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Atlanta 1996 marked a milestone in the IOC’s ongoing mission to use the Olympic Games to unite the world in sporting harmony. For the first time, all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) invited to send athletes did so. This resulted in 6,806 men and 3,512 women, totalling 10,318 athletes, representing 197 NOCs, taking part. 

Atlanta 1996: Unity in diversity - Olympic News

Among those NOCs, athletes representing all the former Soviet republics attended an Olympic Games for the first time. Burundi, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Palestine and Hong Kong also sent competitors.

Unity in diversity has long been a central pillar for the Olympic Movement, and this was reflected at Atlanta 1996. This motto has continued to grow in prominence. The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 featured athletes from 205 NOCs and the Refugee Olympic Team, who made its debut at Rio 2016.

Unity in diversity

Unity-in-diversity

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