Syria’s Olympic athletes have faced incredible challenges preparing for the international competition during wartime, yet the obstacles have had a positive effect on their morale and psychological well-being, at least according to one prominent sports official.

The hardships of the war and the risks the athletes have taken just to access training facilities have increased their determination and commitment to Olympic achievement, according to Muwaffaq Jomaa, the president of the General Sports Federation of Syria (GSFS).

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Jomaa noted the seven members of Syria’s Olympic team will compete in five events: track and field, swimming, weightlifting, judo and table tennis. In addition, 11 athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in September.

Two young swimmers who fled Syria will be participating as part of the Refugee Olympic Team. Syria’s five-year-long civil war has had a huge impact on many countries in the Middle East, as Syrian refugees fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and European Union countries, making it a global issue. The crisis has not only led to external and internal displacement of millions of people and physical devastation of the country, but also has weakened Syrian arts and culture as well as the Syrian Olympic movement.