Two Syrian refugee brothers have met on the sidelines of the Tokyo Olympics, with one representing the refugee team and the other representing the official Syrian team.
According to details, Alaa Maso, from the Refugee Olympic Team, was photographed hugging his brother Mohamed Maso as they both prepared to compete in the international tournament that opened on Friday.
Both brothers are originally from the city of Aleppo and now live in Germany. Their father was a swimming coach, a sport which Alaa took up, while Mohamed took up the triathlon.
According to his profile on the International Olympic Committee website, Alaa left Syria in 2015 after his training facilities were damaged during the fighting that first engulfed the country in 2011. He resettled in Germany and took up swimming again.
During the competition, he is swimming alongside another Syrian refugee swimmer, Yusra Mardini, who he has known since childhood.
Mohamed also left for Europe in 2015 after the war began to threaten his safety, writing on his website that “even after days of walking and being tired arriving at a refugee center, he would put on his running shoes and run”.
Netizens are praising the two brothers hugging at the ceremony on social media.
