The Olympic Refugee Team is comprised of 29 athletes from 12 sports, with all participants having arrived in the Japanese capital for the delayed Games.

The team has expanded from the 10-member squad which featured on its debut at Rio 2016, with six members poised to make consecutive appearances at the Games.

MacLeod told a pre-Games press conference that the IOC had decided to renew the Olympic Refugee Team for Tokyo 2020 due to the worsening situation, with over 20 million more displaced people since the Games five years ago.

The team has been viewed as an important step in highlighting the refugee crisis, highlighted by the team marching second in the Parade of Nations behind Greece.

While highlighting the crisis, MacLeod said the team also wanted to be a symbol of hope for others.

"They want to represent hope for the 82.5 million displaced people around the world," MacLeod said.

"To put that in context, it is about the size of the population of Germany.

"This team are representing displaced people across the world.

"The ultimate wish is to not have this team.

"If the crisis was resolved we would not have to have this team."

The 29 athletes are due to compete in athletics, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, judo, karate, taekwondo, shooting, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling.

Returning from Rio 2016 are swimmer Yusra Mardini, judoka Popole Misenga and track and field athletes Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, James Nyang Chiengjiek, Paulo Amotun Lokoro and Rose Nathike Lokonyen.

MacLeod said the team has been supported by funding from Olympic Solidarity, including through athlete scholarships, as well as facilities and educational opportunities.

The IOC official praised the support provided by host National Olympic Committees for the team, as well as the Qatar Olympic Committee for staging the team’s welcome camp and Waseda University for providing pre-training opportunities in Japan.

MacLeod reiterated that support for the athletes would continue beyond the Games, as it did following Rio 2016.

"One of the commitments the IOC made was to make sure they continued to support them after the Games," MacLeod said.

"All continued with Olympic scholarships.

"The wonderful thing is that like everyone else, their lives evolved, some moved to different countries.

"Some have had some unbelievable opportunities.

"We commit to continue our support for the athletes, whether they made the team or did not

"We do this through providing sport scholarships or career transitions, including education and coaching opportunities."

The team’s Chef de Mission Tegla Loroupe, the former world marathon record holder, remains in Qatar after her positive test for COVID-19.

MacLeod revealed that Loroupe sent the team a message of good luck prior to the Opening Ceremony and the delegation were looking forward to welcoming her when she can travel to the Games.

The Opening Ceremony is expected to shine a spotlight on the team, while MacLeod thanked broadcasters and Olympic Broadcasting Services for their efforts to tell the athletes’ stories.

MacLeod expressed hope the team and their performances can help to highlight work being done by the Olympic Refuge Foundation.

"This is a Foundation which will change lives," MacLeod said.

"There are some amazing projects being done around the world.

"It is perhaps less glamourous, but it is equally important."

The Olympic Refuge Foundation was launched in 2017, with the aim of helping young displaced people.

Projects have been held in Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Rwanda, Turkey and Uganda.

New programmes are expected to be launched shortly in Colombia and France, with the latter looking towards Paris 2024.