Refugees coming into Austria are being helped by the project ©AOC

Five pilot projects have been launched by the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) in order to help encourage refugees in the country to take up sport.

About 90,000 people, most of whom had fled westwards into Europe from the Middle East, applied for asylum in Austria last year alone, with sport seen as a key way of integrating them with the rest of the country.

Support has been provided by the ÖOC since they received a grant from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the beginning of the year.

Specific pilot projects have now been initiated in Olympic Centres in the five cities of Dornbirn, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz and Salzburg-Rif.

“In the beginning of October the IOC advertised a refugee aid fund with a total allocation of $2 million (£1.3 million/€1.8 million)," said ÖOC President Karl Stoss.

"We were among the first who submitted a specific project.

"The question then was: What would an efficient use of the money look like?

“We want to bring a certain normality and daily routine to the lives of asylum seekers and of recognised refugees thanks to sport.

"To achieve this it is necessary to build up appropriate structures.

"In practical steps, without overwhelming either the refugees or the local people."

Atlanta 1996 Olympic medallist Theresia Kiesl is among those helping coordinate projects to assist refugees ©Getty Images
Atlanta 1996 Olympic medallist Theresia Kiesl is among those helping coordinate projects to assist refugees ©Getty Images

In Dornbirn, almost 200 refugees have enjoyed free trial training in sports including boxing, football, kickboxing, swimming, gymnastics and volleyball, with a special sports festival to be organised to coincide with Olympic Day on June 23.

Existing projects such as running clubs and football training are being focused upon in Innsbruck, along with two swimming courses run in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and the Sports Union.

Gymnastics and judo training is also being organised in conjunction with the University of Innsbruck. 

Atlanta 1996 1500 metres bronze medallist Theresia Kiesl is helping coordinate work in Linz, where two teams of asylum seekers participated in the relay of the city's Marathon in early April.

An Open Day for around 120 asylum seekers and refugees is also due to be held on June 23.

“It was a very special day for me," said 40-year-old Javid Sedighi, who has claimed asylum after travelling from Afghanistan with his wife and two children.

It comes after the IOC also launched a special Refugees Olympic Athletes team to compete at Rio 2016.