Russia at The Olympics

Russia At The Olympics

Russia has competed at the modern Olympic Games on many occasions, but as different nations in its history. As the Russian Empire, the nation first competed at the 1900 Games, and returned again in 1908 and 1912. After the Russian revolution in 1917, and the subsequent establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, it would be thirty years until Russian athletes once again competed at the Olympics, as the Soviet Union at the 1952 Summer Olympics. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia competed as part of the Unified Team in 1992, and finally returned once again as Russia at the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and Russia will host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Russian athletes have won a total of 398 medals at the Summer Olympic Games and another 91 at the Winter Olympic Games. Over the most recent ten Games (since 1994), Russia's 489 total medals, including 169 gold medals, are second only to the United States (with 631 and 237, respectively).

The Russian Olympic Committee was created in 1991 and recognized in 1993.