Athletes have competed as independent Olympians at the Olympic Games for various reasons, including political transition, international sanctions, suspensions of National Olympic Committees, and compassion. Independent athletes have come from North Macedonia, East Timor, South Sudan and Curaçao following geopolitical changes in the years before the Olympics, from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a result of international sanctions, from India and Kuwait due to the suspensions of their National Olympic Committees, and from Russia for mass violations of anti-doping rules.
Cross-country skiing at the 2014 Winter Olympics was held at the Laura Biathlon & Ski Complex near Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. The twelve events took place between 8–23 February 2014.
Luge at the 2014 Winter Olympics was held at the Sliding Center Sanki near Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. The four events were scheduled for 8–13 February 2014.
Serbia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. A team of eight athletes in five sports was selected, representing a decrease of two athletes from Vancouver. Serbia has also qualified in snowboarding for the first time ever.
Slovakia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team consisted of 63 athletes in 9 sports.
Austria competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team was composed of 132 athletes in 14 sports, consisting of 90 men and 42 women. The 132 athletes is 27 more than the country's previous largest Winter Olympics team.
Latvia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The Latvian team consisted of 58 athletes in nine sports. These were the third consecutive games the country qualified to send 58 athletes.
Japan competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. Japan's team consisted of 136 athletes in all 15 sports.
Poland competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The Polish team consisted of 59 athletes in 11 sports, which was the largest ever Polish team, surpassing the 56 athletes that competed in 1972. With 4 gold medals won, this was the most successful Winter Olympics for Poland in its history.
Belarus competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. Belarus' team consisted of 26 athletes, competing in five sports.
Bulgaria competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The Bulgarian team consisted of 18 athletes in 6 sports. The team will also consist of 21 officials.
Estonia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. On 24 January 2014, 25 athletes were officially named to the Estonian Olympic team.
Romania competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. A team of 24 athletes in seven sports was announced on 24 January 2014, representing a decline of five athletes from four years prior. The best results were two 17th places in bobsleigh.
Kazakhstan competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. Kazakhstan's team consisted of 52 athletes competing in 11 sports, an increase of 14 athletes from four years prior.
Brazil competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. With 13 athletes qualified, Brazil sent its largest ever team to the Winter Olympics, surpassing the ten it qualified for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. The 13 athletes also represent the third largest team from the Americas and the biggest of non-snowing countries.
Ireland competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. Five competitors in four sports made up the Ireland team. All five members of the team are members of the Irish diaspora, who were born or live and train elsewhere.
Three athletes from India qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia held between 7 and 23 February 2014. They initially entered the competition as Independent Olympic Participants due to the ongoing suspension of India's national olympic committee (NOC), the Indian Olympic Association since 2012. However, on 11 February 2014, the IOC reinstated India's NOC, allowing two athletes with pending events to represent India at the 2014 Winter Olympics instead.Shiva Keshavan, participating in Luge, was thus the only independent athlete at 2014 Winter Olympics.
Nadeem Iqbal is a cross-country skier from India. He competed for India at the 2014 Winter Olympics in the 15 kilometre classical race. Iqbal also became the first athlete from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify for the Winter Olympics. Iqbal finished the race in 85th position nearly 17 minutes behind the winner Dario Cologna of Switzerland.
Olympic athletes from Russia (OAR) was the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) designation of select Russian athletes permitted to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The designation was instigated following the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee after the Russian doping scandal. This was the second time that Russian athletes had participated under the neutral Olympic flag, the first being in the Unified Team of 1992.
Independent Olympic Participants (2014)