For the first time in its eight-year history of independence, Bosnia is sending a genuine multi-ethnic team to the Olympics, a great step forward in the process of reunification of the war-torn country.

The nine-strong team - who will compete in swimming, athletics, rifleshooting and judo - includes for the first time four athletes from the Bosnian Serbrun half of Bosnia, Republika Srpska. Under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) auspices, the representatives of Bosnia's three ethnic communities - Muslim, Croat and Serb - agreed last year to form a common squad for the Sydney. The Olympic team will participate in the Games under the joint flag and with a wordless anthem.