The 14 Countries To Ever Be Banned From The Olympics And Why

The 2026 Winter Olympics is underway. Two countries, however, were barred from participating in the field.

Those nations include Russia and Belarus. They’ve joined the undesirable list of countries to ever be banned from the Olympics.

Russia had already experienced a partial ban dating back to 2018. Belarus, though, is new to the party. With the nation being the latest to receive an Olympic ban, the all-time total moves to 14 countries.

Only 14 countries have ever been banned from the Olympics.

The first bans date back nearly to the start of Olympic action. The first Summer Games were held in 1896. The first bans came in 1920, the sixth edition of the summer event.

A variety of different reasons have been cited in each of these nations’ bans. Some countries on this list have been barred from competition on more than one occasion.

Here, we’ll go through that list in alphabetical order.

Afghanistan

Years banned: 2000

Afghanistan missed out on the Sydney Games in 2000 due to discrimination against women and prohibition in sports of any kind. The country was reinstated after the fall of the Taliban, and it returned to the Olympics in 2004.

While 2000 is the nation’s lone ban, it did boycott in 1976 and 1984 for various political reasons. They also did not participate in ’56 or ’92.

Austria

Years banned: 1920

Austria was one of four nations banned from the 1920 competition, marking the first instance in which countries had been officially barred from the Olympic field.

That, of course, came soon after World War I. Austria, previously a member of the fallen Central Powers, was able to return in 1924.

Belarus

Years banned: 2024, 2026

Belarus, as mentioned in the intro, is one of two countries banned from the 2026 competition in Italy. They also missed the ’24 Summer Games in Paris.

Its omission stems from the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That conflict still persists today. As a result, athletes from the area cannot represent the country, but only participate as “Individual Neutral Athletes.”

Bulgaria

Years banned: 1948

Bulgaria was banned from the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. That event was known as the first Games to come after World War II.

The nation’s role in the fighting contributed to its omission, as well as the temporary banishment of two other countries. Bulgaria would, however, be able to participate later that year in the 1948 Winter Games in Switzerland.

Germany

Years banned: 1920, 1924, 1948

Germany has been banned three times in the history of the Olympics. Each followed the conclusion of a World War.

After WWI, the nation was one of four barred in 1920, though its omission also extended into the ’24 Games in Paris, unlike the others. After WWII, it was one of three countries left out of the 1948 field in both Summer and Winter competition.

Hungary

Years banned: 1920

Hungary, too, was banned from the 1920 Olympics due to its involvement with the Central Powers in World War I. The nation would, however, return in 1924.

Since, it’s competed in every other Summer and Winter Games excluding the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, which it turned down as part of the Soviet-led boycott.

India

Years banned: 2014

India was initially barred from competition in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia due governmental interference in the autonomy of the country’s National Olympic Committee.

At that point, athletes were only allowed to participate under an “Independent Olympic Athlete” tag. Midway through the Games, the suspension was lifted. From then on, participants were able to represent the nation’s flag.

Japan

Years banned: 1948

Japan, like many others already mentioned on this list, was banned following the conclusion of a World War. Specifically, World War II.

The country missed out on both the 1948 Summer and Winter Olympics. It would, however, be allowed to return to both in 1952. It would later join an American-led boycott of the 1980 Games in Russia.

Kuwait

Years banned: 2016

Kuwait missed the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil with the Kuwait Olympic Committee suspended by the International Olympic Committee for governmental interference.

It was, however, allowed to send athletes under the “Independent Olympic Athlete” banner which allowed Fehaid Al-Deehani to take gold in the men’s double trap event.

Unable to claim that gold, Kuwait still has just three medals (all bronze) to its name. The country officially returned for the 2020 Games in Japan.

North Korea

Years banned: 2022

North Korea chose not to send participants to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, citing concerns amid the COVID pandemic. As a result, it was barred from the 2022 Winter Games amid an International Olympic Committee suspension.

The country has also been a part of two boycotts, one of which was led by the Soviets in 1984, and one of which North Korea led ahead of the ’88 Games in South Korea.

It is not competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics, but only because no athletes qualified.

Russia

Years banned: 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026

Russia has missed a number of Olympic Games for a variety of different reasons. They’ve each come since 2018.

In 2017, the country was suspended from competition due to a state-sponsored doping scandal. Athletes were allowed to compete as “Olympic Athletes of Russia” in 2018. The suspension continued into the 2020 Summer and 2022 Winter Games with athletes representing the “Russian Olympic Committee.”

The country has missed the 2024 Summer and 2026 Winter Olympics for a different reason, though. Like Belarus, it’s been barred for its role in the Invasion of Ukraine.

South Africa

Years banned: 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988

South Africa has been barred from the most Olympic competition on this list. The nation was not invited to either the Summer or Winter Games from 1964-1988.

That ban stemmed from racial segregation under the country’s policy of apartheid. It made its return to the field in 1992 and has competed ever since.

Turkey

Years banned: 1920

Following World War I, Turkey did not receive an invite to the 1920 Summer Olympics in Belgium. It joined Germany, Austria, and Hungary in that omission.

It returned in ’24 and ’28 but missed the ’32 edition due to the Great Depression, as did many others. It was also part of the 1980 American-led boycott of the Moscow Games.

Zimbabwe

Years banned: 1972, 1976

Then known as Rhodesia, it was expelled four days after the start of the 1972 Olympics due to legitimacy concerns from other African countries that threatened to boycott.

The ban continued into 1976 due to the International Olympic Committee’s poor view of the country’s sporting facilities. Successor state Zimbabwe was allowed to compete in 1980, and it has ever since.