A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games. They may nominate cities within their respective areas as candidates for future Olympic Games. NOCs also promote the development of athletes and the training of coaches and officials at a national level within their geographies.
As of 2023, there are 206 National Olympic Committees.[1] These include each of the 193 member states of the United Nations, one UN observer state (Palestine[2]), two states without UN recognition (Kosovo[3] and Taiwan[4]) and one associated state of New Zealand (the Cook Islands[5]).
There are also nine dependent territories with recognized NOCs: four territories of the United States (American Samoa,[6] Guam,[7] Puerto Rico,[8] and the United States Virgin Islands[9]), three British Overseas Territories (Bermuda,[10] the British Virgin Islands,[11] and the Cayman Islands[12]), one constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba[13]) and one special administrative region of China (Hong Kong[14]).
Prior to 1996, rules for recognizing dependent territories or constituent countries as separate countries within the IOC were not as strict as those within the United Nations, which allowed these territories to field teams separately from their sovereign state. Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent country by the international community.[15] Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories and constituent countries which were recognized before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands[16] and Macau[17] send their own Paralympic teams.
The only state which thus qualifies to participate in the future is the Vatican City, a UN observer state. Niue, an associated state of New Zealand, could also be eligible as it conducts its own foreign relations and participates independently in UN specialized agencies and treaties,[18] though this is unclear.[19] Currently, all other remaining states are ineligible to join the IOC as they are not recognized by a majority of United Nations member countries.[20] Constituent countries and dependent territories such as Curaçao, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Macau, New Caledonia and French Polynesia can also no longer be recognized, so athletes from these territories can only participate in the Olympics as part of their parent nation's national team. This rule also applies to territories experiencing a change in status – the Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee was dissolved at the 123rd IOC session in July 2011 as the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist in 2010.[21] [22]
For those countries and territories that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations, their National Olympic Committees usually also serve as the members of the Commonwealth Games Association, though not for the constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), nor for Canada or Australia, who maintain separate organisations for Commonwealth and Olympic sport. For the other Commonwealth members, their NOCs are responsible for organising and overseeing their national teams at the Commonwealth Games.[23] [24]
This section lists the current:
The ANOC members are eligible to enter the Olympic Games. Some National Olympic Committees who are members of a continental Olympic association but not ANOC members compete in continental-level and subregional-level tournaments. These committees, however, are not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.
The five continental Olympic associations are:
The IOC runs the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games as competitions in which all IOC-recognized NOCs can participate. Each continent also runs its own championships for their members:
While not continental unions in themselves, the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees (UANOC) and International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM) organize multi-sport events between Arabic-speaking countries and Mediterranean countries respectively. All 22 National Olympic Committees that form the UANOC and the 26 from CIJM are also members of either the ANOCA, EOC or OCA and are eligible to send their athletes to either the African, European or Asian Games. National Olympic Committees from the UANOC and CIJM are noted in the list below.
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1: National Olympic Committee is a member of the UANOC.
2: National Olympic Committee is a member of the CIJM.
3: National Olympic Committee is also National Commonwealth Games Association
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1: National Olympic committee also a member of the Commonwealth Games Federation
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1: National Olympic Committee is a member of the UANOC.
2: National Olympic Committee is a member of the OCA but not an ANOC member.
3: Official name used by the IOC, ANOC and OCA for the Republic of China (Taiwan).
4: National Olympic Committee is a member of the CIJM.
5: National Olympic committee also the national Commonwealth Games Association.
1: Israel was a member of the OCA, but was expelled from the organization between 1952 to 1981. Joined the EOC in 1994.
2: National Olympic Committee is a member of the CIJM.
3: National Olympic committee also the national Commonwealth Games Association.
4: National Olympic Committee is suspended by the IOC.[30]
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1: National Olympic Committee is an associate member of the ONOC but not an ANOC member.
