Ethiopia first competed in the Summer Olympics at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia. With the exceptions of 1976, 1984, and 1988, the nation has competed in every Summer Olympics since then. Ethiopia made their debut at the Winter Olympic Games four years prior, at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Like the Turin Olympics, cross-country skier Robel Teklemariam was the only athlete Ethiopia sent to the Vancouver Olympics. Teklemariam had finished 84th in the Turin Olympics. He was born in Ethiopia, but took up skiing while living in Lake Placid, New York, United States; before returning to Ethiopia and being a part of establishing the Ethiopian Ski Association. Teklemariam was chosen as the flag bearer for both the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.