1992 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international
multi-sport event
celebrated in Barcelona
, Catalonia
, Spain
, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee
voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same year since 1924, and place them in alternating even-numbered years, beginning in 1994. The 1992 Summer Games were the last to be staged in the same year as the Winter Games.
president Juan Antonio Samaranch
, was selected over Amsterdam, Belgrade, Birmingham, Brisbane and Paris in Lausanne
, Switzerland
, on October 17, 1986, during the 91st IOC Session. It had bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics
, losing out to Berlin
.
169 nations sent athletes to compete in these Games (the number of competitors for each country below is given in brackets). With the dissolution of the Soviet Union
, twelve states formed a Unified Team
, while the Baltic States
of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had their own teams. For the first time, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina competed as independent nations after separation from Socialist Yugoslavia
. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned due to UN
sanctions, but individual Yugoslav athletes were allowed to take part as Independent Olympic Participants
. It was also the first Olympics since 1964 that a unified Germany competed at the Olympics. This was the Olympic debut for Namibia
and the unified team of Yemen
, after several separate participations of North and South Yemen. South Africa returned to the Games after 32 years. Four National Olympic Committees didn't send their athletes to compete: Afghanistan, Brunei, Liberia and Somalia.
(international broadcast signal): BBC
: CCTV
: NBC
: Seven Network
: Rede Globo
, Rede Manchete
, SBT
and Rede Bandeirantes
: CTV
: NHK
: RTÉ
: NPO: SVT
: KBS and MBC
: Televisa
: ARD
and ZDF
: DFF
: TF1
: ATV
and TVB
: TDM
: TTV
, CTV
and CTS
: NBT
: Doordarshan
: TRT
: TVNZ
: TVRI
and RCTI
: TV1, TV2
and TV3
: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Twelfth Frequency
: ABS-CBN: RTB: Rai
: NTC: TVP
: Eurosport
: CT-USSR
The celebration of the 1992 Olympic Games had an enormous impact on the urbanism and external projection of the city of Barcelona. The Games enabled billions in infrastructure investments that are considered to have improved the quality of life and attraction of the city for investments and tourism, making Barcelona become one of the most visited cities in Europe after London
, Paris
and Rome
.
The nomination of the city as organizer was the spark that led to the application of a previously elaborated ambitious urban plan. Barcelona was opened to the sea with the construction of the Olympic Village and Olympic Port in Poblenou, a decayed neighbourhood. Various new centres were created, and modern sports facilities were built in the Olympic zones of Montjuïc
, Diagonal
, and Vall d'Hebron
. The construction of ring roads around the city helped reduce the density of the traffic, and El Prat airport was modernized and expanded as two new terminals were opened. New hotels were built and some old ones were refurbished.
", composed five years earlier by Freddie Mercury
and sung as a duet with Montserrat Caballé
. The duo were to perform the song during the opening ceremony, but due to Mercury's untimely death eight months earlier, a recording of the song was played over a travelogue of the city at the start of the opening ceremony. The other was "Amigos Para Siempre
" (Friends for Life), written by Andrew Lloyd Webber
and Don Black, and sung by Sarah Brightman
and José Carreras
during the closing ceremonies.
Ryuichi Sakamoto
composed and conducted the opening ceremony musical score.
was Cobi, a Catalan sheepdog
in cubist
style designed by Javier Mariscal
.
designed and struck in Barcelona.
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
multi-sport event
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
celebrated in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same year since 1924, and place them in alternating even-numbered years, beginning in 1994. The 1992 Summer Games were the last to be staged in the same year as the Winter Games.
Host city selection
Barcelona, the birthplace of then-IOCInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
president Juan Antonio Samaranch
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Don Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
, was selected over Amsterdam, Belgrade, Birmingham, Brisbane and Paris in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, on October 17, 1986, during the 91st IOC Session. It had bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
, losing out to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
| 1992 Summer Olympics bidding results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC Name | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | ||
| Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... |
 Spain |
29 | 37 | 47 | ||
| Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
 Early Modern France |
19 | 20 | 23 | ||
| Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
 Australia |
11 | 9 | 10 | ||
| Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... |
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
13 | 11 | 5 | ||
| Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
 United Kingdom |
8 | 8 | — | ||
| Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... |
 Netherlands |
5 | — | — | ||
Highlights
- The Olympic flame cauldron was lit by the Paralympic archer Antonio RebolloAntonio RebolloAntonio Rebollo is the paralympic archer who lit the Olympic Cauldron by shooting an arrow, igniting it, during the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. When he was eight months old he contracted Polio with both legs affected, the right one severely. He was quoted as saying...
, who shot an arrow lit by the last torch runner into it. Rebollo deliberately overshot the cauldron; though some sources claim it was done for the safety of the spectators, in fact Rebollo's arrow did not light the natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
rising from the cauldron. This was done by a Reyes Abades technician via remote control in all rehearsals and the ceremony itself, as Abades explained in an interview with his local newspaper 'globalhenares.com', "...he created the mechanism for lighting the Olympic flame". - South Africa was allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time since the 1960 Games1960 Summer OlympicsThe 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, after a long suspension for its apartheid policy. White South African runner Elana MeyerElana MeyerElana Meyer is a former long-distance runner from South Africa, who won the silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the 10,000 metre event....
and black EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n runner Derartu TuluDerartu TuluDerartu Tulu is an Ethiopian long distance track, road and marathon athlete.Derartu , a member of the Oromo ethnic group, grew up tending cattle in the village of Bekoji in the highlands of Arsi Province...
fought a close race in the 10,000 m (won by Tulu) and then ran a victory lap hand in hand. - Following its reunificationGerman reunificationGerman reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1990, Germany sent a single, unified Olympic team for the first time since the 1964 Games1964 Summer OlympicsThe 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. - As the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
had been dissolved in 1991, the Baltic nations of EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
sent their own teams for the first time since 1936. The other Soviet republics competed under the name "Unified Team". - The break-up of SFR YugoslaviaSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
led to the Olympic debuts of CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Due to United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions, FR Yugoslavian athletes were not allowed to participate with their own team. However, individual athletes could compete under the Olympic flag as Independent Olympic ParticipantsIndependent Olympic Participants at the 1992 Summer OlympicsDuring the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, athletes from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia competed as Independent Olympic Participants. Macedonian athletes could not appear under their own flag because their NOC had not been formed...
. - In men's artistic gymnasticsArtistic gymnasticsArtistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
, Vitaly ScherboVitaly ScherboVitaly Venediktovich Scherbo , born 13 January 1972 in Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, is a Belarusian and former Soviet artistic gymnast...
from BelarusBelarusBelarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, representing the Unified Team, won six gold medals, including four on a single day. Five of the six golds were in individual events, tying Eric HeidenEric HeidenEric Arthur Heiden, M.D. is an American former long track speed skater and road cyclist who won all the men's speed skating races, and thus an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York,...
's record for individual gold medals at a single Olympics (Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
would tie this record in 2008Swimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...
). - In women's artistic gymnastics, Tatiana GutsuTatiana GutsuTatiana Konstantinivna Gutsu is a Ukrainian gymnast, winner of the 1992 Olympic all-around title. Renowned as a trickster, the routines she competed were some of the most difficult ever in the sport...
took gold in the All-Around competition edging the United States' Shannon MillerShannon MillerShannon Lee Miller is a former artistic gymnast from Edmond, Oklahoma. She is the most decorated gymnast in U.S. History, and considered one of the greatest gymnasts the United States has ever produced...
. - In the divingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
competitions, held in the view of the Sagrada FamíliaSagrada FamiliaThe ' , commonly known as the Sagrada Família, is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí...
, Fu MingxiaFu MingxiaFu Mingxia . She is a top female diver, multiple Olympic gold medalist and world champion. She is about 1.58m tall .-Early life and career:...
won the high dive event at the age of 13. - Russian swimmers dominated the freestyle events, with Alexander PopovAlexander Popov (swimmer)Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov ; is a Russian former Olympic gold-winning swimmer, widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time.-Career:Born in Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast , Popov began swimming at age 8 at...
and Yevgeny SadovyiYevgeny SadovyiYevgeny Viktorovich Sadovyi is a retired Russian freestyle swimmer who won three gold medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics at Barcelona and was subsequently chosen by Swimming World magazine as the Male World Swimmer of the Year.-Career:...
each winning two events (Sadovyi won a third with in the relays). - Evelyn AshfordEvelyn AshfordEvelyn Ashford is a retired American athlete, the 1984 Olympic champion in the 100 m. She has run under the 11 second barrier over 30 times and was the first to run under 11 seconds in an Olympic Games.As a 19-year-old, Ashford finished 5th in the 100 m event at the 1976 Summer Olympics...
won her fourth Olympic gold medal in the 4x100 metre relay, making her one of only four female athletes to have achieved this in history. - The young Krisztina EgerszegiKrisztina EgerszegiKrisztina Egerszegi is a Hungarian former world record holding swimmer and one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era...
of HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
won three individual swimming gold medals. - In women's 200 metres breaststrokeBreaststrokeThe breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
, Kyoko IwasakiKyoko Iwasakiis a retired swimmer from Japan. She won the gold medal in the 200 metres breaststroke at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. She was at age of 14 years and 6 days when she got the medal.- External links :*...
of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
won a gold medal at age of 14 years and 6 days, became the youngest-ever gold medalist in swimming competitions at the Olympics. - After being demonstrated six times, baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
became an Olympic sport, with Cuba winning the gold medal, Chinese Taipei winning silver, and Japan, the bronze. - BadmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
and women's judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
became part of the Olympic programme, while slalom canoeingSlalom canoeingWhitewater Slalom is a competitive sport where the aim is to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. It is one of the two kayak and canoeing disciplines at the Summer Olympics, and is referred to by the International Olympic...
returned to the Games after a 20-year absence. - Roller hockeyRoller hockey (Quad)Roller Hockey is a team sport that enjoys significant popularity in a number of Latin countries. Depending on territories, it is also known as Hóquei em Patins, International Style Ball hockey, Rink Hockey or Hardball Hockey. Roller Hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer...
became a demonstration sport in the 1992 Games. Argentina won the gold medal. Basque pelota and taekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
were also demonstration sports. - Several of the U.S. men's volleyball gold medal team from the 1988 Olympics1988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
returned to vie for another medal. In the first round, they lost a controversial match to Japan, sparking them to shave their heads in protest (including Steve TimmonsSteve TimmonsSteve Dennis Timmons is a former volleyball player from the United States, who represented the USA at three consecutive Summer Olympics starting in 1984. In each tournament he won a medal: two gold and one bronze...
, sacrificing his trademark red flattopFlattopA flattop is a type of very short hairstyle similar to the crew cut, with the exception that the hair on the top of the head is deliberately styled to stand up and is cut to be flat, resulting in a haircut that is square in shape...
for the protest). - Mike StulceMike StulceMichael Stulce is a former shot putter from the United States who was an outstanding athlete at Texas A&M University. He won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He is also three times national champion. In 1993 he won the U.S...
of the USA won the men's shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, beating heavy favored Werner GünthörWerner GünthörWerner Günthör is a former Swiss track and field athlete, who was the best shot putter in the history of Swiss track and field....
of Switzerland. - On the 20th anniversary of the Munich massacreMunich massacreThe Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
and the 500th anniversary of the Alhambra DecreeAlhambra decreeThe Alhambra Decree was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain ordering the expulsion of Jews from the Kingdom of Spain and its territories and possessions by 31 July of that year.The edict was formally revoked on 16 December 1968, following the Second...
, Yael AradYael AradYael Arad is an Israeli judoka.She was the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal. She is widely recognized as one of Israel's most successful athletes and is credited with bringing judo into the athletic mainstream....
became the first IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i to win an Olympic medal, winning a silver medal in judo. The next day, Oren SmadjaOren SmadjaShay-Oren Smadja is an Israeli judoka.He won the Olympic bronze medal in the under 71 category at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He became only the second Israeli sportsperson to win an Olympic medal, only one day after Yael Arad became the first....
became Israel's first male medalist, winning a bronze in the same sport. - Derek RedmondDerek RedmondDerek Anthony Redmond is a retired British athlete. During his career, he held the British record for the 400 metres sprint, and won gold medals in the 4x400 metres relay at the World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games.However his career was blighted by a series of...
of Great Britain tore a hamstring during a 400m semi-final heat. As he struggled to finish the race, his father entered the track without credentials and helped him complete the race, to a standing ovationStanding ovationA standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim...
from the crowd. - Gail DeversGail DeversYolanda Gail Devers is a retired three-time Olympic champion in track and field for the US Olympic Team. Devers was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up near National City, California and graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1984...
won the 100 meter dash in one of the closest races in history. 5 women finished within 0.06 seconds of each other. - In basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, the admittance of professional players led to the formation of the "Dream Team1992 United States men's Olympic basketball teamThe 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, nicknamed the "Dream Team", was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players. Often considered one of the strongest teams assembled in any sport, it defeated its opponents by an average of almost 44 points en route to the gold ...
" of the United States, featuring Michael JordanMichael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Magic JohnsonMagic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
and other NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
stars. The Dream Team, which easily won the gold medal, would be inducted as a unit into the Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 2010. - After making the semifinals of two grand slams at the age of 14, Jennifer Capriati won the single's tennis competition at the age of 16.
