refugee team at the Paralympics.All the years I dedicated to sports did not go in vain, said Al Hussein, who lost part of his right leg in a bombing in h

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Of the nearly 4,000 athletes competing in the Rio Paralympics, all but two are doing so for their country.Syrian swimmer Ibrahim Al Hussein and Iranian-born discus thrower Shahrad Nasajpour make up the first refugee team at the Paralympics.All the years I dedicated to sports did not go in vain, said Al Hussein, who lost part of his right leg in a bombing in his Syrian hometown.I think we were trying to show that the values that the (Paralympics) holds is to provide opportunities regardless of the circumstances of individuals with impairments, said chef de mission Tony Sainsbury, regarding the creation of the refugee team. Those opportunities exist for them provided that they can demonstrate that they are of the right standard of potential.Sainsbury said athletes must meet three criteria to be considered. They need to be officially recognized as a refugee, who had sought and was granted asylum. They needed to return from Brazil to the nations where they sought asylum, and they had to prove a credible performance, he said.Mohamad Alabed, who lived in the same area as Al Hussein, fled Syria and now resides in the Netherlands. He said while he doesnt know Al Hussein personally, everyone knows of the heroic Syrian swimmer.While neither refugee competitor medaled, Al Hussein hopes to leave behind a different type of legacy at the Paralympic Games. He says he feels having represented the refugees of the world and having the word `refugee circulated throughout the world is the most important thing I could have done.I am a refugee, that was out of my hands, he said. I was injured, that was out of my hands, I am an athlete, this is my choice.---Shannon Ryan is a journalism student at Penn State University. Penn State and Georgia are partnering with The Associated Press to supplement coverage of the 2016 Paralympics. Yeezy Boost 700 Acheter .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Pas Cher Yeezy Boost 750 .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.siteyeezypascher.fr/basket-yeezy-pas-cher-chine/yeezy-boost-350-outlet.html .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Acheter Yeezy Pas Cher . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Pas Cher Yeezy Boost 700 Noir .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons have addressed a sudden depth problem at linebacker by signing free agent A.J. Hawk, who spent his first nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers.The Falcons placed linebacker Sean Weatherspoon on injured reserve. Weatherspoon ruptured his right Achilles tendon in a 48-33 win Sunday over Carolina.The 32-year-old Hawk had 24 tackles with Cincinnati in 2015, his only season with the Bengals.Atlanta rookie starting outside linebacker DeVondre Campbell missed the Carolina game with an ankle injury while backup Pauul Worrilow was held out with a groin injury.dddddddddddd Rookie starter Deion Jones left the game with a calf injury.Former starter Paul Worrilow also was held out against Carolina with a groin injury.The Falcons also released linebacker OBrien Schofield, waived linebacker Davis Tull off the practice squad and signed punter Michael Palardy to the practice squad.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '