Basketball at the Summer Olympics

Governing body

FIBA

Events

2 (men: 1; women: 1)

Games

1896	•	1900	•	1904	•	1908	•	1912	•	1920
1924	•	1928	•	1932	•	1936	•	1948	•	1952
1956	•	1960	•	1964	•	1968	•	1972	•	1976
1980	•	1984	•	1988	•	1992	•	1996	•	2000
2004	•	2008
Note: demonstration sport years indicated in italics

Medalists

Men's Basketball has been played consistently at the Summer Olympic Games since 1936, with demonstration events in 1904 and 1924. The United States men's basketball team won all of the gold medals in the men's competition from 1936 to 1968. The Olympics included women starting in 1976. The USA women's national basketball team won the silver medal at the 1976 Olympics, a bronze medal in 1992, and a gold medal at all other competitions.

Winning the Olympics is considered to be the highest honor in international basketball, followed by the World Championships of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for men and women and the respective intercontinental championships.

1 History
2 Venues
3 Qualifying
4 Men's tournaments
5 Women's tournaments
6 Notes
7 References

History

Basketball was invented by the Canadian-American James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. Within a few decades, the new game became popular throughout the United States as an indoor sport. The popularity spread overseas and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was organized in 1932 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Thanks in part to the work of Phog Allen^[1]^[2] (Kansas Jayhawks collegiate coach), the FIBA organized the first Olympic basketball tournament in the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin as an outdoor tournament. Dr. Naismith presented the medals to the top three teams. In keeping up with the Olympic tradition, all of the competitors were amateurs, and FIBA introduced the indoor game in the 1948 Summer Olympics. The Americans proved its dominance, winning all of the Olympic tournaments until the 1972 Summer Olympics when the Soviet Union national basketball team won in the gold-medal game in highly controversial circumstances. The Americans refused to receive their silver medals and the IOC still possesses them.

The Americans reclaimed the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics but with the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, the Yugoslavia national basketball team became the first team coming outside the USA or the USSR to win the title after beating the Soviets in the semifinals. The Yugoslavs would later lose their gold medal to the Americans in the 1984 Summer Olympics, with the Soviets boycotting. In 1988, with the Americans sending in a young team, the Soviets reclaimed the gold medal, beating the Yugoslavs in the gold medal game.

In 1989, FIBA through the leadership of Borislav Stanković, approved the rule in which NBA players were allowed to compete in international tournaments, including the Olympics. In the next Olympics in Barcelona, the United States debuted their "Dream Team" and won the gold medal without calling a time out. The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta were the first (and to this date, the only) Olympics to take place in a city with an NBA team since NBA players were allowed to compete in Olympics, as Atlanta is home to the Hawks.

The new-found dominance of the United States ended in 2004 Summer Olympics in which they were beaten in the semifinals by Argentina enroute to their first gold medal. However, in 2008, the United States defeated Spain to reclaim Olympic gold, and their first in any major international tournament since the 2000 Olympics.

Venues

All venues were indoor stadiums except for the 1936 tournament which was held outdoors on tennis courts.

Berlin 1936: Reichsportfeld, Berlin
London 1948: Harringay Arena, Harringay
Helsinki 1952: Tennis Palace and Messuhalli II, both in Helsinki
Melbourne 1956: Exhibition Building, Melbourne
Rome 1960: Sports Arena and Sports Palace, Rome
Tokyo 1964: Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo
Mexico City 1968: Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City
Munich 1972: Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Siegenburger Straße, Munich
Montreal 1976: Étienne Desmarteau Centre and the Montreal Forum, Montreal
Moscow 1980: CSCA Sports Palace and Olimpiysky Stadium, Moscow
Los Angeles 1984: The Forum, Inglewood
Seoul 1988: Jamsil Arena, Seoul
Barcelona 1992: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona, Badalona
Atlanta 1996: Forbes Arena and the Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Sydney 2000: The Dome and Sydney SuperDome, Sydney
Athens 2004: Helliniko Indoor Arena and the Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens
Beijing 2008: Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
London 2012: Olympic Basketball Arena (or Wembley Arena) and the O₂ Arena, London
Rio de Janeiro 2016: Arena 1 do Centro Olímpico de Treinamento, Rio de Janeiro

