Egypt (EGY)

Egypt’s first appearance at the Olympics is a matter of debate. Demetrius Casdagli, who won silver medals in the singles and doubles tennis events at the 1896 Games, lived and trained in Egypt, although the Official Report lists him as Greek based on his heritage and, as he was born in England, research has only been able to confirm his British citizenship. At the 1906 Games, Arthur Pitt-Marson and Eugène Colombani are listed as having competed for Egypt, as they represented clubs based in Cairo, but neither would be considered “Egyptian” by modern standards. The 1912 Official Report lists Ahmed Mohamed Hassanein as having represented Egypt in the individual foil and epée fencing events, but the Official Report makes no distinction between entrants and participants, and no evidence has been produced that proves that Hassanein actually competed. The Egyptian Olympic Committee, however, which was formed in 1910, considers him their first Olympian. The nation was well represented at the 1920 Games and, since then, they have been absent only from the Olympics of 1932, 1956 (missing Melbourne, but not Stockholm), 1976, and 1980. Egypt’s absence from the 1932 Olympics was the result of political turmoil that resulted in the NOC being disbanded in 1929, but it was re-established in time for a large team (53 athletes) to be sent to the Berlin Olympics in 1936.

From 1960 through 1968, Egypt competed as the United Arab Republic (UAR), having formed a union with Syria in 1958, although Syria left the union in 1961. In addition, in 1960, all the athletes who actually competed are believed to have been Egyptian. Although Syrian officials have listed from 1 to 3 Syrian athletes as part of the UAR team in 1960, none appears to have competed.

Egypt officially also boycotted the Olympic Games of 1956, 1976, and 1980, making it one of three nations to have boycotted three Olympics, along with Ethiopia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North). Several Egyptians, however, including their basketball team, competed in preliminary rounds prior to the nation’s withdrawal from the 1976 Games due to the African boycott.

Egypt’s greatest Olympic successes have come in the strength sports of weightlifting and wrestling. Through 2022, the nation has won 36 Olympic medals, with eight golds. Five Egyptian Olympians have won two medals: Farid Simaika in diving (one silver, one bronze), Ibrahim Shams in weightlifting (one gold, one bronze), Karam Gaber in wrestling (one gold, one silver), Abir Abdulrahman in weightlifting (one silver, one bronze), and Hedaya Malak in taekwondo (two bronze).

Egypt has competed at the Olympic Winter Games only at Sarajevo 1984, with a sole Alpine skier. Jamil El-Reedy competed in men’s downhill, giant slalom, and slalom, with a best finish of 46th in slalom.