Venues
- Montjuïc AreaAnella OlímpicaThe Anella Olímpica is an Olympic Park located in the hill of Montjuïc, Barcelona, that was the main site for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The major facilities consist of the Olympic Stadium, or Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, the Palau Sant Jordi sports hall, the telecommunications tower designed by...
:- Cross-country course - modern pentathlon (running)
- Estadi Olímpic de MontjuïcEstadi Olímpic Lluís CompanysEstadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city , it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics...
- opening/closing ceremonies, athletics - Palau Sant JordiPalau Sant JordiPalau Sant Jordi is an indoor sporting arena and multi-purpose installation that is part of the Olympic Ring complex located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...
- gymnastics (artistics), volleyball (final), and handball (final) - Piscines Bernat PicornellPiscines Bernat PicornellPiscines Bernat Picornell is a swimming venue situated in the Olympic Ring in Montjuïc, Barcelona. The venue consists of three swimming pools: a 50m indoor pool, a 50m outdoor pool, and a pool for diving...
- modern pentathlon (swimming), swimming, synchronized swimming, and water polo (final) - Piscina Municipal de MontjuïcPiscina Municipal de MontjuïcThe Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc is a sports venue situated in the Olympic Ring in Barcelona. The venue consists of two swimming pools: a pool for diving and a 25m outdoor pool...
- diving and water polo - Institut National d'Educació Física de CatalunyaInstitut National d'Educació Física de CatalunyaThe Institut National d'Educació Física de Catalunya is an indoor venue located in Barcelona. Renovated in 1991, it hosted the wrestling events for the 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:* Volume 2. pp. 177–80.* - External links :*...
- wrestling - MataróMataróMataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...
- athletics (marathon start) - Palau dels Esports de BarcelonaPalau dels Esports de BarcelonaThe Palau dels Esports de Barcelona is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on Lleida Street on the slopes of Montjuïc, a hill to the south east of the city centre....
- gymnastics (rhythmic) and volleyball - Palau de la Metal-lúrgiaPalau de la Metal-lúrgiaThe Palau de la Metal·lúrgia is a venue located in Barcelona. Constructed for the 1929 International Exposition, it hosted the fencing and the fencing part of the modern pentathlon events for the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. pp. 189-91....
- fencing, modern pentathlon (fencing) - Pavelló de l'Espanya IndustrialPavelló de l'Espanya IndustrialThe Pavelló de l'Espanya Industrial is a building located in Barcelona. Completed in 1991, it hosted the weightlifting competitions for the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. pp. 196-9....
- weightlifting - Walking course - athletics (walks)
- Diagonal AreaAvinguda Diagonal, BarcelonaAvinguda Diagonal is the name of one of Barcelona's broadest and most important avenues. It cuts the city in two, diagonally from west to east , hence the name....
:- Estadi del FC BarcelonaCamp NouCamp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
- football (final) - Palau BlaugranaPalau BlaugranaPalau Blaugrana is an arena in Barcelona, Catalonia , belonging to FC Barcelona . The 7,585 seating capacity arena is home to the basketball, handball, roller hockey, and futsal divisions of FC Barcelona...
- judo, roller hockey (demonstration final), and taekwondo (demonstration) - RCD Espanyol Stadium - football
- Real Club de Polo de BarcelonaReal Club de Polo de BarcelonaThe Real Club de Polo de Barcelona is a sports venue located in Barcelona. Established in 1897, it has 9000 members at the time of the 1992 Summer Olympics...
- equestrian (dressage, jumping, eventing final), modern pentathlon (riding)
- Estadi del FC Barcelona
- Vall d'Hebron AreaLa Vall d'HebronLa Vall d'Hebron is a neighborhood in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona, Catalonia .The Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron is not in the neighborhood of la Vall d'Hebron, it is located in the neighborhood of Montbau, on the other side of Ronda de Dalt.Four venues in the area hosted...
:- Archery FieldCamp Olímpic de Tir amb ArcThe Camp Olímpic de Tir amb Arc was a temporary venue located in Barcelona. It hosted the archery competitions for the 1992 Summer Olympics. It was located in a site at the Ronda de Dalt, next to the Pavelló de la Vall d'Hebron, in the Barcelona district of Horta-Guinardó.After the Olympics, it...
