. This concept was announced at the United Nations General Assembly in October 2015 by IOC President Thomas Bach. Eventually 10 athletes competed, with the athletes originally from Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
For Tokyo 2020/21 the IOC has provided scholarships to 55 refugee athletes from 13 nations, representing 12 sports. The name was changed for Tokyo to Équipe Olympique des Réfugies (EOR), after the IOC realized the original acronym, ROT, had a rather poor connotation. At Tokyo the team will march in second position at the Opening Ceremony, after the Greek team, and will be represented by the Olympic Flag and Olympic Anthem.
