Approximately 5 million of the 17 million people in the Netherlands are registered to one of the 35,000 sports clubs in the country. About two thirds of the population older than 15 years participates in sports weekly.
The Netherlands competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. Dutch athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since its official debut in 1908. Netherlands, however, boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary. The Netherlands National Olympic Committee sent a total of 210 athletes to the Games, 134 men and 76 women, to compete in 21 sports. Baseball, field hockey, and men's volleyball were the only team-based sports in which the Netherlands had its representation at these Games. There was only a single competitor in women's fencing.
Ellen Marijn Hoog is a former Dutch field hockey player, who is regarded as one of the best Dutch hockey players of her generation.
Naomi van As is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as a forward/midfield for a Dutch club MHC Laren.
Johanna "Janneke" Dorotheo Maria Schopman is a former Dutch field hockey player who played as a defender for Dutch club HC Den Bosch and the Netherlands national team. She last served as the head coach of the Indian women's national field hockey team.
Alyson Regina Annan is an Australian field hockey coach and retired field hockey player, who earned a total number of 228 international caps for the Women's National Team, in which she scored 166 goals. Since 2022, she is also the current head coach of the China women's national field hockey team.
Maartje Yvonne Helene Paumen is a former Dutch field hockey player. She is currently assistant coach for Dutch club MOP. She previously played for Dutch clubs Oranje Zwart and HC Den Bosch and Belgian club Royal Antwerp. She also played for the Netherlands national team and she was part of the Dutch squad that became world champions at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup in Madrid and the 2014 Women's Hockey World Cup in The Hague. She also won the 2007 Champions Trophy and the 2011 Champions Trophy. With 195 goals in 235 games, she is the all-time top scorer for the Dutch national team. She is also all-time top scorer in the national Dutch hockey league, the Hoofdklasse.
The Netherlands competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. This was announced in an official statement on the NOC*NSF website. In the statement they named the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games as a highlight in sports to which a lot of sportspeople, coaches and the Dutch sports fans would look forward. The Netherlands aimed for a top 10 nations ranking in the Olympics as well as a top 25 ranking in the Paralympics; they ended up ranking 12th at the Games.
The Netherlands competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. Dutch athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since their official debut in 1908, with the exception of the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, which the Netherlands boycotted because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary. The Netherlands National Olympic Committee sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games since 1988. A total of 175 athletes, 95 men and 80 women, competed in 18 sports.
Twelve national teams competed in the women's Olympic hockey tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Sixteen players were officially enrolled in each squad. Two reserve players could also be nominated to be available should a player enrolled in the official squad become injured during the tournament.
Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel is a Dutch field hockey player.
Kelly Maria Jonker is a Dutch field hockey player.
Caia van Maasakker is a Dutch field hockey player.
Marloes Keetels is a Dutch field hockey player.
The Netherlands competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from 5 to 21 August 2016. Since the nation's official debut in 1900, Dutch athletes had competed at every edition of the Summer Olympic Games in the modern era, with the exception of the sparsely attended 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis and 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, which the Netherlands boycotted because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary.
Maria Verschoor is a Dutch field hockey player. She began playing for HC Hoekschewaard before joining HC Rotterdam. She moved up from junior to senior teams and in 2012 she moved to the Amsterdam Hockey & Bandy Club.
Malou Pheninckx is a Dutch women's field hockey player who currently plays as a midfielder for Netherlands women's national field hockey team. She also pursued her higher education at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the field of medicine.
The Netherlands competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the nation's official debut in 1900, Dutch athletes have competed at every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis and 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, which the Netherlands boycotted because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary.
Freeke Moes is a Dutch field hockey player.
Stella Dianne van Gils is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as a midfielder. She plays for club Pinoké and is part of the Netherlands women's national field hockey team. She made her debut for the national team on 30 May 2021. She was part of the national team at the 2021 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship.
