Unified Team

After the break up of the Soviet Union, most of the subsequent independent states competed under the banner of 'The Unified Team' at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The unified team consisted of twelve of the fifteen former Soviet republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania competed separately.

The Unified Team finished on top of the medal tally with 45 gold, 38 silver, and 29 bronze medals; a total of 112 medals.

Trivia

The official French name used was Equipe Unifiée, therefore the abbreviation EUN which appeared in the result listings.

Gymnast Vitaly Scherbo of the Unified Team won six gold medals in gymnastics in Barcelona 1992.

Ibragim Samadov, who represented the Unified Team at the 1992 Olympics weightlifting, finished in equal first in the 82.5 kg division, but was relegated to 3rd on a countback due to him being 0.05 kg heavier. In protest, he refused to lean forward to accept his medal, instead took it in his hand then dropped it. The IOC subsequently disqualified him.

Other 'Unified Teams'

There are other examples of teams made up of two or more countries competing at the Olympic Games, such as the East and West German teams competing as the Unified Team of Germany at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympic Games. In 2000 and 2004, North and South Korea's teams marched together under one flag in the opening ceremonies, but competed separately.

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