Kosovo at the Olympics

Last updated
Kosovo at the
Olympics
Flag of Kosovo.svg
IOC code KOS
NOC Olympic Committee of Kosovo
Website www.noc-kosovo.org  (in Albanian, English, and Serbian)
Medals
Ranked 84th
Gold
3
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
3
Summer appearances
Winter appearances
Other related appearances
Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia (1920–1992W)
Olympic flag.svg  Independent Olympic Participants (1992S)
Flag of Serbia and Montenegro.svg  Serbia and Montenegro (1996–2006)
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia (2008–2012)

Kosovo made its Olympic debut as a member state in 2016. [1] Its team is organized by the Olympic Committee of Kosovo (OCK), created in 1992 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee on 9 December 2014. [1] It won its first medal in its debut appearance in 2016, when judoka Majlinda Kelmendi took gold in the women's -52 kg category. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Nora Gjakova won gold in the women's judo -57 kg class, and Distria Krasniqi won gold in the women's judo -48 kg class.

Contents

History

In past Olympic Games, athletes born in what is now Kosovo participated as part of the Yugoslavian team. In the 1960 Summer Olympics, three football players born in Kosovo (Milutin Šoškić, Fahrudin Jusufi, and Vladimir Durković) won gold as part of the Yugoslavia national team. [2] The first individual athlete from Kosovo who competed for Yugoslavia at the Olympics was boxer Mehmet Bogujevci in the 1980 Summer Olympics men's welterweight category, reaching the quarterfinals. [3] In the 1984 Summer Olympics, boxer Aziz Salihu became the first individual athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic medal, a bronze in the super heavyweight class. [4] In the following 1988 Summer Olympics, Salihu became the first Kosovan individual athlete to participate for a third time, again in boxing. [5] The world-renowned judo coach of Kosovo is Driton Kuka. [6] The bronze medalist at the European Championship in 1990 and the World Cup in Hungary in 1991 was to participate for FR Yugoslavia in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, but Kosovo pulled out its competitors because of the repression of ethnic Albanians by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. [7] Kosovo Albanian Luan Krasniqi won a bronze medal representing Germany in heavyweight boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. [8] [9] In the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney Taip Ramadani became the first Kosovan Team athlete to represent Australia in Handball. [10] Another Boxer with Kosovan descent would take place, with Naim Terbunja representing Sweden at the 2008 Summer Olympics. [11] Fatmire Alushi, who was born in Kosovo, in Istog won a bronze medal while playing on the German women's football team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. [12] Kosovo Albanian Kosovare Asllani won silver medals twice in Football at the Summer Olympics, first at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, representing the Sweden women's national football team. She achieved this feat again in the women's tournament in Tokyo. [13]

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Olympic Committee of Kosovo (OCK) was established 1992. [14] However, only Kosovo Serb athletes participated as part of the Olympic teams of Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovan Parliament declared independence from Serbia. World junior champion in judo, Majlinda Kelmendi, qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics. She wanted to compete under the flag of Kosovo, but OCK was not recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the time. Also, the IOC turned down Kelmendi's request to compete as an independent athlete. Kelmendi chose instead to represent Albania. [15] In which she couldn't win the first ever medal for Albania as she lost in the Round of Sixteen of this tournament. [16]

In April 2013, the Brussels Agreement was concluded between the Serbian and Kosovan governments. Kosovo was recognised as a provisional member of the IOC on 22 October 2014, before becoming a full member on 9 December 2014. [17] At that time, Kosovo was not a member or observer state of the United Nations, but it had gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign state by 97 out of 193 UN member states. Kelmendi, who had gone on to become World and European judo champion in 2013 and 2014, carried Kosovo's flag during the Parade of Nations in the opening ceremonies in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. [18]

Serbia protested Kosovo's admission to the IOC, as it officially claims that Kosovo is an autonomous province of Serbia. However, Serbia, considering the harmful effects of Yugoslavia's expulsion in 1992, decided against boycotting the 2016 Summer Olympics as a consequence. [19]

