Refugee Team to Take Part in Tokyo 2020 Olympics: IOC

Refugees will be able to take part in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it would form a refugee team for the second consecutive summer Games.

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IOC President Thomas Bach asked members of the Olympic body at its session in Buenos Aires whether they supported the creation of a refugee team, along the lines of the one that competed at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. The members responded with applause.

"So you have created the refugee Olympic team, Tokyo 2020," Bach said.

The IOC unveiled its first team of refugees in 2016 in an effort to raise awareness of the issue and it was one of the feel-good stories of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics that year.

The 10-member team from Syria, Congo, Ethiopia and South Sudan hogged the spotlight after marching as the penultimate team before the host nation Brazil in the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic stadium. The athletes took part in athletics, swimming and judo.