The ISSF World Shooting Championships are governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation. World Shooting Championships began in 1897, after the successful 1896 Summer Olympics, and although the ISSF was not founded until 1907, these early competitions are still seen by the organization as the beginning of a continuous row of championships. By this logic, the 2006 competition in Zagreb was called the 49th ISSF World Shooting Championships. These championships, including all ISSF shooting events, are held every four years since 1954. For the shotgun events only, there is an additional World Championship competition in odd-numbered years. These extra competitions are not numbered. In running target, there will be World Championships in Olympic years.
Denmark competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden. 31 competitors, 27 men and 4 women, took part in 25 events in 10 sports.
Romania competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden. 44 competitors, 33 men and 11 women, took part in 35 events in 10 sports.
Venezuela competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia, and in the equestrian events held in Stockholm, Sweden. 22 competitors, all men, were selected by the Comité Olímpico Venezolano to take part in 16 events in 5 sports. This was the first and one of the only three times a Venezuelan equestrian representation were sent to a Summer Olympic Games. Venezuela will not send any other equestrian team until 1988 Summer Olympics. Also these games were the second time of a total of four that Venezuelan women will not compete in any events at the Summer Olympics.
The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. 25 competitors, 24 men and 1 woman, took part in 10 events in 4 sports.
Canada competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden. 92 competitors, 77 men and 15 women, took part in 81 events in 14 sports.
Master Chief Petty Officer Sanjeev Rajput is an Arjuna Awardee Indian shooter from Yamuna Nagar, Haryana. He was a retired Junior Commissioned Officer in Indian Navy.
Sweden competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations. Instead, those events were held five months earlier in Stockholm, Sweden.
Germany was represented at the 1956 Summer Olympics by a United Team of Germany of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and, for the first time at Summer Games, also from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) which had not joined in 1952. Also, the Saarland athletes who had to enter as a separate team in 1952 could now join in even though the accession of their state was not yet in effect. Thus, this was the only Olympic team ever to comprise athletes from three German states.
Norway competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden. 22 competitors, 19 men and 3 women, took part in 18 events in 6 sports.
Finland competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden. 64 competitors, 63 men and 1 woman, took part in 62 events in 14 sports.
The men's 50 metre rifle, prone was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event. The competition was held on 23 June 1924 at the shooting ranges at Reims. 66 shooters from 19 nations competed.
Iosif Sârbu was a Romanian sports shooter and Romania’s first ever Olympic champion. He competed in six 50 m rifle events in total at the 1952, 1956 and 1960 Olympics and won a gold medal in the 50 m rifle prone in 1952, setting a world record. He served as the flag bearer for Romania at the 1956 Olympics.
Rolf Martin Anker Hagen was a Norwegian sport shooter who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Participating in two events, he finished 13th in a field of 44 shooters in the 50 metre rifle prone competition and 30th among 44 shooters in the 50 metre rifle three positions competition. A native of Oslo, he also attended the 1954 ISSF World Shooting Championships, where he brought home four medals from the team tournament: silver in the 50 metre free rifle prone and standing 40 shots events and bronze in the 50 metre free rifle kneeling 40 shots and 50 metre rifle three positions events.
The men's 50 metre rifle, prone was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1948 Summer Olympics programme. It was the sixth appearance of the event. The competition was held on 3 August 1948 at the shooting ranges at London. 71 shooters from 26 nations competed.
The men's 50 metre rifle, prone was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1952 Summer Olympics programme. It was the seventh appearance of the event. The competition was held on 29 July 1952 at the shooting ranges in Helsinki. 58 shooters from 32 nations competed.
The men's 300 m rifle three positions was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1956 Summer Olympics programme. It was the eighth appearance of the event at an Olympic Games. The competition was held on 1 December 1956, with 20 shooters from 14 nations competing. Nations had been limited to two shooters each since the 1952 Games. The event was won by Vasily Borisov of the Soviet Union, the nation's second consecutive victory in two appearances. The Soviets finished 1–2, with Allan Erdman taking silver. Vilho Ylönen of Finland earned the bronze.
The Men's 50 metre rifle three positions event was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1956 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event. The competition was held on 4 December 1956 at the shooting ranges in Melbourne. 44 shooters from 27 nations competed.
The men's 50 metre rifle, prone was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1964 Summer Olympics programme. It was the tenth appearance of the event. The competition was held on 16 October 1964 at the shooting ranges in Tokyo. 73 shooters from 43 nations competed.
The men's 50 metre rifle, prone was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1984 Summer Olympics programme. The competition was held on July 30, 1984 at the shooting ranges in Los Angeles. 71 shooters from 46 nations competed.
