Serbia and Montenegro at the Olympics

The former state union of Serbia and Montenegro was represented at the Olympic Games on seven occasions between 1992 and 2006, when the union was dissolved and Montenegro and Serbia each declared full independence.

History

Yugoslavia had been represented at every Summer Olympic Games from 1920–1988, and all but two Winter Olympic Games between 1924–1988. Because of the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 and 1992, Olympic participation changed. Newly-independent Croatia and Slovenia sent their own delegations to the 1992 Winter Olympics, with Yugoslavia represented by athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. [cite web |title=Yugoslavia - 1992 |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/z1601e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-13] These would be the last Games for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was established in April 1992, consisting of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro. However, United Nations Security Council resolution 757 (adopted May 30, 1992) [cite web |title=United Nations Security Council Resolution 757 (Implementing Trade Embargo on Yugoslavia) |url=http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/peace/docs/scres757.html |publisher=University of Minnesota Human Rights Center |accessdate=2008-08-18] called upon states to: quote|Take the necessary steps to prevent the participation in sporting events on their territory of persons or groups representing the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro);|Paragraph 8(b)Despite this, the International Olympic Committee decided unanimously that athletes from Serbia and Montenegro (and Macedonia) could compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The conditions imposed were that the athletes would compete as Independent Olympic Participants (IOP), wear white clothing without distinctive signs, and use the Olympic Anthem and Olympic flag in victory ceremonies. [cite journal |title=Decisions of the 99th Session |journal=Olympic Review |issue=299 |month=September |year=1992 |pages=pp. 415–416 |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1992/ore299/ORE299j.pdf |accessdate=2008-08-14] The athletes could not participate at the opening and closing ceremonies of the games.A team of 52 athletes competed in individual events, with three medals won in shooting. The restriction for individual athletes meant that the men's water polo team, the women's basketball team, and the men's and women's handball teams could not compete, despite having qualified for the Games. [cite web |title=Games of the XXV Olympiad - Barcelona 1992 |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/i125e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-14]

The continued sanctions against FR Yugoslavia meant that no athletes could qualify to compete at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. [cite web |title=XVII Games - Lillehammer 1994 |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/i125e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-14] The sanctions were lifted in time for the next Olympiad.

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, the team was designated "Yugoslavia", using the same IOC code (YUG) as the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1988 and previous Games. [cite book |title=The Official Report of the Centennial Olympic Games, Volume III The Competition Results |author=(ed.) Watkins, Ginger T. |publisher=Peachtree Publishers |location=Atlanta |year=1997 |isbn=1-56145-150-9 |pages=pp. viii–ix |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v3.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-08-15] . The team of 68 athletes participated in 13 sports and won four medals. [cite web |title=Yugoslavia - 1996 |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/i12601e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-15] In Sydney for the 2000 Summer Olympics, the "Yugoslavia" [cite book |title=Official Report of the XXVII Olympiad, Volume Three: Results |publisher=Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games |year=2001 |isbn=0-9579616-1-8 |chapter=National Olympic Committees |pages=pp. 1–5 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Results.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-02-05] team participated with 111 athletes in 14 sports and won three medals. [cite web |title=Yugoslavia - 2000 |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/i12701e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-15]

In 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia reconstituted as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, and the nation was designated "Serbia and Montenegro" (SCG) for the first time at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. [cite book |title=Official Report of the XXVIII Olympiad, Volume Two: The Games |author=(ed.) Skarveli, Efharis; Zervos, Isabel |publisher=Athens 2004 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games |month=November |year=2005 |isbn=960-88101-7-5 |pages=pp. 528–529 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-02-05] The team of 87 athletes competed in 14 sports and won two silver medals. [cite web |title=Serbia and Montenegro |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/i12801e.htm |accessdate=2008-08-14]

After the Montenegrin independence referendum in 2006, the state union was dissolved and each nation declared independence. The Olympic Committee of Serbia succeeded the NOC for Serbia and Montenegro in June 2006, [cite web |title=Olympic Committee of Serbia |url=http://www.oks.org.yu/s1e.htm |publisher=Olympic Committee of Serbia |accessdate=2008-06-10] with approval of the Assembly of the Olympic Committee of Serbia and Montenegro. The newly formed Montenegrin Olympic Committee was recognized by the IOC in July 2007. [cite web |title=Two new National Olympic Committees on board! |publisher=International Olympic Committee |date=2007-07-06 |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/events/119_session/full_story_uk.asp?id=2237 |accessdate=2008-06-10] Montenegro and Serbia participated independently for the first time at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Medalists

This list includes all competitors who won Olympic medals for Serbia and Montenegro, while competing as Independent Olympic Participants (IOP) in 1992, for Yugoslavia (YUG) in 1996 and 2000, and for Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) in 2004. [cite web |title=Olympic Medal Winners |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/results/search_r_uk.asp |accessdate=2008-08-13]

References