Under the International Olympic Committee flag, the first ever Olympic refugee team was the penultimate one to participate in the Rio Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, just before host Brazil. Led by UN Goodwill ambassador for sport Tegla Loroupe, the team consists of five runners from South Sudan, two swimmers from Syria, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of Congo and a marathon runner from Ethiopia.

The refugees have "no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem," as International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said when unveiling the team.

The 10 refugee athletes represent a symbol of hope for all refugees and have brought attention to the magnitude of the refugee crisis. Their history-making participation in the Rio Olympics, as one refugee Olympian said, is not about winning gold but to "show the world that even as a refugee, you can do whatever you want given a chance".

"These refugee athletes will show the world that despite the unimaginable tragedies that they faced, anyone can contribute to society through their talent, skills and strength of the human spirit," Bach said.