By Sean Gregory

After fleeing to Egypt, Marial — a longshot to win the gold medal, but a possible top-2o finisher — was granted refugee status in the U.S. and moved to Concord, New Hampshire in 2001. He earned a scholarship to Iowa State University, and became an All-American his junior year, in 2009.  The president of Refugees International lobbied for Marial, and a day before the IOC made its decision to allow Marial to compete as an independent athlete, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen wrote the IOC a letter. “Given Mr. Marial’s story, his running under the flag of Sudan would be simply wrong,” Shaheen wrote. “I believe there is only one solution to the challenges facing his participation at the 2012 London games: Mr. Marial should be permitted by the International Olympic Committee to participate as an Independent Participant, competing under the great Olympic flag.”

Read the full article.