Also referred to as Côte d'Ivoire, the Ivory Coast is a West African country and its national Olympic committee, the Comité National Olympique de Côte d'Ivoire, was only recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1963. The very next year, the Comité National Olympique de Côte d'Ivoire sent a total of 9 athletes to Tokyo, Japan for the 1964 Summer Games.
Between 1964 and 1988, the country was known as Ivory Coast, and since then Côte d'Ivoire.
Since 1964 to 1976, they have performed pretty consistently and they chose to not participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, USSR in support of the US-led boycott of the said Games. But when they came back for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, USA, they won their very first Olympic medal. Sprinter and African record holder, Gabriel Tiacoh won the silver in the men's 400 meters.
Since 1984, the Ivory Coast has not missed any Summer Olympics although, like most African nations, they have never sent any athlete to participate and represent them in the Winter Games.
Related Pages
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Ivory Coast