From exile to medal: psychosocial wellbeing, belonging, and global solidarity in the Refugee Olympic Team through an ACTM perspective

BackgroundThis study examines the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) within the broader context of the modern Olympic Games and the global refugee crisis. While the initiative is frequently framed as a symbol of hope and global solidarity, its broader psychosocial and institutional implications remain underexplored.MethodsUsing an interpretivist qualitative research design, the study conducted qualitative document analysis and thematic analysis of 26 institutional documents, United Nations reports, and international media sources published between 2009 and 2025. The analysis was guided by the Athletic Career Transition Model (ACTM).ResultsThe findings show that the ROT provides meaningful symbolic recognition and transition resources by fostering visibility, belonging, hope, and resilience among displaced athletes. However, the analysis also reveals that institutional and media representations frequently construct refugee athletes as exceptional “model migrants,” thereby reinforcing selective inclusion, conditional acceptance, and pressure to perform as idealised symbols of refugee success.ConclusionThe study highlights the dual character of the Refugee Olympic Team as both a supportive transition space aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16 and a politically mediated initiative shaped by institutional narratives, structural constraints, and asymmetrical power relations. By integrating ACTM with critical sport-for-development perspectives, this article contributes to scholarship on sport, forced migration, and psychosocial well-being while offering a more explicit psychological interpretation of refugee athletes’ adjustment, coping, and career transition experiences.