The Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), is a non-governmental organization founded in September 2017 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and based in Lausanne,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. The primary stated goals of the foundation are to support the protection, development and thriving of displaced young people through sport, worldwide. In March 2016, the IOC President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the

Refugee Olympic Team The Refugee Olympic Team is a group made up of independent Olympic participants who are refugees. In March 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team, as a s ...

, as "a symbol of hope for all refugees in the world" to "make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis". The Refugee Olympic Team competed for the first time at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

, under the Olympic Flag. In September 2017 the IOC launched the Olympic Refuge Foundation to continue the support to refugees in the long-term. The Foundation aims to provide access to safe sport for one million young people affected by displacement by 2024. On 25 May 2022, the Olympic Refuge Foundation and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team were awarded with the 2022 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports.

References

{{Authority control International Olympic Committee Organizations established in 2017 Non-profit organisations based in Switzerland Sports foundations