Qualifying

Teams qualify according to the FIBA Zone they are affiliated with. The distribution of the different FIBA Zones is as follows, for the 2008 tournament:

Zone	Men	Women
FIBA Africa	1	1
FIBA Americas	2	1
FIBA Asia	1	1
FIBA Europe	2	1
FIBA Oceania	1	1
Wildcards	3	5
Host	1	1
World Champion	1	1
Total	12	12

The wildcards qualify via another qualifying tournament a few weeks before the Olympics. The best teams which did not qualify automatically from each zone compete for the remaining berths.

Men's tournaments

Year	Host	Gold medal game			Bronze medal game
Year	Host	Gold medalist	Score	Silver medalist	Bronze medalist	Score	Fourth place
1936 details	Berlin	USA	19-8	Canada	Mexico	26-12	Poland
1948 details	London	USA	65-21	France	Brazil	52-47	Mexico
1952 details	Helsinki	USA	36-25	Soviet Union	Uruguay	68-59	Argentina
1956 details	Melbourne	USA	89-55	Soviet Union	Uruguay	71-62	France
1960 details	Rome	USA	No playoffs	Soviet Union	Brazil	No playoffs	Italy
1964 details	Tokyo	USA	73-59	Soviet Union	Brazil	76-60	Puerto Rico
1968 details	Mexico City	USA	65-50	Yugoslavia	Soviet Union	70-53	Brazil
1972 details	Munich	Soviet Union	51-50	USA	Cuba	66-65	Italy
1976 details	Montreal	USA	95-74	Yugoslavia	Soviet Union	100-72	Canada
1980 details	Moscow	Yugoslavia	86-77	Italy	Soviet Union	117-94	Spain
1984 details	Los Angeles	USA	96-65	Spain	Yugoslavia	88-82	Canada
1988 details	Seoul	Soviet Union	76-63	Yugoslavia	USA	78-49	Australia
1992 details	Barcelona	USA	117-85	Croatia	Lithuania	82-78	Unified Team
1996 details	Atlanta	USA	95-69	Yugoslavia	Lithuania	80-74	Australia
2000 details	Sydney	USA	85-75	France	Lithuania	89-71	Australia
2004 details	Athens	Argentina	84-69	Italy	USA	104-96	Lithuania
2008 details	Beijing	USA	118-107	Spain	Argentina	87-75	Lithuania
2012 details	London

Medal table, men

Top finishes of countries that played in the men's tournament of Olympic basketball.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	USA	13	1	2	16
2	Soviet Union	2	4	3	9
3	Yugoslavia	1	3	1	5
4	Argentina	1	0	1	2
5	France	0	2	0	2
	Italy	0	2	0	2
	Spain	0	2	0	2
8	Canada	0	1	0	1
	Croatia	0	1	0	1
	Yugoslavia	0	1	0	1
11	Brazil	0	0	3	3
11	Lithuania	0	0	3	3
13	Uruguay	0	0	2	2
14	Cuba	0	0	1	1
14	Mexico	0	0	1	1

Performance per federation

FIBA Americas - 14 gold medals (13 USA, 1 Argentina)
FIBA Europe - 3 gold medals (2 USSR, 1 Yugoslavia)
FIBA Oceania - fourth place (Australia)
FIBA Asia - fifth place (Philippines)
FIBA Africa - tenth place (Angola, Central African Republic)