The NOCs are all members of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), which is also split among five continental associations:
Association | NOCs | Oldest NOC | Newest NOC | ||
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Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa | 54 | Egypt (1910) | South Sudan (2015) | ||
Pan American Sports Organization | 41 | United States (1894) | Dominica (1993) Saint Kitts and Nevis (1993) Saint Lucia (1993) | ||
Olympic Council of Asia | 44[31] | Japan (1912) | Timor-Leste (2003) | ||
European Olympic Committees | 50 | France (1894) | Kosovo (2014) | ||
Oceania National Olympic Committees | 17 | Australia (1895) | Tuvalu (2007) |
See the article for each continental association for the complete lists of all NOCs.
The Faroe Islands and Macau both have recognized National Paralympic Committees and compete at the Paralympic Games. However, neither territory's National Olympic Committee is recognized by the IOC, so they cannot participate in the Olympics.[32] Macau remains recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia and takes part in the Asian Games.
Other existing countries/regions with unrecognized Olympic committees: Catalonia,[33] Gibraltar,[34] French Polynesia, Niue,[35] New Caledonia,[36] Curaçao,[37] [38] Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Sint Maarten, the Northern Mariana Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks & Caicos Islands,[39] Transnistria, Kurdistan,[40] [41] Northern Cyprus,[42] Somaliland,[43] Abkhazia,[44] and Native Americans.[45] [46]
It was reported in 2014 that South Ossetia intend to establish a National Olympic Committee.[47]
Name of organization | Sport | Non-IOC member is member in world level | Non-IOC member is only member in continental level | Case of Great Britain | |
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FIFA | Association football | Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Curaçao, Macau, China, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Tahiti, New Caledonia | Northern Mariana Islands, Sint Maarten, Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe,, French Guiana, Bonaire, Reunion (club competitions only), Zanzibar (club and CECAFA competitions only)[48] [49] [50]) | England, Scotland, Wales, | |
World Aquatics | Swimming | Anguilla, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Macau, China, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Northern Mariana Islands | As Great Britain | ||
World Athletics | Athletics | Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Gibraltar, Macau, China, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, | New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Sint Maarten, Curaçao | As Great Britain | |
World Archery Federation | Archery | Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Falkland Islands, Macau, China, Faroe Islands | As Great Britain | ||
Badminton World Federation | Badminton | Curaçao, Tahiti, Gibraltar, Greenland, Falkland Islands, Macau, China, Faroe Islands, Saint Helena, Norfolk Island, Isle of Man, Reunion, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Martinique, Northern Mariana Islands, Wallis and Futuna | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
FIBA | Basketball | Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Macau, China, Gibraltar | As Great Britain | ||
International Boxing Association (amateur) | Amateur boxing | Anguilla, Tahiti, Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Macau, China, Gibraltar | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Canoe Federation | Canoeing | Sint Maarten, Tahiti, Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Cycling Union | Cycling | Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Macau, China Vatican | As Great Britain | ||
World DanceSport Federation | DanceSport | Macau, China | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Federation for Equestrian Sports | Equestrian | England, Scotland, Wales | |||
International Federation of Sport Climbing | Sport Climbing | Macau, China | New Caledonia | As Great Britain | |
International Fencing Federation | Fencing | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Golf Federation | Golf | England, Scotland, Wales | |||
International Gymnastics Federation | Gymnastics | England, Scotland, Wales | |||
International Handball Federation | Handball | Faroe Islands, Greenland, French Guiana, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Macau, China | As Great Britain, but England and Scotland are association members | ||
International Hockey Federation | Field hockey | Macau, China, Gibraltar | England, Scotland, Wales; but Great Britain is adherent member | ||
International Judo Federation | Judo | Macau, China, Niue, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion, Faroe Islands, Curaçao | As Great Britain | ||
International Modern Pentathlon Union | Modern pentathlon | As Great Britain | |||
World Rowing Federation | Rowing | Gibraltar | As Great Britain | ||
World Rugby | Rugby union | Niue | New Caledonia, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Macau, China, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Curaçao, Reunion, Mayotte | England, Scotland, Wales | |
World Sailing | Sailing | Tahiti, Netherlands Antilles | As Great Britain | ||
International Shooting Sport Federation | Shooting sports | Faroe Islands, Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Surfing Association | Surfing | Hawaii, Tahiti, Channel Islands | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
