International Olympic Association: IOC codes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses three-letter abbreviation country codes to refer to each group of athletes that participate in the Olympic Games. Each code usually identifies aNational Olympic Committee, but there are several codes that have been used for other instances in past Games, such as teams composed of athletes from multiple nations, or groups of athletes not formally representing any nation.

Several of the IOC codes are different from the standard ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes. Other sporting organisations, such as FIFA, FIBA or the Commonwealth Games Federation, use similar country codes to refer to their respective teams.

[hide]

[edit]History

The 1956 Winter Olympics and 1960 Summer Olympics were the first Games to feature Initials of Nations to refer to each NOC in the published official reports.^[1] However, the codes used at the next few Games were often based on the host nation's language (e.g., GIA for Japan at the 1956 Winter Olympics and 1960 Summer Olympics, both held in Italy, from Italian Giappone) or based on the French name for the nation (e.g., COR forKorea, from Corée). By the 1972 Winter Olympics, most codes were standardized on the current usage, but several have changed in recent years. Additionally, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, breakup of Yugoslavia, dissolution of Czechoslovakia, and several instances ofgeographical renaming^{[citation needed]} have all resulted in code changes.

In addition to this list of over 200 NOCs, the participation of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) at the Paralympic Games requires standardised IOC codes. Recent examples of these include Macau and the Faroe Islands, coded MAC and FRO respectively.^[2]

[edit]Current NOCs

There are 204 current NOCs (National Olympic Committees) within the Olympic Movement. The following tables show the currently used code for each NOC and any different codes used in past Games, per the official reports from those Games. Some of the past code usage is further explained in the following sections. Codes used specifically for a Summer Games only or a Winter Games only, within the same year, are indicated by "S" and "W" respectively.

Contents:		A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V Y Z

[edit]A

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
AFG	[1]	Afghanistan
ALB	[2]	Albania
ALG	[3]	Algeria	AGR (1964), AGL (1968 S)
AND	[4]	Andorra
ANG	[5]	Angola
ANT	[6]	Antigua and Barbuda
ARG	[7]	Argentina
ARM	[8]	Armenia
ARU	[9]	Aruba
ASA	[10]	American Samoa
AUS	[11]	Australia	AUT (1956 W)
AUT	[12]	Austria	AUS (1956 W)
AZE	[13]	Azerbaijan

[edit]B

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
BAH	[14]	Bahamas
BAN	[15]	Bangladesh
BAR	[16]	Barbados	BAD (1964)
BDI	[17]	Burundi
BEL	[18]	Belgium
BEN	[19]	Benin	DAY (1964), DAH (1968–1976)
BER	[20]	Bermuda
BHU	[21]	Bhutan
BIH	[22]	Bosnia and Herzegovina	BSH (1992 S)
BIZ	[23]	Belize	HBR (1968–1972)
BLR	[24]	Belarus
BOL	[25]	Bolivia
BOT	[26]	Botswana
BRA	[27]	Brazil
BRN	[28]	Bahrain
BRU	[29]	Brunei
BUL	[30]	Bulgaria
BUR	[31]	Burkina Faso	VOL (1972–1984)

[edit]C

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
CAF	[32]	Central African Republic	AFC (1968)
CAM	[33]	Cambodia	CAB (1964), KHM (1972–1976)
CAN	[34]	Canada
CAY	[35]	Cayman Islands
CGO	[36]	Congo
CHA	[37]	Chad	CHD (1964)
CHI	[38]	Chile	CIL (1956 W, 1960 S)
CHN	[39]	China
CIV	[40]	Côte d'Ivoire	IVC (1964), CML (1968)
CMR	[41]	Cameroon
COD	[42]	DR Congo	COK (1968), ZAI (1972–1996)
COK	[43]	Cook Islands
COL	[44]	Colombia
COM	[45]	Comoros
CPV	[46]	Cape Verde
CRC	[47]	Costa Rica	COS (1964)
CRO	[48]	Croatia
CUB	[49]	Cuba
CYP	[50]	Cyprus
CZE	[51]	Czech Republic