Participating nations

Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Angola	^A												10th	11th	12th	12th	12th	5
Argentina		15th	4th											9th		1st	3rd	5
Australia				12th		9th		9th	8th	8th	7th	4th	6th	4th	4th	9th	7th	12
Belgium	19th	11th	17th															3
Brazil	9th	3rd	6th	6th	3rd	3rd	4th	7th		5th	9th	5th	5th	6th				13
Bulgaria			7th	5th	16th		10th											4
Canada	2nd	9th	9th	9th		14th			4th		4th	6th			7th			9
Central African Republic	^A											10th						1
Chile	9th	6th	5th	8th														4
China	^A				^A						10th	11th	12th	8th	10th	8th	8th	7
Chinese Taipei^B	15th	18th		11th														3
Croatia	^C												2nd	7th			6th	3
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Cuba		13th	9th				11th	3rd	7th	6th								6
Czechoslovakia	9th	7th	9th		5th			8th	6th	9th				^A				7
Egypt	15th	19th	9th					16th	12th		12th	12th						7
Estonia	9th		^D															1
Finland			9th			11th												2
France	19th	2nd	8th	4th	10th						11th				2nd			7
Germany^E	15th							12th			8th		7th				10th	5
Great Britain		20th																1
Greece			17th											5th		5th	5th	4
Hungary		16th	9th		9th	13th												4
India										12th								1
Iran		14th															11th	2
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Iraq		22nd																1
Ireland		23rd																1
Israel	^A		17th															1
Italy	7th	17th	17th		4th	5th	8th	4th	5th	2nd	5th				5th	2nd		12
Japan	9th			10th	15th	10th		14th	11th									6
Korea	^A	8th		14th		16th	14th					9th		12th				6
Latvia	15th		^D															1
Lithuania			^D										3rd	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	5
Mexico	3rd	4th	9th		12th	12th	5th		10th									7
Morocco	^A						16th											1
New Zealand															11th	10th		2
Panama							12th											1
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Peru	8th	10th				15th												3
Philippines	5th	12th	9th	7th	11th		13th	13th										7
Poland	4th				7th	6th	6th	10th		7th								6
Puerto Rico	^A				13th	4th	9th	6th	9th			7th	8th	10th		6th		9
Romania			17th															1
Russia	^A		^D										^F		8th		9th	2
Senegal	^A						15th	15th		11th								3
Serbia and Montenegro^H	^G													2nd	6th	11th		3
Singapore	^A			13th		^I												1
Soviet Union	^A		2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd	1st	3rd	3rd		1st	^F	^A				9
Spain					14th		7th	11th		4th	2nd	8th	9th		9th	7th	2nd	10
Sweden										10th								1
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Switzerland	9th	21st	17th															3
Thailand	^A			15th														1
Turkey	19th		17th															2
Unified Team	^A												4th	^A				1
USA	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd*	1st		1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	1st	16
Uruguay	6th	5th	3rd	3rd	8th	8th					6th							7
Venezuela													11th					1
Yugoslavia					6th	7th	2nd	5th	2nd	1st	3rd	2nd				^A		8
Nations	21	23	23	15	16	16	16	16	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12

Notes

^A NOC was not member of IOC
^B as China from 1936-56
^C part of Yugoslavia from 1936-1988
^D competed as part of Soviet Union from 1952-88
^E as West Germany from 1968-88
^F part of Unified Team in 1992
^G now Serbia, as Yugoslavia from 1992-2002
^H part of Yugoslavia from 1936-1988
^I part of Malaysia in 1964

Unofficial or demonstration tournament winners

1904 Buffalo German YMCA
1924 London Central YMCA

Women's tournaments

Year	Host	Gold medal game			Bronze medal game
Year	Host	Gold medalist	Score	Silver medalist	Bronze medalist	Score	Fourth place
1976 details	Montreal	Soviet Union	No playoffs	USA	Bulgaria	No playoffs	Poland
1980 details	Moscow	Soviet Union	104-73	Bulgaria	Yugoslavia	68-65	Hungary
1984 details	Los Angeles	USA	85-55	Korea	China	63-57	Canada
1988 details	Seoul	USA	77-70	Yugoslavia	Soviet Union	68-53	Australia
1992 details	Barcelona	Unified Team	76-66	China	USA	88-74	Cuba
1996 details	Atlanta	USA	111-87	Brazil	Australia	66-56	Ukraine
2000 details	Sydney	USA	76-54	Australia	Brazil	84-73	Korea
2004 details	Athens	USA	74-63	Australia	Russia	71-62	Brazil
2008 details	Beijing	USA	92-65	Australia	Russia	94-81	China
2012 details	London