- archery - Pavelló de la Vall d'HebronPavelló de la Vall d'HebronThe Pavelló de la Vall d'Hebron is an indoor venue located in Barcelona. For the 1992 Summer Olympics, it hosted the basque pelota demonstration and the volleyball preliminaries.The building was completed in 1991 for the games.-References:...
- basque pelota (demonstration) and volleyball - Tennis de la Vall d'HebronTennis de la Vall d'HebronThe Tennis de la Vall d'Hebron is a sports venue located in Barcelona. Modified in 1991, it used only nine of the 17 courts for the tennis competitions of the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. pp. 246-9....
- tennis - VelodromeVelòdrom d'HortaVelòdrom d'Horta is a velodrome in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain that was the track cycling venue for the 1992 Summer Olympics. It was also the venue for the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 1984....
- cycling (track)
- Archery Field
- Parc de Mar Area
- Estació del Nord Sports Hall - table tennis
- Olympic HarbourPort OlímpicThe Port Olímpic is a marina located in Barcelona, Catalonia. Located east of the Port of Barcelona, it hosted the sailing events for the 1992 Summer Olympics.thumbThe venue was opened in 1991.-References:* Volume 2. pp. 255-8.* , , , &...
- sailing - Pavelló de la Mar BellaPavelló de la Mar BellaThe Pavelló de la Mar Bella is an indoor arena located in Barcelona, Catalonia. Seating 4000, it hosted the badminton events for 1992 Summer Olympics.This venue was completed in time for the 1992 Games.-Reference:* Volume 2. pp. 259-62....
- badminton
- Subsites
- A-17 highway - cycling (road team time trial)
- Banyoles LakeLake of BanyolesLake of Banyoles is a natural lake located in the comarca "Pla de l'Estany", Province of Girona, in northeastern Catalonia, Spain. It is named after the nearby town of Banyoles, to which it belongs entirely. On the western shore it borders with the town of Porqueres...
- rowing - Camp Municipal de Beisbol de ViladecansCB ViladecansClub Béisbol Viladecans is a División de Honor de Béisbol baseball club in Viladecans, a town located to the WSW of Barcelona, Catalonia. It was founded in 1945 and was one of the most active teams during the heyday of baseball in Spain in the 1950s and 1960s...
- baseball - Canal Olímpic de CatalunyaCanal Olímpic de CatalunyaThe Canal Olímpic de Catalunya is a canal located in Castelldefels, Catalonia, Spain. Constructed in 1991, it hosted the canoe sprint events for the 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:* Volume 2. pp. 319-22....
- canoeing (sprint) - Circuit de CatalunyaCircuit de CatalunyaThe Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...
- cycling (road team time trial start/ finish) - Club Hípic El MontayáClub Hípic El MontayáThe Club Hípic El Montanyà is a Catalan horse club. For the 1992 Summer Olympics in neighboring Barcelona, it hosted the equestrian dressage and the cross country part of the eventing competitions.The venue was constructed on a golf course in 1991 over ....
- equestrian (dressage, eventing endurance) - Estadi de la Nova Creu AltaEstadi de la Nova Creu AltaEstadi de la Nova Creu Alta is a multi-use stadium in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of CE Sabadell FC. The address of the stadium is Plaça Olímpia s/n, 08206 Sabadell, and the offices of the club are in the stadium. The...
- football - Estadi Olímpic de TerrassaEstadi Olímpic de TerrassaEstadi Olímpic de Terrassa is a stadium in Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of Terrassa FC. The stadium holds 11,500 spectators....
- field hockey - Estadio Luís Casanova - football
- La RomaredaLa RomaredaEstadio de La Romareda is the home stadium of Real Zaragoza, in Zaragoza. It was inaugurated on September 8, 1957, with a game between Real Zaragoza and CA Osasuna . The official capacity is 34,596, with an average attendance of around 30,000 for Real Zaragoza matches.The stadium has gone through...
- football - L'Hospitalet de Llobregat Baseball Stadium - baseball (final)
- Mollet del Vallès Shooting RangeCamp de Tir Olímpic de MolletThe Camp de Tir Olímpic de Mollet is a firing range located in Mollet del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. Constructed between June 1990 and April 1992 and located near the Academy of the Police of Catalonia, it hosted the shooting and the shooting part of the modern pentathlon competitions for the 1992...
- modern pentathlon (shooting), shooting - Palau D'Esports de GranollersPalau D'Esports de GranollersPalau d'Esports de Granollers is an arena in Granollers, Catalonia. It is primarily used for team handball and is the home arena of BM Granollers. The arena, projected by the Catalan architect Pep Bonet, holds 5,685 people and was opened in 1991 for the 1992 Summer Olympics...