Kosovo competed for the first time as a recognized Olympic nation at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In total eight athletes competed in various sports for Kosovo. Kosovo won one gold medal by Kelmendi in the women's -52kg class, the first Olympic medal for Kosovo in its history. [20] As Kosovo finished their debut in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the 54th place. [21]

The Olympic Committee of Kosovo made its Winter Olympic debut at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. Albin Tahiri was the flag-bearer at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. [22]

Kosovo competed in the Tokyo Games in 2021, with five male and six female competitors. Majlinda Kelmendi and Akil Gjakova were the flag-bearers in the Parade of Nations.

Kosovo won two gold medals in the 2020 Summer Olympics, both in judo. Distria Krasniqi won the first gold medal for Kosovo in women's -48kg event. [23] Nora Gjakova won the second gold medal for Kosovo in the women's -57kg event, [24] the third gold medal overall for Kosovo at the Olympic Games. [25] They won their two medals after three days of this competition, ranking them 7th on the Olympic Medal table, that particular day. [26] [27] Kosovo finished the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokio in the 42nd place. Their highest finish so far, as a nation. [28]

Kosovo competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing. Its Olympic team consisted of two athletes, one male and one female. Albin Tahiri competed in four alpine ski events. Kiana Kryeziu became the first woman in the history of Kosovo to compete at the Winter Olympics, in the women's slalom. [29] Albin Tahiri achieved the best result for Kosovo at the Winter Olympics in the men's combined event with a 15th-place finish. [30] His second best finish came in the men's giant slalom where he finished 30th. [31]

Participation

Timeline of participation

DateTeam
1912 as part of Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg  Austria State Flag of Serbia (1882-1918).svg  Serbia  (SRB)
1920–1936 Flag of Yugoslavia (1918-1943).svg Kingdom of Yugoslavia (YUG)
1948– 1988 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg SFR Yugoslavia (YUG)
1992 W Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia  (CRO)Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia  (SLO) Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg SFR Yugoslavia (YUG)
1992 S Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina  (BIH)Olympic flag.svg  Independent Olympic Participants  (IOP)
1994 ban on participation by the UN
1996–2006 Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia  (MKD) Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006).svg FR Yugoslavia (YUG)/
Flag of Serbia and Montenegro.svg  Serbia and Montenegro  (SCG)
2008–2014 Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia  (SRB)Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro  (MNE)
2016–Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia  (SRB)Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo  (KOS)

Medal tables

Medals by sport

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Judo pictogram.svg Judo 3003
Totals (1 entries)3003

List of medalists

MedalNameGamesSportEvent
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Majlinda Kelmendi 2016 Rio de Janeiro Judo pictogram.svg Judo Women's 52 kg
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Distria Krasniqi 2020 Tokyo Judo pictogram.svg Judo Women's 48 kg
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Nora Gjakova 2020 Tokyo Judo pictogram.svg Judo Women's 57 kg

List of total medal winners from Kosovo in its history

No.NameSportYear
Under Yugoslavia
1-3 Fahrudin Jusufi
Vladimir Durković
Milutin Šoškić 		Football 1960
4 Aziz Salihu Boxing 1984
Independent Kosovo
5 Majlinda Kelmendi Judo 2016
6 Distria Krasniqi Judo 2020
7 Nora Gjakova Judo 2020

Olympic participants

Summer Olympics

Sport 2016 2020 Athletes
Athletics 213
Boxing 11
Cycling 11
Judo 257
Shooting 112
Swimming 224
Wrestling 11

