Let us start by asking if the world we live in is a fair place? Well, we do not get to choose where we are born, or the privileges we receive. Is that sufficient to answer? Probably not. (More Sports News)
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games is making a historic bid among a long lineage of global sporting games with its one of a kind opening ceremony, and for all the people to see, Palestine made its statement at the ceremony
Let us start by asking if the world we live in is a fair place? Well, we do not get to choose where we are born, or the privileges we receive. Is that sufficient to answer? Probably not. (More Sports News)
However, we get to pick what we love, dream big - be it sport or anything - and also get to control the amount of work we put into nurturing and trying to realise it one fine day.
Well, dreaming is free, sport is for everyone.
And it is even for Palestinians too. Well, Palestine does not have full international recognition and is still a non-member observer state that was granted in November 2012 by the UN General Assembly.
However, the fight lived on, and the result?
Despite the rain, in a four-hour ceremony at the French capital, the Palestinian group who floated down the Seine were seen holding the red, green, and black flags. Many were also seen wrapped in Palestinian outfits - including flag bearers Waseem Abu Sal and Valerie Tarazi.
Abu Sal will take part in one of the biggest sporting events as the first Palestinian Olympic boxer, while the 24-year-old Tarazi, who is originally from Gaza will compete in swimming events.
The delegation for Palestine, recognised as a part of the International Olympic Committee in 1996, who made its debut in 1996 has sent eight competitors to the 2024 Paris Olympics. They will take part in athletics, swimming, judo, taekwondo, boxing and shooting.
The refugee Olympic side for the 2024 Paris Olympic games consists of 37 athletes from 11 countries, participating in 12 sports.
The IOC has also created the team to make sure that everyone has opportunities to compete - even the people who had to crowd out from their home has the privilege to participate at the highest level.
The team will compete under the acronym EOR, named based on Equipe Olympique des Refugies.
Whether people like it or not, it just reminds us that the world we live in is still unfair. But the refugee team also reminds us that we live in a world where anyone can dream of big things, work from day-to-night, clutching onto their dreams, and finally realising it at the biggest stage of them all.