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Independent / Individual Olympic Participants
What about athletes not belonging to a country, or from a country not yet an official member of the IOC? In recent years, there have been several examples of athletes competing independent of a country. In 1992 a team competed under the banner 'Independent Olympic Participants'. In 2000, East Timorese athletes competed as 'Individual Olympic Athletes', and in 2012 athletes from South Sudan and the former Netherlands Antilles competed as 'Independent Olympic Athletes'.
1992 Barcelona
During the 1992 Summer Olympics, athletes from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia competed as Independent Olympic Participants. Macedonian athletes could not appear under their own flag because their NOC had not been formed, while The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) was under United Nations sanctions. The athletes were not permitted to compete in team sports such as basketball, handball, or water polo, and the Olympic flag was used in medal ceremonies. Three athletes won medals in 1992 as Independent Olympic Participants, all in shooting. There were 58 competitors (39 men and 19 women), competing in 54 events in 13 sports.
2000 Sydney
Four athletes from East Timor competed as Individual Olympic Athletes at the 2000 Summer Olympics. These athletes competed under the Olympic flag. The best result was by weightlifter Martinho de Araujo, who placed 20th in the men's weightlifting.
2012 London
Athletes from the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles, which was disolved In 2011, are able to compete in 2012 as Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) under the Olympic flag. Also an athlete from the newly formed country of South Sudan was able to compete as an Independent Athlete. The Independent Athletes in 2012 from Antilles are: Reginald De Windt (Judo), Liemarvin Bonevacia (400m), and Philipine van Aanholt (Sailing), and from South Sudan Guor Marial (Marathon).
Related Pages
- list of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