[edit]D

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
DEN	[52]	Denmark	DAN (1960 S, 1968 W), DIN (1968 S)
DJI	[53]	Djibouti
DMA	[54]	Dominica
DOM	[55]	Dominican Republic

[edit]E

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
ECU	[56]	Ecuador
EGY	[57]	Egypt	RAU (1960, 1968), UAR (1964)
ERI	[58]	Eritrea
ESA	[59]	El Salvador	SAL (1964–1976)
ESP	[60]	Spain	SPA (1956–1964, 1968 W)
EST	[61]	Estonia
ETH	[62]	Ethiopia	ETI (1960, 1968)

[edit]F

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
FIJ	[63]	Fiji	FIG (1960)
FIN	[64]	Finland
FRA	[65]	France
FSM	[66]	Micronesia

[edit]G

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
GAB	[67]	Gabon
GAM	[68]	Gambia
GBR	[69]	Great Britain	GRB (1956 W–1960), GBI (1964)
GBS	[70]	Guinea-Bissau
GEO	[71]	Georgia
GEQ	[72]	Equatorial Guinea
GER	[73]	Germany	ALL (1968 W), ALE (1968 S)
GHA	[74]	Ghana
GRE	[75]	Greece
GRN	[76]	Grenada
GUA	[77]	Guatemala	GUT (1964)
GUI	[78]	Guinea
GUM	[79]	Guam
GUY	[80]	Guyana	GUA (1960), GUI (1964)

[edit]H

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
HAI	[81]	Haiti
HKG	[82]	Hong Kong	HOK (1960–1968)
HON	[83]	Honduras
HUN	[84]	Hungary	UNG (1956 W, 1960 S)

[edit]I

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
INA	[85]	Indonesia	INS (1960)
IND	[86]	India
IRI	[87]	Iran	IRN (1956–1988), IRA (1968 W)
IRL	[88]	Ireland
IRQ	[89]	Iraq	IRK (1960, 1968)
ISL	[90]	Iceland	ICE (1960 W, 1964 S)
ISR	[91]	Israel
ISV	[92]	Virgin Islands
ITA	[93]	Italy
IVB	[94]	British Virgin Islands

[edit]J

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
JAM	[95]	Jamaica
JOR	[96]	Jordan
JPN	[97]	Japan	GIA (1956 W, 1960 S), JAP (1960 W)

[edit]K

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
KAZ	[98]	Kazakhstan
KEN	[99]	Kenya
KGZ	[100]	Kyrgyzstan
KIR	[101]	Kiribati
KOR	[102]	South Korea	COR (1956 W, 1960 S, 1968 S, 1972 S)
KSA	[103]	Saudi Arabia	ARS (1968–1976), SAU (1980–1984)
KUW	[104]	Kuwait

[edit]L

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
LAO	[105]	Laos
LAT	[106]	Latvia
LBA	[107]	Libya	LYA (1964), LBY (1968 W)
LBR	[108]	Liberia
LCA	[109]	Saint Lucia
LES	[110]	Lesotho
LIB	[111]	Lebanon	LEB (1960 W, 1964 S)
LIE	[112]	Liechtenstein	LIC (1956 W, 1964 S, 1968 W)
LTU	[113]	Lithuania	LIT (1992 W)
LUX	[114]	Luxembourg

[edit]M

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
MAD	[115]	Madagascar	MAG (1964)
MAR	[116]	Morocco	MRC (1964)
MAS	[117]	Malaysia	MAL (1964–1988)
MAW	[118]	Malawi
MDA	[119]	Moldova	MLD (1994)
MDV	[120]	Maldives
MEX	[121]	Mexico
MGL	[122]	Mongolia	MON (1968 W)
MHL	[123]	Marshall Islands
MKD	[124]	Macedonia
MLI	[125]	Mali
MLT	[126]	Malta	MAT (1960–1964)
MNE	[127]	Montenegro
MON	[128]	Monaco
MOZ	[129]	Mozambique
MRI	[130]	Mauritius
MTN	[131]	Mauritania
MYA	[132]	Myanmar	BIR (1960, 1968–1988), BUR (1964)

