Russian Federation

Prior to the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia competed at the Olympics of 1900, 1908, and 1912. Although at the first two celebrations its representation was only four and six athletes, respectively, in 1912 it sent a large team of 169 athletes. At those Olympics, Russia won one gold medal, four silver medals, and three bronze medals. After the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia became the largest republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). The Soviet Union did not compete in the Olympics from 1920 to 1948, but returned to the Olympic Games at Helsinki in 1952, and competed in the Olympics through 1988. With the political events of 1991, Russia again became eligible to compete as an individual nation. At Albertville and Barcelona Russia joined with other former Soviet republics to compete as the “Unified Team”, representing the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia was the most successfull Soviet republic in terms of medals won. The Russian Nikolay Andrianov was the top male Soviet athlete. He won 15 medals (seven gold, five silver, and three bronze) in gymnastics between 1972 and 1980. The Russian speed skater Lidiya Skoblikova was the top Soviet Winter Games competitor winning six gold medals in 1960 and 1964. She is also the second most successful female Winter Games competitor next to the Russian cross country skier Lyubov Yegorova who won six gold and three silver in 1992 while representing the Unified Team (3-2-0) and in 1994.

Russia returned to the Olympic fold after an absence of 82 years in 1994 at Lillehammer, and has been present with a large contingent ever since. In just 18 years, Russian athletes have increased the medal total to 490 medals at the Olympics, with 168 gold. Of these medals, 399 came in the Summer Olympics and 91 at the Olympic Winter Games. The best Russian performer has been synchronized swimmer Anastasiya Davydova with five gold medals, while gymnast Aleksey Nemov has won the most medals with 12, including four golds.

As part of the Soviet Union Russia hosted the Games of the XXIInd Olympiad in Moscow in 1980 and in 2014 Russia hosted the 22nd Olympic Winter Games held in Sochi.