Alongside the debut of the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, a team of refugee para-athletes first competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics as Independent Paralympic Athletes.

Zakia Khudadadi became the first person to win an Olympic medal for the Refugee Paralympic Team, winning a bronze medal in the women's –47 kg para taekwondo event at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

[1] The team was announced on August 5, 2016, by the International Paralympic Committee.

[2] Participants were nominated for the team by National Paralympic Committees who were aware of qualified sportspeople.

The International Paralympic Committee stepped in to assist with getting athletes ready by doing a number of things, including insuring that athletes were classified.