THE TEGLA LOROUPE SPORTS TRAINING CENTER: Ngong, Kenya

As the foundation worked over the years in refugee camps in Kenya to promote peace through sports, many talented athletes were found in the camps, but had no options to further their athletic careers. Camp restrictions limited their ability to train.

TLPF created a Sports Training Centre in 2004 for warriors from tribes that raided each other for cattle. The Warrior Training Centre gave them a pathway from raiding to sport competition, and a transition to peaceful occupations as farmers, livestock ranchers, teachers, and trainers.

Tegla Loroupe decided to extend her training program to accept residents of refugee camps, to provide a path for those who were without a country to participate in the Olympics.

Ambassador Tegla Loroupe spoke with Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee, about the possibility of creating a refugee team, as a joint initiative with the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, the UNHCR Agency.

This led to the establishment of a training centre for refugee athletes in Ngong (in the outskirts of Nairobi). Five of the refugee athletes from South Sudan quaified for the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio, and subsequently in Tokyo.

The Tokyo Olympics were delayed for a year by the pandemic, so training continued.