Basketball at the Summer Olympics

Basketball at the Summer Olympics
Governing body	FIBA
Events	2 (men: 1; women: 1)
Games
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Note: demonstration sport years indicated in italics
Medalists

Basketball at the Summer Olympics has been a sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, basketball was held as demonstration event in 1904. Women's basketball has been played in the Summer Olympics since its first appearance in 1976.

The United States is by far the most successful country in Olympic basketball. United States men's teams won 14 of 17 tournaments they participated in, including seven successive titles from 1936 to 1968. United States women's teams won 7 titles out of 9 participations, including five in a row from 1996 to 2012.

History

Basketball was invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. Within a few decades, the new game became popular throughout the United States as an indoor sport. The popularity spread overseas and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was organized in 1932 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Early American dominance

Thanks in part to the effort of Phog Allen^[1][2] (Kansas Jayhawks collegiate coach), the first Olympic basketball tournament was organized in the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin on outdoor tennis courts. Dr. Naismith presented the medals to the top three teams. According to the Olympic rules of that time, all of the competitors were amateurs. The tournament was held indoors for the first time in 1948. The American team proved its dominance, winning the first seven Olympic tournaments until 1968 without losing a single game. While the Americans were barred from sending a team that contained players from the professional National Basketball Association, they instead sent in college players; teams from other countries sent in their best players as their players were classified as "amateur" by FIBA by earning allowances instead of wages.

Munich and after

The United States winning streak ended in 1972, when the Soviet Union beat them in the gold-medal game in highly controversial circumstances. The Americans refused to receive their silver medals and they have been kept in IOC possession ever since.

The Americans reclaimed the gold medal in 1976, with Yugoslavia, which had beaten the Soviet Union in the semifinal, runner-up for the second time. In 1980, with the Americans' absence due to the boycott, Yugoslavia became the third team to win the title after beating the Soviets anew in the semifinals and Italy in the final. The United States regained the title in 1984, beating Spain in the final, with the Soviets boycotting this time. The Soviets won the gold medal for the second time in 1988, after beating the Americans for the second time in the semifinal, and the Yugoslavs in the gold medal game.

Professional era

In 1989, through the leadership of President Borislav Stanković, FIBA approved the rule that allowed NBA players to compete in international tournaments, including the Olympics. In the next Olympics in 1992, the "Dream Team" won the gold medal with an average winning margin of 44 points, and without calling a time out. By this time, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia no longer existed, but their successors continued to be among the leading forces. Two newly independent countries, Croatia and Lithuania, won the silver and bronze medals respectively.

The United States repeated its victory in 1996 and 2000, but its performance was not as successful as in 1992. Since active NBA players have been allowed to compete in the Summer Olympics, the 1996 Games in Atlanta is the only instance where the Olympic host city also had a home NBA team—the Hawks. Yugoslavia was the runner-up in Atlanta, and France in Sydney, with Lithuania winning bronze again on both occasions.

The renewed dominance of the United States was interrupted in 2004 when the Americans barely made it to the semifinal after losing to Puerto Rico and Lithuania in the preliminaries; Argentina defeated them in the semifinals, on their way to a gold medal finish, where they beat Italy in the final and became the fourth team to win the Olympic title.

The Americans regrouped in 2008, beating world champions Spain in an intense gold medal game, with the Argentinians beating the Lithuanians in the bronze medal game. The Americans and the Spaniards met again in the 2012 gold medal game, with the Americans again winning, although with the closest winning margin for the Americans.

Women

The first women's tournament was in 1976. The Soviet Union won against five other teams. The next two tournaments followed the six-team round-robin format, with the Soviet defending their title in 1980, and the United States winning in 1984 against the South Koreans amidst the Soviet-led boycott. In 1988, the tournament expanded into eight teams, with the Americans beating Yugoslavia in the gold medal game. In 1992, after the demise of the USSR, the Unified Team won against China in the gold medal game. At 1996, the tournament settled into its current 12-team format; the United States won all of the tournaments since then, winning 40 consecutive games.

Venues

All venues were indoor stadiums except for the 1936 tournament which was held outdoors on tennis courts.