[edit]N

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
NAM	[133]	Namibia
NCA	[134]	Nicaragua	NCG (1964), NIC (1968)
NED	[135]	Netherlands	OLA (1956 W), NET (1960 W), PBA (1960 S), NLD (1964 S), HOL (1968–1988)
NEP	[136]	Nepal
NGR	[137]	Nigeria	NGA (1964)
NIG	[138]	Niger	NGR (1964)
NOR	[139]	Norway
NRU	[140]	Nauru
NZL	[141]	New Zealand	NZE (1960, 1968 W)

[edit]O

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
OMA	[142]	Oman

[edit]P

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
PAK	[143]	Pakistan
PAN	[144]	Panama
PAR	[145]	Paraguay
PER	[146]	Peru
PHI	[147]	Philippines	FIL (1960, 1968)
PLE	[148]	Palestine
PLW	[149]	Palau
PNG	[150]	Papua New Guinea	NGY (1976–1980), NGU (1984–1988)
POL	[151]	Poland
POR	[152]	Portugal
PRK	[153]	North Korea	NKO (1964 S, 1968 W), CDN (1968)
PUR	[154]	Puerto Rico	PRI (1960), PRO (1968)

[edit]Q

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
QAT	[155]	Qatar

[edit]R

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
ROU	[156]	Romania	ROM (1956–1960, 1972–2006), RUM (1964–1968)
RSA	[157]	South Africa	SAF (1960–1972)
RUS	[158]	Russia
RWA	[159]	Rwanda

[edit]S

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
SAM	[160]	Samoa
SEN	[161]	Senegal	SGL (1964)
SEY	[162]	Seychelles
SIN	[163]	Singapore
SKN	[164]	Saint Kitts and Nevis
SLE	[165]	Sierra Leone	SLA (1968)
SLO	[166]	Slovenia
SMR	[167]	San Marino	SMA (1960–1964)
SOL	[168]	Solomon Islands
SOM	[169]	Somalia
SRB	[170]	Serbia
SRI	[171]	Sri Lanka	CEY (1960–1972)
STP	[172]	São Tomé and Príncipe
SUD	[173]	Sudan
SUI	[174]	Switzerland	SVI (1956 W, 1960 S), SWI (1960 W, 1964 S)
SUR	[175]	Suriname
SVK	[176]	Slovakia
SWE	[177]	Sweden	SVE (1956 W, 1960 S), SUE (1968 S)
SWZ	[178]	Swaziland
SYR	[179]	Syria	RAU (1960), SIR (1968)

[edit]T

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
TAN	[180]	Tanzania
TGA	[181]	Tonga	TON (1984)
THA	[182]	Thailand	TAI (1960, 1968)
TJK	[183]	Tajikistan
TKM	[184]	Turkmenistan
TLS	[185]	Timor-Leste
TOG	[186]	Togo
TPE	[187]	Chinese Taipei^[3]	RCF (1960), TWN (1964–1968), ROC (1972–1976)
TRI	[188]	Trinidad and Tobago	TRT (1964–1968)
TUN	[189]	Tunisia
TUR	[190]	Turkey
TUV	[191]	Tuvalu

[edit]U

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
UAE	[192]	United Arab Emirates
UGA	[193]	Uganda
UKR	[194]	Ukraine
URU	[195]	Uruguay	URG (1968)
USA	[196]	United States	SUA (1960 S), EUA (1968 S)
UZB	[197]	Uzbekistan

[edit]V

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
VAN	[198]	Vanuatu
VEN	[199]	Venezuela
VIE	[200]	Vietnam	VET (1964), VNM (1968–1976)
VIN	[201]	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

[edit]Y

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
YEM	[202]	Yemen

[edit]Z

Code	Ref	Nation (NOC)	Other codes used
ZAM	[203]	Zambia	NRH (1964)
ZIM	[204]	Zimbabwe	RHO (1960–1972)

[edit]Historic NOCs and teams

[edit]Codes still in use

Twelve historical NOCs or teams have codes that are still used in the IOC results database^[4] to refer to past medal winners from these teams.

