From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The People's Republic of
China (PRC) first competed at the Olympic
Games in 1952, at the
Summer
Games in Helsinki,
although they only arrived in time to participate in one event.[1]
That year, the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) allowed both the PRC and the Republic of
China (which recently relocated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War) to compete,
although the latter withdrew in protest.[1]
Due to the dispute over the political status of China, the PRC did
not participate in the Olympics again until the 1980
Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.[1]
Their first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games after 1952
was the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[2]
The Chinese Olympic Committee in
its current form was recognized in 1979.[1]
Before the Chinese Civil War, athletes competed
as the Republic of China (ROC) at the
Olympics. The ROC continued to compete from 1952 to 1976 (Winter),
but only representing athletes from the island of Taiwan (although the football team members of
ROC in the 1960 Olympic Games were overwhelmingly Hong Kongers).
The dispute over use of the name China resulted in the PRC
boycotting the Games completely during these years. In 1979, the International Olympic
Committee passed a resolution for the ROC team to be designated
Chinese
Taipei, and this opened the door for the PRC to finally
join the Olympic movement.[1]
Hong Kong has had a distinct
National Olympic Committee
since 1950 and has competed at the Games since 1952.[3]
After the territory was returned to the PRC and the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region was created in 1997, this
arrangement has continued, with Hong Kong competing independently
from the rest of the nation under the name
Hong Kong, China.[3]
History
The People's Republic of China
(PRC) sent a delegation to the Olympic Games for the first time at the
1952
Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. The Chinese delegation (including
athletes and officials) consisted of 38 men and 2 women,[4]
including the men's
football team, the men's basketball
team, and one swimmer. Only the swimmer arrived in time to take
part in the official competition, and the football team played two
friendly matches.[5] The
Chinese stayed 10 days in Helsinki and participated in the closing
ceremony.
The Republic of China's (ROC) team
withdrew from the Games on July 17 in response to the IOC's decision to allow
both PRC and ROC sportsmen and women to compete.[6] This
marked the beginning of the "two Chinas" conflict in the Olympic
Movement, which resulted in the Chinese Olympic Committee's
withdrawal from the IOC in August 1958. The issue was resolved in
November 1979, and the People's Republic of China participated in
the 1980 Winter Olympics—their first
appearance since the 1952 Games.[4]
The first gold medal to be awarded at the 1984
Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
was also the first-ever gold medal to be won by an athlete from
China (both ROC and PRC) when Xu Haifeng won the 50 m Pistol event. It
was called "a break through zero" - an event that brought great joy
to the whole Chinese nation.[7] Li Ning won also 6 medals in gymnastics, 3 gold, 2
silver, and 1 bronze, earning him the nickname "Prince of Gymnasts"
in China.[8] In it's
first full participation at the Summer Olympic Games, China earned
15 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze medals and placed fourth in medal
standing.
Medal
tables
Medals by
Summer Games
Medals by
Winter Games
Medals by
summer sport
Medals by
winter sport
Milestones
Summer
Games
Winter
Games
Flagbearer
Summer
Games
Winter
Games
See also
References
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Nations that have competed
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