• Berlin 1936: Reichssportfeld, Berlin
• London 1948: Harringay Arena, Harringay
• Helsinki 1952: Tennis Palace and Messuhalli II, both in Helsinki
• Melbourne 1956: Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
• Rome 1960: Sports Arena and Sports Palace, Rome
• Tokyo 1964: Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo
• Mexico City 1968: Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City
• Munich 1972: Basketballhalle, Munich
• Montreal 1976: Étienne Desmarteau Centre and the Montreal Forum, Montreal
• Moscow 1980: CSCA Sports Palace and Olimpiysky Stadium, Moscow
• Los Angeles 1984: The Forum, Inglewood
• Seoul 1988: Jamsil Arena, Seoul
• Barcelona 1992: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona, Badalona
• Atlanta 1996: Forbes Arena and the Georgia Dome, Atlanta
• Sydney 2000: The Dome and Sydney SuperDome, Sydney
• Athens 2004: Helliniko Indoor Arena and the Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens
• Beijing 2008: Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
• London 2012: Olympic Basketball Arena and The O2 Arena, London
• Rio de Janeiro 2016: Arena 1 do Centro Olímpico de Treinamento, Rio de Janeiro
• Tokyo 2020: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama

NOTE: The O2 Arena was known as the North Greenwich Arena during the games due to Olympics regulations regarding corporate sponsorship of event sites.

Qualifying

As of 2012, the qualifying process consists of three stages:

1. 1 team (for each gender) qualifies as the reigning world champion.
2. 7 teams for men and 5 for women qualify through their respective regional championships.
3. 3 teams for men and 5 for women qualify through a world qualifying tournament, in which the best teams which did not qualify directly from each zone compete for the remaining berths.

Additionally, the teams of the host nation qualify automatically.

Zone	Men	Women
World Championship	1	1
African championship	1	1
Americas championship	2	1
Asia championship	1	1
Europe championship	2	1
Oceania championship	1	1
World qualifying tournament	3	5
Host Nation	1	1
Total	12	12

Men's tournaments

Year	Host		Gold medal game				Bronze medal game
			Gold Medalists	Score	Silver Medalists		Bronze Medalists	Score	4th place
1936 Details	Berlin		United States	19–8	Canada		Mexico	26–12	Poland
1948 Details	London		United States	65–21	France		Brazil	52–47	Mexico
1952 Details	Helsinki		United States	36–25	Soviet Union		Uruguay	68–59	Argentina
1956 Details	Melbourne		United States	89–55	Soviet Union		Uruguay	71–62	France
1960 Details	Rome		United States	No playoffs	Soviet Union		Brazil	No playoffs	Italy
1964 Details	Tokyo		United States	73–59	Soviet Union		Brazil	76–60	Puerto Rico
1968 Details	Mexico City		United States	65–50	Yugoslavia		Soviet Union	70–53	Brazil
1972 Details	Munich		Soviet Union	51–50	United States		Cuba	66–65	Italy
1976 Details	Montreal		United States	95–74	Yugoslavia		Soviet Union	100–72	Canada
1980 Details	Moscow		Yugoslavia	86–77	Italy		Soviet Union	117–94	Spain
1984 Details	Los Angeles		United States	96–65	Spain		Yugoslavia	88–82	Canada
1988 Details	Seoul		Soviet Union	76–63	Yugoslavia		United States	78–49	Australia
1992 Details	Barcelona		United States	117–85	Croatia		Lithuania	82–78	Unified Team
1996 Details	Atlanta		United States	95–69	Yugoslavia		Lithuania	80–74	Australia
2000 Details	Sydney		United States	85–75	France		Lithuania	89–71	Australia
2004 Details	Athens		Argentina	84–69	Italy		United States	104–96	Lithuania
2008 Details	Beijing		United States	118–107	Spain		Argentina	87–75	Lithuania
2012 Details	London		United States	107–100	Spain		Russia	81–77	Argentina
2016 Details	Rio de Janeiro

Performance by confederation

This is a summary of the best performances of each confederation in each tournament.

Confederation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16
FIBA Africa	15th–18th	19th	9th–16th	--	--	--	15th	15th	12th	11th	12th	10th	10th	11th	12th	12th	12th	10th
FIBA Americas	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd	1st	5th	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
FIBA Asia	5th	8th	9th–16th	7th	11th	10th	13th	13th	11th	12th	10th	9th	12th	8th	10th	8th	8th	12th
FIBA Europe	4th	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	1st	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd
FIBA Oceania	--	--	--	12th	--	9th	--	9th	8th	8th	7th	4th	6th	4th	4th	9th	7th	7th

