Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 7 October 1965 at the IOC session in Madrid, Saudi Arabia has competed at every Olympic Games since 1972, with the exception of 1980. It has never competed in the Olympic Winter Games. Saudi Arabia won its first two Olympic medals at Sydney in 2000. Hadi Soua’an Al-Somaily won a silver in the men’s 400 metre hurdles, and Khaled Al-Eid won an equestrian bronze in individual show jumping.

Through 2008, Saudi Arabia had competed in 9 Olympic Games with 121 athletes but no women athletes and this became of a point of contention with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC had discussions with Saudi Arabia about having female competitors, and in 2012 two female athletes competed in London with three at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.