- handball - Parc Olímpic del SegreParc Olímpic del SegreParc Olímpic del Segre is a canoeing and kayaking facility in La Seu d'Urgell, Catalonia, Spain, built in 1990 for use during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona....
- canoeing (slalom) - Pavelló Club Joventut BadalonaPavelló Club Joventut BadalonaPavelló Club Joventut Badalona, also known als Pavelló dels Països Catalans, is an indoor arena located in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. Built in 1972, it hosted the boxing events for the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. pp. 280-3....
- boxing - Pavelló de l'Ateneu de Sant SadurníPavelló de l'Ateneu de Sant SadurníThe Pavelló de l'Ateneu de Sant Sadurní is an indoor arena located in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Catalonia. Opened in 1981, the venue was one of the hosts for the demonstration roller hockey competitions at the 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:...
- roller hockey (demonstration) - Pavelló del Club Patí VicPavelló del Club Patí VicThe Pavelló del Club Patí Vic is an indoor arena located in Vic, Osona, Catalonia. This venue was one of the hosts for the demonstration roller hockey competitions at the 1992 Summer Olympics. It's the home place of Club Patí Vic.-References:...
- roller hockey (demonstration) - Pavelló d'Esports de ReusPavelló d'Esports de ReusThe Pavelló d'Esports de Reus is an indoor arena located in Reus, Catalonia, Spain. Constructed in 1992, this venue was one of the hosts for the demonstration roller hockey competitions at the 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:* Volume 2. pp. 337-41....
- roller hockey (demonstration) - Pavelló Olímpic de BadalonaPalau Municipal d'Esports de BadalonaPalau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona, most frequently called the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona is an arena in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena holds 12,500 people, and it is primarily used for basketball, though it's also an habitual home for music concerts and other municipal...
- basketball - Sant Sadurní Cycling CircuitSant Sadurní d'AnoiaSant Sadurní d'Anoia is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Spain, and the centre of production of a sparkling wine known as cava. It is situated in the north-east of the Penedès Depression at the confluence of the Avernó river and the Anoia river...
- cycling (individual road race)
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:Demonstration sports
- Basque pelotaBasque pelota at the 1992 Summer OlympicsBasque Pelota was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the fourth and last time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Games in Paris, and a demonstration sport in 1924 and 1968.The Basque Pelota events...
- Roller hockey (quad)Roller hockey at the 1992 Summer OlympicsRoller hockey was one of three demonstration sports included in the official Olympic programme of the 1992 Summer Olympics, held in Barcelona...
- TaekwondoTaekwondo at the 1992 Summer OlympicsTaekwondo was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the second time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it would become an official sport eight years later at the 2000 Games....
Participating nations
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, twelve states formed a Unified Team
Unified Team
The Unified Team was the name used for the sports team of the former Soviet Union at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The IOC country code was EUN, after the French name, Équipe Unifiée...
, while the Baltic States
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had their own teams. For the first time, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina competed as independent nations after separation from Socialist Yugoslavia
Dissolution of Yugoslavia
The Breakup of Yugoslavia refers to a series of conflicts and political upheavals resulting in the dissolution of Yugoslavia . The SFR Yugoslavia was a country that occupied a strip of land stretching from Central Europe to the Balkans – a region with a history of ethnic conflict...
. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned due to UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions, but individual Yugoslav athletes were allowed to take part as Independent Olympic Participants
Independent Olympic Participants at the 1992 Summer Olympics
During the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, athletes from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia competed as Independent Olympic Participants. Macedonian athletes could not appear under their own flag because their NOC had not been formed...
. It was also the first Olympics since 1964 that a unified Germany competed at the Olympics. This was the Olympic debut for Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and the unified team of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, after several separate participations of North and South Yemen. South Africa returned to the Games after 32 years. Four National Olympic Committees didn't send their athletes to compete: Afghanistan, Brunei, Liberia and Somalia.
| Rwanda Rwanda at the 1992 Summer Olympics -Athletics:Men's 1.500 metres*Alphonse MunyeshyakaMen's 5.000 metres*Seraphin Mugabo* Heat — 14:25.97 Men's 10.000 metres*Mathias Ntawulikura* Heat — 28:51.79 Men's Marathon... (10) |
Medal count
These are the top medal-collecting nations for the 1992 Games. (Host country is highlighted):| 1 | 45 | 38 | 29 | 112 | |
| 2 | 37 | 34 | 37 | 108 | |
| 3 | 33 | 21 | 28 | 82 | |
| 4 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 54 | |
| 5 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 31 | |
| 6 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 22 | |
| 7 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 29 | |
| 8 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 30 | |
| 9 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 29 | |
| 10 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 27 |
Broadcast rights
The games were covered by the following broadcasters:: TVETelevisión Española
Televisión Española is the national state-owned public-service television broadcaster in Spain. TVE's activities were previously financed by a combination of advertising revenue and subsidies from the national government, but since it's been supported by subsidies only.TVE belongs to the RTVE...