Participating nations

Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16	Years
Angola	^A												10th	11th	12th	12th	12th			5
Argentina		15th	4th											9th		1st	3rd	4th	Q	7
Australia				12th		9th		9th	8th	8th	7th	4th	6th	4th	4th	9th	7th	7th	Q	14
Belgium	19th	11th	17th																	3
Brazil	9th	3rd	6th	6th	3rd	3rd	4th	7th		5th	9th	5th	5th	6th				5th	Q	15
Bulgaria			7th	5th	16th		10th													4
Canada	2nd	9th	9th	9th		14th			4th		4th	6th			7th					9
Central African Republic	^A											10th								1
Chile	9th	6th	5th	8th																4
China					^A						10th	11th	12th	8th	10th	8th	8th	12th	Q	8
Chinese Taipei^B	15th	18th		11th																3
Croatia	^C												2nd	7th			6th			3
Cuba		13th	9th				11th	3rd	7th	6th										6
Czechoslovakia	9th	7th	9th		5th			8th	6th	9th				^A						7
Egypt	15th	19th	9th					16th	12th		12th	12th								7
Estonia	9th		^D																	1
Finland			9th			11th														2
France	19th	2nd	8th	4th	10th						11th				2nd			6th		8
Germany^E	15th							12th			8th		7th				10th			5
Great Britain		20th																9th		2
Greece			17th											5th		5th	5th			4
Hungary		16th	9th		9th	13th														4
India										12th										1
Iran		14th															11th			2
Iraq		22nd																		1
Ireland		23rd																		1
Israel	^A		17th																	1
Italy	7th	17th	17th		4th	5th	8th	4th	5th	2nd	5th				5th	2nd				12
Japan	9th			10th	15th	10th		14th	11th											6
South Korea	^A	8th		14th		16th	14th					9th		12th						6
Latvia	15th		^D																	1
Lithuania			^D										3rd	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	8th	Q	6
Mexico	3rd	4th	9th		12th	12th	5th		10th											7
Morocco	^A						16th													1
New Zealand															11th	10th				2
Nigeria																		10th	Q	2
Panama							12th													1
Peru	8th	10th				15th														3
Philippines	5th	12th	9th	7th	11th		13th	13th												7
Poland	4th				7th	6th	6th	10th		7th										6
Puerto Rico	^A				13th	4th	9th	6th	9th			7th	8th	10th		6th				9
Romania			17th																	1
Russia	^A		^D										^F		8th		9th	3rd		3
Senegal	^A						15th	15th		11th										3
Singapore	^A			13th		^I														1
Soviet Union	^A		2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd	1st	3rd	3rd		1st	^F	^A						9
Spain					14th		7th	11th		4th	2nd	8th	9th		9th	7th	2nd	2nd	Q	11
Sweden										10th										1
Switzerland	9th	21st	17th																	3
Thailand	^A			15th																1
Tunisia																		11th		1
Turkey	19th		17th																	2
Unified Team	^A												4th	^A						1
United States	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd	1st		1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	Q	18
Uruguay	6th	5th	3rd	3rd	8th	8th					6th									7
Venezuela													11th						Q	2
Yugoslavia					6th	7th	2nd	5th	2nd	1st	3rd	2nd				^A				8
Serbia^H	^G													2nd	6th	11th				3
Nations	21	23	23	15	16	16	16	16	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12

Notes

^{^A} NOC was not member of IOC

^{^B} as China from 1936–56

^{^C} part of Yugoslavia from 1936–1988

^{^D} competed as part of Soviet Union from 1952–88

^{^E} as West Germany from 1968–88

^{^F} part of Unified Team in 1992

^{^G} now Serbia, as  Yugoslavia from 1936–1991,  Yugoslavia from 1992–2002 and  Serbia and Montenegro from 2003–2006

^{^H} part of Yugoslavia from 1936–1988

^{^I} part of Malaysia in 1964

Women's tournaments

Year	Host		Gold medal game				Bronze medal game
			Gold Medalists	Score	Silver Medalists		Bronze Medalists	Score	4th place
1976 Details	Montreal		Soviet Union	No playoffs	United States		Bulgaria	No playoffs	Czechoslovakia
1980 Details	Moscow		Soviet Union	104–73	Bulgaria		Yugoslavia	68–65	Hungary
1984 Details	Los Angeles		United States	85–55	South Korea		China	63–57	Canada
1988 Details	Seoul		United States	77–70	Yugoslavia		Soviet Union	68–53	Australia
1992 Details	Barcelona		Unified Team	76–66	China		United States	88–74	Cuba
1996 Details	Atlanta		United States	111–87	Brazil		Australia	66–56	Ukraine
2000 Details	Sydney		United States	76–54	Australia		Brazil	84–73	South Korea
2004 Details	Athens		United States	74–63	Australia		Russia	71–62	Brazil
2008 Details	Beijing		United States	92–65	Australia		Russia	94–81	China
2012 Details	London		United States	86–50	France		Australia	83–74	Russia
2016 Details	Rio de Janeiro

Performance by confederation

This is a summary of the best performances of each confederation in each tournament.

