Athletes, coaches and operational staff flew from all over the world to meet in the historic town of Bayeux in Normandy where they were welcomed by the Mayor of Bayeux outside the town’s famous cathedral.

Having first competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a team of 10 athletes, the Refugee Olympic Team Paris 2024 is the largest to date consisting of 37 athletes living in 15 different countries and competing across 12 different sports. The pre-Games event gave them a chance to unite as a team and bond before heading to the recently opened Olympic Village.

While state-of-the-art training facilities in Bayeux allowed them to continue their individual preparation, the team took time out for a range of team-building activities including a bike ride to the symbolic beach of Arromanches-les-Bains, one of the beaches where the D-Day landings took place. 

“The town of Bayeux has welcomed us with open arms,” said Masomah Ali Zada, Chef de Mission for the Refugee Olympic Team.

“As a team, we are a very diverse group, with many different cultures, languages and stories, but here you can see that we are really a united team and we are all connected”, he continued. 

“We aim to carry this spirit and this togetherness with us to Paris, where we will introduce this unique team to the world at the Opening Ceremony.”