Polo

Facts

Discipline of Polo
Participants 87
NOCs 9
Competitions held 5 (Venues)
Distinct events 2
IF Federation of International Polo

Description

Polo has been contested at the Olympic Games in 1900, 1908, 1920, 1924, and 1936, but never managed to attract a large field of competing nations. In 1936, two of the five competing teams were so weak that they were not given the chance to compete for the gold, and could at most earn a bronze medal. At the Olympics, the sport was dominated by Great Britain, with eight medals and three golds. Jack, Lord Wodehouse and Frederick Barrett are the only Olympic polo players with two medals and one gold, both Irish men representing Great Britain.

The Federation of International Polo (FIP) was formed on 25 November 1985, in Buenos Aires, with 11 founding members: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, France, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and Zimbabwe. The FIP is an International Olympic Committee (IOC)-recognized federation, and one of its main goals is to restore its Olympic status, but the sport’s exclusivity makes that unlikely. As of 2022, the FIP has 86 national members.

All-time medal table

Olympic Games

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
Great Britain GBR 3 4 1 8
Argentina ARG 2 0 0 2
United States USA 0 1 1 2
Spain ESP 0 1 0 1
France FRA 0 0 1 1
Mexico MEX 0 0 1 1
Mixed team MIX 0 0 1 1

Youth Olympic Games

Most successful competitors

Olympic Games

Athlete Nat Gold Silver Bronze Total
Jack, Lord Wodehouse GBR
IRL
1 1 0 2
Frederick Barrett GBR
IRL
1 0 1 2
Manuel Andrada ARG 1 0 0 1
Guillermo Naylor ARG 1 0 0 1
Roberto Cavanagh ARG 1 0 0 1
Luis Duggan ARG 1 0 0 1
Andrés Gazzotti ARG 1 0 0 1
Arturo Kenny ARG 1 0 0 1
Juan Miles ARG 1 0 0 1
Jack Nelson ARG 1 0 0 1
Enrique Padilla ARG 1 0 0 1
John Beresford GBR 1 0 0 1
Denis Daly GBR
IRL
1 0 0 1
Foxhall Keene GBR
USA
1 0 0 1
Frank Mackey GBR
USA
1 0 0 1
Tim Melvill GBR 1 0 0 1
Charles Miller GBR 1 0 0 1
George Miller GBR 1 0 0 1
Patteson Nickalls GBR 1 0 0 1
Vivian Lockett GBR 1 0 0 1
Toby Rawlinson GBR 1 0 0 1
Herbert Wilson GBR 1 0 0 1

Youth Olympic Games

Athlete Nat Gold Silver Bronze Total

Event types

Name Gender Still contested? Times held?
Exhibition Mixed Youth 1
Polo Men 12