Winter Olympics

Sport 2018 2022 Athletes
Alpine Skiing 123

Flagbearers

See also

Related Research Articles

Sport in Albania revolves mostly around team sports, such as football, basketball, volleyball and handball. Other sports includes boxing, weightlifting, tennis, swimming, judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, rugby, cricket, and chess. Football in particular has seen a rapid transformation, with the Albania national football team making its debut at the 1964 UEFA European Football Championship. The national football team also qualified for the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. Many Albanian athletes have also achieved significant success and have won European and Mediterranean titles in numerous sports during the years, such as wrestling, football, athletics and weightlifting. Albanian athletes have won a total 49 medals for Albania in 8 different Mediterranean sports. Albania has had some success in others sport such as volleyball and basketball as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Albania first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. They missed the next four games, three of them for political reasons due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, 1984 Summer Olympics boycott and 1988 boycotts, but returned for the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics. They have appeared in all games since then. They made their Winter Olympic Games debut in 2006. Albania normally competes in events that include swimming, athletics, weightlifting, shooting, and wrestling. The country has not yet won any Olympic medal. Along with Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta and Monaco, Albania is one of five current European participants that have never won an Olympic medal. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic Committee of Kosovo</span> National Olympic Committee

The Olympic Committee of Kosovo is the National Olympic Committee representing Kosovo. Officially established in 1992, the OCK became a full member of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement on 9 December 2014. It is responsible for Kosovo's participation at the Olympic Games.

Kosovo was a part of several international sports federations in the 1990s, and has applied to become a member of many more after its 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan–Kosovo relations</span> Bilateral relations

Japan–Kosovo relations are foreign relations between Japan and Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and Japan recognized it on March 18, 2008. According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on February 25, 2009.

Sport in Kosovo is a tradition and plays a prominent role. Popular sports in Kosovo include football, basketball, volleyball, handball, and rugby, whereas major individual sports include wrestling, judo, swimming, boxing, karate and skiing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Majlinda Kelmendi</span> Kosovo-Albanian judoka

Majlinda Kelmendi is a Kosovan-Albanian former judoka and judo coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Albania competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's seventh appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1972. The National Olympic Committee of Albania sent a total of 11 athletes to the Games, seven men and four women, to compete in four sports. Weightlifter Hysen Pulaku was officially removed from the team on the first day, after failing a drug test for the banned anabolic steroid substance, as announced by the International Olympic Committee. Albania, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serbia at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Serbia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. It was the nation's fourth appearance at the Summer Olympics as an independent country. The Olympic Committee of Serbia confirmed a roster of 103 athletes, 58 men and 45 women, to compete across 14 sports at the Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Kosovo at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

Kosovo participated at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 5 to 21 August 2016. It was represented by the Olympic Committee of Kosovo (KOK/OKK) with a delegation of eight people, including three men and five women. Most of them were awarded places in their respective sporting events through wild card entries and Tripartite Commission invitations. Two Kosovar athletes, on the other hand, qualified directly for the Olympics on merit: judoka Nora Gjakova and Majlinda Kelmendi, the lone returning Olympian on the team after representing Albania four years earlier in London. The world's top-ranked judoka in her weight category and the frontrunner for the country's first Olympic medal, Kelmendi was selected to become Kosovo's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.

Nora Gjakova is a Kosovar judoka. She received a gold medal after winning the women's 57 kg judo competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. In August 2021, she was awarded the Honor of the Nation Decoration of Albania by the President of Albania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the Mediterranean Games</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distria Krasniqi</span> Kosovan judoka (born 1995)

Distria Krasniqi is a Kosovar judoka. She received a gold medal in the women's 48-kg judo competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In August 2021, she was awarded the Honor of the Nation Decoration of Albania by the President of Albania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Kosovo at the games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo

Kosovo (KOS) competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, represented by the Olympic Committee of Kosovo (KOK/OKK). The nation had previously participated in the Summer Olympic Games on one occasion in 2016. A total of 11 athletes, five men and six women, were selected by the national committee to compete in six sports. Initially scheduled to take place during the summer of 2020, the games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021 in relation to the pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Kosovo and Russia do not have official relations due to Russia's support for Serbia in the Kosovo issue. However, the relationship between the two nations has been relatively cold, although relations have been warming in recent years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo at the Mediterranean Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Kosovo first appeared at the quadrennial Mediterranean Games event in 2018. Kosovo had declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The Olympic committee of Kosovo has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee six years later in December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2030 Mediterranean Games</span> 2030 edition of the Mediterranean Games

