Geneva, 14 December 2023 - The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) signed the Joint Sport Pledge on Inclusion and Protection of Refugees ("the Sport Pledge"), on the sidelines of the Global Refugee Forum 2023 in Geneva.
On this occasion, HE President of the QOC and Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) Board Member Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani said that the QOC strongly believes 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, His Excellency said.
The QOC is proud of the work it has done to support refugees through sport, and by signing the Sport Pledge, it joins organizations around the world in strengthening commitment to do more, His Excellency said, stressing commitments not only to providing tangible initiatives, but also to using all QOC's platforms to urge further efforts that meet the needs of 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. It also continues to provide support to the Afghanistan sports community and helps to facilitate dialogue between the International Olympic Committee and Afghanistan.
