The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which were held in Stockholm, Sweden, in June 1956.
The 1976 Summer Paralympics, branded as Torontolympiad – 1976 Olympiad for the Physically Disabled, was the fifth Paralympic Games to be held. They were hosted by Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from 3 to 11 August 1976, marking the first time a Paralympics was held in the Americas and in Canada. The games began three days after the close of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union from 19 July to 3 August. A total of 5,179 athletes representing 80 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in 203 events in 22 sports. They were the first Games to be staged in a communist nation.
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and its satellite states later boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Gambia sent a delegation to compete at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia from 15 September to 1 October 2000. This was the African nation's fifth time competing at a Summer Olympic Games. The Gambian delegation consisted of two track and field athletes, Pa Mamadou Gai and Adama Njie. Neither advanced beyond the first round heats of their events.
Ghana first participated at the Olympic Games in 1952, when it was known by the colonial name of Gold Coast. The nation has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then, missing the 1956 Games, boycotting the 1976 Games in protest of the participation of New Zealand, and joining the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Ghana participated in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in Vancouver in 2010.
Cameroon first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. The nation withdrew from the 1976 Summer Olympics after three days of competition, to join the broad African boycott in response to the participation of South Africa, who still had sporting links with apartheid South Africa. Cameroon has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games on one occasion, in 2002, with a single representative, Isaac Menyoli.
Algeria first competed at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 Summer Olympics. Algeria has also sent athletes to the Winter Olympic Games on three occasions. The National Olympic Committee for Algeria is the Comité Olympique Algérien, founded in 1963.
Kenya first participated at the Olympic Games in 1956, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 and 1980 Games. Kenya participated in the Winter Olympic Games in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018. Kenyan athletes have won 113 medals in total, all from boxing and track and field events, making them the most successful African committee at the Olympics. In terms of total medals won, the most recent Summer Olympics have been Kenya's most successful, producing 42 medals between them.
The Netherlands first sent athletes to the Olympic Games in 1900, and has participated in almost all Games since then with the exception of 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. The Netherlands boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne as a protest against the Soviet invasion in Hungary just a few weeks before the beginning of the Games.
New Zealand first sent an independent team to the Olympics in 1920. Prior to this, at the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics, New Zealand and Australian athletes competed together in a combined Australasia team. New Zealand has also participated in most Winter Olympic Games since 1952, missing only the 1956 and 1964 Games.
Morocco first participated at the Olympic Games in 1960, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Morocco also boycotted the 1976 Games, withdrawing after having initially sent a delegation. In doing so, Morocco joined the boycott of the Games by most African countries, in protest against New Zealand's participation following an All Blacks rugby match, unrelated to the Olympics, against an apartheid team from South Africa. Only one Moroccan representative had time to compete before his country's withdrawal: Abderahim Najim took part in the Men's Light Flyweight event in boxing, and lost his first and only match.
Zimbabwe participated for the first time at the Olympic Games under its current name in 1980, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. Previously, it competed at the Games under the name Rhodesia in 1928, 1960 and 1964. The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi marked Zimbabwe's first participation at the Winter Olympic Games, with Luke Steyn, the Zimbabwean born athlete participating in alpine skiing.
Uganda first participated at the Olympic Games in 1956, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 Summer Olympics. Uganda has never competed at the Winter Olympic Games.
Malaysia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1956, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when Malaysia participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Malaysia made their debut at the Winter Olympic Games in 2018.
Iraq first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948. Iraqis missed the 1952 and boycotted the 1956 games over opposition to the Suez Crisis. Following this absence, Iraq returned to win a Bronze medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. They participated in the next three games but once again did not appear in the 1972 and 1976 games to boycott apartheid South Africa. In joining the 1976 Boycott, Iraq became only the second non-African state to participate in the boycott. Since 1980, Iraq has appeared in every game despite the Iraq Wars. On April 9, 2003, the National Olympic Committee of Iraq building in Baghdad was damaged in looting and fires from looters. Iraq's Olympic program recovered in time to compete in the Athens Olympics the following year, and the Iraq football team almost won a bronze medal but were defeated by Italy in the bronze medal match. Iraq has never competed at the Winter Olympic Games.
Tanzania first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games except for the boycotted 1976 Games and has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Sudan first participated at the Olympic Games in 1960, and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then. The nation did not attend the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan, boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics along with most African nations, and participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. The nation has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Libya first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then. The nation boycotted the 1976 Games along with most other African nations, and also boycotted the 1984 Games. Libya has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
United Arab Republic (1960, 1964)