The 2030 Mediterranean Games, officially known as the XXI Mediterranean Games, and commonly known as Prishtina 2030, is a forthcoming international multi-sport event that is scheduled to be held from 24 July to 4 August 2030 in Pristina, Kosovo.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kosovo granted full IOC recognition; can send own team to Olympics in Rio de Janeiro". The Republic. 9 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Olympic Football Tournament Rome 1960 - Matches". 2019-01-10. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Boxing at the 1980 Moskva Summer Games: Men's Welterweight | Olympics at Sports-Reference.com". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ↑ https://noc-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/revista_olimpi_nr_7.pdf
  5. ↑ "AZIZI I RËNDË - Telegrafi". 6 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kosovo's Driton Kuka wins judo IJF coaching achievement award".
  7. ↑ Knezevic, Gordana (3 August 2016). "Kosovo Will Realize Its Olympic Dreams in Rio". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  8. ↑ "Unrecognized states at the Olympics". 4 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Round 13 - Interview: Luan Krasniqi, Cisse Salif and Raphael Zumbano". 11 November 2008. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  10. ↑ https://noc-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/revista_olimpi_nr_7.pdf
  11. ↑ "Russia's Matvey Korobov (R) celebrates after defeating Sweden's Naim Terbunja in their Middleweight (75 kg) Round of 32 boxing match at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 9, 2008. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won (CHINA Stock Photo - Alamy)".
  12. ↑ "FIFA".
  13. ↑ aswell.https://reporteri.net/sport/kosovare-asllani-fiton-medaljen-e-argjendte-olimpike/
  14. ↑ "IOC grants provisional recognition to Kosovo Olympic Committee". olympic.org. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  15. ↑ "London 2012: Judoka's Kosovo Olympic bid turned down". BBC Sport. 25 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "Kosovo's Olympic dream ends". 29 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "127th IOC Session comes to close in Monaco". olympic.org. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Majlinda Kelmendi carries the flag of Kosovo at Rio 2016". 100Judo.com. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  19. ↑ Grohmann, Karolos (9 December 2014). "Kosovo earns Olympic recognition, Serbia furious". Reuters.
  20. ↑ "Kosovo's First Ever Olympic Medalist on her 'Great Moment'".
  21. ↑ ""Rio 2016" publikon tabelën e fundit, ku gjendet Kosova?".
  22. ↑ "These are the six countries making their debut in the Winter Olympics". 6 February 2018.
  23. ↑ "Distria Krasniqi writes another fairytale for Kosovo".
  24. ↑ "Osmani: Në këtë dite zie për popullin tonë, Nora Gjakova i solli dritë Kosovës". 26 July 2021.
  25. ↑ https://www.noc-kosovo.org/repository/docs/olimp_10.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  26. ↑ "Kosova e shtata në botë në renditjen e medaljeve të fituara në Lojërat Olimpike "Tokio 2020"". 26 July 2021.
  27. ↑ "Kosova e shtata në botë për medaljet e fituara në Lojërat Olimpike "Tokio 2020"". 26 July 2021.
  28. ↑ "Përfundojnë Lojërat Olimpike "Tokyo 2020", Kosova e 42-ta". 8 August 2021.
  29. ↑ "Olympic dreams come true for Kosovo skier Kiana Kryeziu". AP News. 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  30. ↑ "Albin Tahiri i 15-ti, arrin rezultatin më të mirë në histori të Kosovës në Lojërat Olimpike Dimërore".
  31. ↑ "Albin Tahiri: Jam i lumtur që hyra sërish në top 30".
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