ITTF | Table tennis | Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Macau, China, Tahiti, Falkland Islands, Sint Maarten, Northern Mariana Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
World Taekwondo | Taekwondo | Isle of Man, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Vatican | As Great Britain | ||
ITF | Tennis | Tahiti, Curaçao, Macau, China, Anguilla, Bonaire, Norfolk Islands, Northern Mariana Islands | Sint Maarten, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana | As Great Britain | |
World Triathlon | Triathlon | Gibraltar, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Northern Mariana Islands | As Great Britain | ||
Fédération Internationale de Volleyball | Volleyball | Macau, China, Gibraltar, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Tahiti, Northern Mariana Islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saint-Martin, Curaçao | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Weightlifting Federation | Olympic weightlifting | Zanzibar, Niue, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Northern Mariana Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Curaçao | Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales | ||
United World Wrestling | Amateur wrestling | Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Northern Mariana Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Curaçao | As Great Britain | ||
International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation | Bobsleigh and Skeleton | As Great Britain | |||
International Biathlon Union | Biathlon | Greenland | As Great Britain |
Name of organization | Sport | Non-IOC member is member in world level | Non-IOC member is only member in continental level | Case of Great Britain | |
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World Pool-Billiard Association | Pool (cue sports) | North Cyprus, Bonaire, Curaçao, Tahiti, Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Billiards and Snooker Federation | Snooker and English billiards (amateur) | Isle of Man | None | ||
Union Mondiale de Billard | Carom billiards | North Cyprus, Isle of Man, Curaçao | None | ||
Tug of War International Federation | Tug of War | Channel Islands, Basque Country, Macau, China | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | ||
International Wushu Federation | Wushu | New Caledonia, Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques | Underwater sport | Tahiti, Northern Mariana Islands | As Great Britain | ||
World Squash Federation | Squash | Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Norfolk Island | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
Union Internationale Motonautique | Powerboating | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
Federation of International Polo | Polo | England | |||
International Orienteering Federation | Orienteering | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Life Saving Federation | Lifesaving | Macau, China, Faroe Islands | As Great Britain | ||
World Skate | Roller sports | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Federation of Muaythai Associations | Muay Thai | Macau, China, Tahiti | As Great Britain | ||
World Lacrosse | Lacrosse | Catalonia, Curaçao, Haudenosaunee, Macau, China, | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Floorball Federation | Floorball | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
World Flying Disc Federation | Flying Disc | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
International Bowling Federation | Bowling | Catalonia, Macau, China, Jersey, Gibraltar, Northern Mariana Islands, Curaçao | Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | ||
World Karate Federation | Karate | Macau, China, Martinique, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Curaçao | Great Britain is full member, but Home Nations participate separately as England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland | ||
World Bridge Federation | Contract bridge | Faroe Islands, Macau, China, Reunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Federation Icestocksport | ice stock sport | As Great Britain | |||
International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation | (3-Event Waterskiing), Wakeboard, Barefoot, Show Skiing, Cable Wakeboard, Cableski, Ski Racing, and Disabled Skiing | As Great Britain | |||
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations | Kickboxing | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme | Motorcycle racing | Macau, China | As Great Britain | ||
FIDE | Chess | Faroe Islands, Macau, China, Netherlands Antilles, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, | England, Scotland, Wales | ||
International Racquetball Federation | Racquetball | Catalonia, Saipan | England | ||
Fédération Internationale de Sambo | Sambo | As Great Britain | |||
International Ski Mountaineering Federation | Ski Mountaineering | As Great Britain | |||
International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation | Climbing and Mountaineering | As Great Britain | |||
International Sumo Federation | Sumo | As Great Britain | |||
International Cricket Council | Cricket | , Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Saint Helena, Faroe Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Falkland Islands | Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat, Sint Maarten | England, Scotland |