Confederation	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16
FIBA Africa	–	–	–	–	–	12th	12th	11th	12th	12th
FIBA Americas	2nd	5th	1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
FIBA Asia	5th	–	2nd	6th	2nd	7th	4th	9th	4th	5th
FIBA Europe	1st	1st	6th	2nd	1st	4th	5th	3rd	3rd	2nd
FIBA Oceania	–	–	5th	4th	–	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd

Participating nations

Nation	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16	Years
Angola										12th		1
Australia			5th	4th	6th	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd	Q	9
Brazil					7th	2nd	3rd	4th	11th	9th	Q	6
Belarus	^B				^C				6th			1
Bulgaria	3rd	2nd		5th								3
Canada	6th		4th			11th	10th			8th	Q	5
China	^A		3rd	6th	2nd	9th		9th	4th	6th		7
Croatia	^F									10th		1
Cuba		5th			4th	6th	9th					4
Czechoslovakia	4th					^A						1
Czech Republic	^D							5th	7th	7th		2
France							5th			2nd		2
Great Britain										11th		1
Greece								7th				1
Hungary		4th										1
Italy		6th			8th	8th						3
Japan	5th					7th		10th			Q	4
Korea			2nd	7th		10th	4th	12th	8th			6
Latvia	^B								9th			1
Mali									12th			1
New Zealand							11th	8th	10th			3
Nigeria								11th				1
Poland							8th					1
Russia	^B				^C	5th	6th	3rd	3rd	4th		5
Senegal							12th				Q	2
Serbia	^F										Q	1
Slovakia	^D						7th					4
Soviet Union	1st	1st		3rd	^C	^A						3
Spain					5th			6th	5th			3
Turkey										5th		1
Ukraine	^B				^C	4th						4
Unified Team	^A				1st	^A						1
United States	2nd		1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	Q	10
Yugoslavia		3rd	6th	2nd				^A				3
DR Congo^E						12th						1
Nations	6	6	6	8	8	12	12	12	12	12	12

Notes

^{^A} NOC was not member of IOC

^{^B} competed as part of Soviet Union from 1952–88

^{^C} part of Unified Team in 1992

^{^D} part of Czechoslovakia from 1920–92

^{^E} as Zaire from 1984–96

^{^F} part of Yugoslavia from 1976–1988

Medal table

Total

Countries ranked by total medals won (men's and women's).

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	21	2	3	26
2	Soviet Union	4	4	4	12
3	Yugoslavia /  Yugoslavia	1	5	2	8
4	Argentina	1	0	1	2
5	Unified Team (EUN)	1	0	0	1
6	Australia	0	3	2	5
7	Spain	0	3	0	3
	France	0	3	0	3
9	Italy	0	2	0	2
10	Brazil	0	1	4	5
11	Bulgaria	0	1	1	2
	China	0	1	1	2
13	Croatia	0	1	0	1
	South Korea	0	1	0	1
	Canada	0	1	0	1
16	Lithuania	0	0	3	3
	Russia	0	0	3	3
18	Uruguay	0	0	2	2
19	Cuba	0	0	1	1
	Mexico	0	0	1	1
Total		28	28	28	84

• Soviet Union (as of 1992) and Yugoslavia (as of 2006) are defunct. No team carried over the records of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.

Medal table, men

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	14	1	2	17
2	Soviet Union	2	4	3	9
3	Yugoslavia/ Yugoslavia	1	4	1	6
4	Argentina	1	0	1	2
5	Spain	0	3	0	3
6	France	0	2	0	2
	Italy	0	2	0	2
8	Croatia	0	1	0	1
	Canada	0	1	0	1
10	Brazil	0	0	3	3
	Lithuania	0	0	3	3
12	Uruguay	0	0	2	2
13	Cuba	0	0	1	1
	Mexico	0	0	1	1
	Russia	0	0	1	1
Total		18	18	18	54

• Soviet Union (as of 1992) and Yugoslavia (as of 2006) are defunct. No team carried over the records of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.