(international broadcast signal): BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
: CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
: NBC
Olympics on NBC
NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympic Games consists of broadcasts on the various networks of NBC Universal in the United States, including the NBC broadcast network, Spanish language network Telemundo, and many of the company's cable networks....
: Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
: Rede Globo
Rede Globo
Rede Globo , or simply Globo, is a Brazilian television network, launched by media mogul Roberto Marinho on April 26, 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Organizações Globo, being by far the largest of its holdings...
, Rede Manchete
Rede Manchete
Rede Manchete was a television network from Brazil. It first aired on June 5, 1983 in Rio de Janeiro and simultaneously in other 5 Brazilian cities, like São Paulo on Rede Exclesior's old channel 9 frequency...
, SBT
SBT
Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão is a Brazilian television network. The network first aired in 1981, and its headquarters are based in Osasco, at the CDT Anhanguera complex. SBT is owned by Silvio Santos , a popular Brazilian TV host...
and Rede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967...
: CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
: NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
: RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
: NPO: SVT
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
: KBS and MBC
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
: Televisa
Televisa
Televisa is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate, the largest mass media company in Latin America and in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a major international entertainment business, with much of its programming airing in the United States on Univision, with which it has an exclusive contract...
: ARD
ARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
and ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
: DFF
Deutscher Fernsehfunk
Deutscher Fernsehfunk , known from 1972 to 1990 as Fernsehen der DDR , was the state television broadcaster in East Germany.-Foundation:...
: TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
: ATV
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
and TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
: TDM
Teledifusão de Macau
Teledifusão de Macau , is a radio-television network serving the Chinese special administrative region of Macao. It was established on 1 January 1982 during Portugese administration....
: TTV
Taiwan Television
Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd. , commonly known as TTV is launched), is the first television broadcast station in Taiwan...
, CTV
China Television
China Television Company, Ltd. was established on September 3, 1968 by the then-ruling Nationalist Party of the Republic of China . The party owned the majority stake of the network...
and CTS
Chinese Television System
Chinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported...
: NBT
National Broadcasting Services of Thailand
National Broadcasting Services of Thailand was formed by Radio Thailand and Television of Thailand' and is a national public broadcasting state media government mass media conglomerate of radio and television services in the Kingdom of Thailand. It is owned and operated by Government's Public...
: Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
: TRT
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation
The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, also known as TRT , is the national public broadcaster of Turkey and was founded in 1964. Around 70% of TRT's funding comes from a tax levied on electricity bills and a sales tax on television and radio receivers...
: TVNZ
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
: TVRI
TVRI
Televisi Republik Indonesia Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) (formerly known as Televisi Indonesia (Indonesian Television in English) and Radio Indonesia (Indonesian Radio in English) is a state-owned television station, the oldest television station in...
and RCTI
RCTI
RCTI is Indonesia's first privately owned television network and is based in West Jakarta. RCTI broadcasts Indonesian Idol as well as sinetron , films, news and current affairs, reality shows and religious programs...
: TV1, TV2
TV2 (Malaysia)
RTM2, also known as TV2 is a television station in Malaysia owned and operated by the Radio Television Malaysia, a division of the Malaysian Government. RTM2 is now broadcasting for 24 hours a day effective January 2006.- History :...
and TV3
TV3 (Malaysia)
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010...
: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Twelfth Frequency
MediaCorp TV12 Central
MediaCorp TV12 Central or Central was an English and Tamil language Television channel in Singapore it was launched on 31 March 1996 replacing Premiere 12 it was launched since on 1 January 1994 as Television Corporation of Singapore since 1994.The channel was a combination of 3 distinct...
: ABS-CBN: RTB: Rai
Rai
Rai may refer to:Acronyms*RAI, radioactive iodine, in the medical context of the treatment of thyroid problems*RAI, Radiotelevisione Italiana, Italian public broadcasting*Praia International Airport in Cape Verde, IATA airport code...