Code	Nation/Team	Other codes used
AHO	Netherlands Antilles
ANZ	Australasia
BOH	Bohemia
BWI	British West Indies	ANT (1960, 1968), WID (1964)
EUA	Unified Team of Germany	GER (1956–1964)
EUN	Unified Team
FRG	West Germany	ALL (1968 W), ALE (1968 S), GER (1972–1976)
GDR	East Germany	ADE (1968)
SCG	Serbia and Montenegro	YUG (1996 S-2002 W)
TCH	Czechoslovakia	CSL (1956 W), CZE (1960 W), CSV (1960 S), CZS (1964 S), CHE (1968 S)
URS	Soviet Union	SOV (1968 W)
YUG	Yugoslavia	JUG (1956–1960, 1968 W), YUS (1964 S)
ZZX	Mixed teams

[edit]Obsolete codes

Code	Nation (NOC)	Years	Notes
BIR	Burma	1948–1988	Now Myanmar (MYA)
CEY	Ceylon	1948–1972	Now Sri Lanka (SRI)
DAH	Dahomey	1964–1976	Now Benin (BEN)
HBR	British Honduras	1968–1972	Now Belize (BIZ)
KHM	Khmer Republic	1972–1976	Now Cambodia (CAM)
MAL	Malaya	1956–1960	Competed independently prior to the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Now Malaysia (MAS)
—	North Borneo	1956
NRH	Northern Rhodesia	1964	Now Zambia (ZAM)
RAU	United Arab Republic	1960	Now Egypt (EGY) and Syria (SYR)
RHO	Rhodesia	1960–1972	Now Zimbabwe (ZIM)
ROC	Republic of China	1932–1976	Now competing under the name ' Chinese Taipei (TPE)'
UAR	United Arab Republic	1964	Now Egypt (EGY)
VOL	Upper Volta	1972–1984	Now Burkina Faso (BUR)
YAR	North Yemen	1984–1988	Competed independently prior to Yemenite unification in 1990. Now Yemen (YEM)
YMD	South Yemen	1988
ZAI	Zaire	1972–1996	Now DR Congo (COD)
—	British Guiana	1948–1964	Now Guyana (GUY)
—	Gold Coast	1952	Now Ghana (GHA)
—	Saar	1952	Competed independently prior to rejoining West Germany in 1957.

Two other significant code changes have occurred, both because of a change in the nation's designation as used by the IOC:

HOL was changed to NED for the Netherlands for the 1992 Games, reflecting the change in designation from Holland.
IRN was changed to IRI for Iran for the 1992 Games, reflecting the change in designation to Islamic Republic of Iran.

[edit]Special codes

ANZ is now used in the IOC's medal database^[4] to identify the team from Australasia, composed of athletes from both Australia andNew Zealand for the 1908 and 1912 Games. By 1920, both nations competed separately.
EUA is now used in the IOC's medal database^[4] to identify the Unified Team of Germany, composed of athletes representing the NOCs of both East Germany and West Germany for the 1956–1964 Games. At the time, the team was simply known as Germany in the official reports for those six Games.
EUN was used in 1992 (both Summer and Winter Games) for the Unified Team, composed of athletes from most of the ex-republics of the Soviet Union. Only the Baltic states were able to compete as independent teams in 1992; the other twelve new nations competed independently for the first time in 1994 and/or 1996.
IOP was used for Independent Olympic Participants in 1992, a designation used for athletes from Yugoslavia who could not compete as a team due to United Nations sanctions.
IOA was used for Individual Olympic Athletes in 2000, a designation used for athletes from Timor-Leste prior to the formation of its NOC.
IOC was used as the country code for Athletes from Kuwait at the 2010 Asian Games, as the Kuwait Olympic Committee was suspended.
ZZX is used to identify medals won by mixed teams of athletes from multiple nations (such as the combination of France and Great Britain, for example), a situation that happened several times in the Games of 1896, 1900, and 1904.

International Olympic Association

Sunday, April 22, 2012

IOC codes

Contents