Medal table, women

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	7	1	1	9
2	Soviet Union	2	0	1	3
3	Unified Team (EUN)	1	0	0	1
4	Australia	0	3	2	5
5	Brazil	0	1	1	2
	Bulgaria	0	1	1	2
	China	0	1	1	2
	Yugoslavia	0	1	1	2
9	France	0	1	0	1
	South Korea	0	1	0	1
11	Russia	0	0	2	2
Total		10	10	10	30

Win-loss records

Men's tournament

Team	Games played	Wins	Losses	Winning percentage
Angola	31	3	28	.097
Argentina	47	29	18	.617
Australia	97	47	50	.485
Belgium	13	6	7	.462
Brazil	107	62	45	.579
Bulgaria	33	16	17	.485
Canada	66	36	30	.545
Central African Republic	7	2	5	.286
Chile	26	12	14	.462
China	45	7	38	.155
Chinese Taipei	28	16	12	.571
Croatia	22	13	9	.591
Cuba	45	22	23	.489
Czechoslovakia	46	23	23	.500
Egypt	44	6	38	.136
Estonia	3	1	2	.333
Finland	12	4	8	.333
France	54	28	26	.519
Germany	34	10	24	.294
Great Britain	13	2	11	.154
Greece	24	13	11	.542
Hungary	33	14	19	.424
India	7	0	7	.000
Iran	12	2	10	.167
Iraq	7	0	7	.000
Ireland	6	0	6	.000
Israel	2	0	2	.000
Italy	91	54	37	.593
Japan	41	11	30	.268
South Korea	47	8	39	.170
Latvia	3	1	2	.333
Lithuania	46	29	17	.630
Mexico	49	26	23	.531
Morocco	9	0	9	.000
New Zealand	12	2	10	.167
Nigeria	5	1	4	.200
Panama	9	2	7	.222
Peru	22	9	13	.409
Philippines	52	25	27	.481
Poland	49	23	26	.469
Puerto Rico	72	34	38	.472
Romania	2	0	2	.000
Russia	20	10	10	.500
Senegal	24	2	22	.083
Serbia	27	15	12	.556
Singapore	7	2	5	.286
Soviet Union	74	61	13	.824
Spain	87	47	40	.540
Sweden	7	3	4	.429
Switzerland	13	4	9	.308
Thailand	7	0	7	.000
Tunisia	5	0	5	.000
Turkey	4	0	4	.000
Unified Team	8	5	3	.625
United States	135	130	5	.963
Uruguay	56	29	27	.518
Venezuela	7	2	5	.286
Yugoslavia	60	48	12	.758

Women's tournament

Team	Pld	Wins	Losses	Winning percentage
Angola	5	0	5	0.000
Australia	50	35	15	0.700
Brazil	39	19	20	0.487
Belarus	6	2	4	0.333
Bulgaria	16	10	6	0.625
Canada	30	7	23	0.233
China	43	21	22	0.488
Croatia	5	1	4	0.200
Cuba	24	9	15	0.375
Czechoslovakia	15	3	12	0.200
Czech Republic	19	8	11	0.421
France	15	12	3	0.800
Great Britain	5	0	5	0.000
Greece	7	3	4	0.429
Hungary	6	2	4	0.333
Italy	18	3	15	0.167
Japan	19	6	13	0.316
South Korea	38	15	23	0.395
Latvia	5	1	4	0.200
Mali	5	0	5	0.000
New Zealand	18	4	14	0.222
Nigeria	6	1	5	0.167
Poland	7	3	4	0.429
Russia	39	25	14	0.641
Senegal	6	0	6	0.000
Slovakia	7	3	4	0.429
Soviet Union	16	14	2	0.875
Spain	18	10	8	0.556
Turkey	6	4	2	0.667
Ukraine	8	4	4	0.500
Unified Team	5	4	1	0.800
United States	61	58	3	0.951
Yugoslavia	16	8	8	0.500
DR Congo	7	0	7	0.000

See also

• Wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics

Notes

1. Before They Were Giants
2. Basketball Hall of Fame – Phog Allen

References

• 2012 London Olympic Basketball Tournament Coverage by fiba.com
• Olympic Basketball Medal count by fiba.com
• All-time men's results
• All-time women's results