The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) yesterday signed the joint pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees (the Sport Pledge) as it reinforces its commitment to supporting refugees through sport.
The Sport Pledge was announced at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, and brings together sports organisations and other entities committed to creating a better world for refugees.
As a founding partner of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), the QOC has long demonstrated its belief in the role sport can play in inspiring hope and affecting positive change. As a signatory of the Sport Pledge, the QOC commits to: Promote an enabling environment, including policy, that delivers access to safe sport; Promote and provide opportunities for enhanced skills and pathway in and through sport; Use targets communication, evidence, and advocacy; Strengthen partnerships and coordination efforts.
QOC President and ORF Board Member, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani said: “The QOC believes strongly that everyone should have access to safe sport and the countless benefits it brings. Sport can transform lives, unify people and bring hope to communities who need it most. Through its common language, it helps break down social and cultural barriers, creating a more inclusive and tolerant society.
“The QOC is proud of the work we have done in supporting refugees through sport, and by signing the Sport Pledge we are joining organizations around the world in strengthening our commitment to do even more. Not only are we committed to supporting concrete initiatives but also using our platform to advocate for more to be done to answer the needs of the millions of refugees around the world.”
In its role with the ORF, the QOC hosted the Olympic Refugee Team ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, providing the athletes with an elite training camp. The QOC also continues to provide support to the Afghanistan sports community and helps to facilitate dialogue between the IOC and Afghanistan. The outcome of the project Shine, a legacy of Rio 2016, also provided opportunities for underprivileged young athletes from across Rio de Janeiro to train at Qatar’s world-class facilities at the Aspire Academy, with specialised coaching and sports science support.
The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) is the world’s largest international gathering in support of refugees and the communities that host them.