: NTC: TVP
Telewizja Polska
Telewizja Polska Spółka Akcyjna is Poland's public broadcasting corporation...
: Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
: CT-USSR
Soviet Central Television
The Central Television of the USSR , was the state television broadcaster in the Soviet Union....
Effect on the city
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
The nomination of the city as organizer was the spark that led to the application of a previously elaborated ambitious urban plan. Barcelona was opened to the sea with the construction of the Olympic Village and Olympic Port in Poblenou, a decayed neighbourhood. Various new centres were created, and modern sports facilities were built in the Olympic zones of Montjuïc
Montjuïc
Montjuïc is a hill located in Barcelona, Catalonia.-Etymology:Montjuïc is translated as 'Jew Hill' in medieval Catalan, or is perhaps related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus . The name is found in several locations in the Catalan Countries: the Catalan cities of Girona and Barcelona both have a...
, Diagonal
Avinguda Diagonal, Barcelona
Avinguda Diagonal is the name of one of Barcelona's broadest and most important avenues. It cuts the city in two, diagonally from west to east , hence the name....
, and Vall d'Hebron
La Vall d'Hebron
La Vall d'Hebron is a neighborhood in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona, Catalonia .The Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron is not in the neighborhood of la Vall d'Hebron, it is located in the neighborhood of Montbau, on the other side of Ronda de Dalt.Four venues in the area hosted...
. The construction of ring roads around the city helped reduce the density of the traffic, and El Prat airport was modernized and expanded as two new terminals were opened. New hotels were built and some old ones were refurbished.
Songs and themes
There were two main musical themes for the 1992 Games. One was "BarcelonaBarcelona (Freddie Mercury song)
"Barcelona" is a single released by Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury and operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. A part of their collaborative album Barcelona, it also appeared on Queen's Greatest Hits III....
", composed five years earlier by Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
and sung as a duet with Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi....
. The duo were to perform the song during the opening ceremony, but due to Mercury's untimely death eight months earlier, a recording of the song was played over a travelogue of the city at the start of the opening ceremony. The other was "Amigos Para Siempre
Amigos Para Siempre
"Amigos Para Siempre " or "Amics per sempre" is a song written for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber...
" (Friends for Life), written by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and Don Black, and sung by Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
and José Carreras
José Carreras
Josep Maria Carreras i Coll , better known as José Carreras , is a Spanish Catalan tenor particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini...
during the closing ceremonies.
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
composed and conducted the opening ceremony musical score.
Mascot
The official mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
was Cobi, a Catalan sheepdog
Catalan Sheepdog
The Catalan sheepdog is a breed of Catalan pyrenean dog used as a sheepdog. The dog is bred in Europe, especially in Catalonia, Finland, Germany, and Sweden.-Appearance:...
in cubist
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
style designed by Javier Mariscal
Javier Mariscal
Javier Mariscal is a Valencian Spanish artist and designer whose work has spanned a wide range of mediums, ranging from painting and sculpture to interior design and landscaping. He was born in February 1950 in the city of Valencia, Spain, into a family of eleven brothers and sisters...
.
Corporate Image and Identity
The Barcelona games established a renewal in regards of image treatment and corporate identity. It could be seen in the publication of posters, in the commemorative coins and stamps minted by the FNMT in Madrid and in the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Official Commemorative MedalsBarcelona 1992 Olympic Official Commemorative Medals
The Barcelona 1992 Olympic Official Commemorative Medals Set is a numismatic collection composed of 16 medals, commemorating the 1992 Summer Olympics that held in Barcelona. They share a common reverse designed by Josep Maria Trias with the logo of the games, and 16 different patterns on the...
designed and struck in Barcelona.
See also
- 1992 Summer Paralympics1992 Summer ParalympicsThe 1992 Summer Paralympics were the ninth Paralympic Games to be held. They were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.- Sports :The games consisted of 487 events spread over fifteen sports. Powerlifting and weightlifting were considered to be a single sport...
- 1992 Winter Paralympics1992 Winter ParalympicsThe 1992 Winter Paralympics were the fifth Winter Paralympics. They were the first winter Paralympics to be celebrated concurrently with the Olympic Games. They were held in Tignes and Albertville, France, from March 25 to April 1, 1992...
- 1992 Winter Olympics1992 Winter OlympicsThe 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
- Summer Olympic GamesSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
- Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
- International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
- List of IOC country codes
- TriplecastTriplecastThe Olympics Triplecast was an experimental pay-per-view telecast in the United States during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. While an ambitious project, it was a massive financial failure.-Overview and history:...