Soviet Union at the Olympics

The Soviet Union sent athletes to the Olympic Games for the first time in 1952. They sent teams to the Games 18 simes since then. At six of the nine times at the Summer Olympic Games, the team was ranked first in the medal standings. It was ranked second at the other three Games. The team was ranked first seven times and second twice in nine times they sent teams to the Winter Olympic Games.

The Olympic Committee of the USSR was created on April 21, 1951. It was accepted by the IOC on May 7, 1951. 

The 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki was first Olympic Games for Soviet athletes. On July 20, 1952, the first Olympic gold medal for the country was won by Nina Romashkova in the women's discus throw. Romashkova set the new Olympic record in the event. The 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo were the first Winter Olympic Games for Soviet athletes. The first Winter Olympic gold medal for the Soviet Union was won by Lyubov Kozyreva in women's cross-country skiing 10 km event. 

The USSR was the host nation for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. These Games were boycotted by the United States and many other countries. The USSR then led a boycott of the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

The USSR ended on December 26, 1991. The Olympic Committee of the USSR did not end until March 12, 1992.

In 1992, 12 of the 15 countries that had been part of the Soviet Union took part in the Games as the Unified Team. They used the Olympic Flag in the Barcelona Games. The Unified Team finished first in the medal rankings. The Unified Team also competed at the Albertville Winter Games earlier in the year. Only seven of the twelve countries took part. They finished second in the medal rankings at those Games.

 Medal tables 
 Medals by Summer Games 
GamesAthletesTotal number, number of women is in brackets.GoldSilverBronzeTotal1952 Helsinki295 (40)223019711956 Melbourne283 (39) 372932981960 Rome284 (50) 4329311031964 Tokyo319 (63) 303135961968 Mexico City313 (67) 293230911972 Munich373 (71) 502722991976 Montreal 4941351251980 Moscow (host nation) 8069461951984 Los Angelesdid not compete1988 Seoul 553146132 Total  395  319  296  1010

 Medals by Winter Games 
GamesAthletesGoldSilverBronzeTotal1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo55 (7) 736161960 Squaw Valley62 (13) 759211964 Innsbruck69 (17) 1186251968 Grenoble74 (21) 553131972 Sapporo78 (20) 853161976 Innsbruck 1368271980 Lake Placid 1066221984 Sarajevo 6109251988 Calgary 119929 Total  78  57  59  194 

 Medals by summer sport 
Gymnastics736744184Athletics655575195Wrestling623123116Weightlifting3921262Canoeing2913951Fencing18151649Shooting17151749Boxing14191851Swimming13212660Rowing12201042Cycling114823Volleyball74112Equestrian65415Judo551323Modern pentathlon45514Sailing45312Basketball44412Handball4116Diving34613Water polo2237Football2035Archery1337Field hockey0022 Total  395  319  296  1010

 Medals by winter sport 
 Cross-country skiing  25  22  21  68 Speed skating  24  17  19  60 Figure skating  10  9  5  24 Biathlon  9  5  5  19 Ice hockey  7  1  1  9 Luge  1  2  3  6 Bobsleigh  1  0  2  3 Ski jumping  1  0  0  1 Nordic combined  0  1  2  3 Alpine skiing  0  0  1  1 Total  78  57  59  194

Related pages
 List of IOC country codes

Unified Team at the Olympics
Russia at the Olympics

References

 Other websites 



 Russian Federation profile at London2012.com 

Category:Former nations at the Olympics
Olympics