National Olympic Committee Explained

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.

National Olympic Committees

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]

Listed NOCs

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.

Africa (ANOCA)

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

Americas (Panam Sports)

1: National Olympic committee also a member of the Commonwealth Games Federation

Asia (OCA)

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.

Europe (EOC)

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]

Oceania (ONOC)

1: National Olympic Committee is an associate member of the ONOC but not an ANOC member.

Notes

Divisions

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
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa54 Egypt (1910) South Sudan (2015)
Pan American Sports Organization41 United States (1894) Dominica (1993)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (1993)
Saint Lucia (1993)
Olympic Council of Asia44[31] Japan (1912) Timor-Leste (2003)
European Olympic Committees50 France (1894) Kosovo (2014)
Oceania National Olympic Committees17 Australia (1895) Tuvalu (2007)

See the article for each continental association for the complete lists of all NOCs.

Unrecognized National Olympic Committees

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]

Olympic Sport

Name of organizationSportNon-IOC member is member in world levelNon-IOC member is only member in continental levelCase of Great Britain
FIFAAssociation footballAnguilla, 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 AquaticsSwimming Anguilla, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Macau, China, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Northern Mariana IslandsAs Great Britain
World AthleticsAthletics Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Gibraltar, Macau, China, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Sint Maarten, CuraçaoAs Great Britain
World Archery FederationArchery Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Falkland Islands, Macau, China, Faroe IslandsAs Great Britain
Badminton World FederationBadminton 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
FIBABasketball Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Macau, China, GibraltarAs Great Britain
International Boxing Association (amateur)Amateur boxing Anguilla, Tahiti, Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Macau, China, Gibraltar England, Scotland, Wales
International Canoe FederationCanoeing Sint Maarten, Tahiti, Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Cycling UnionCycling Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Macau, China VaticanAs Great Britain
World DanceSport FederationDanceSport Macau, China England, Scotland, Wales
International Federation for Equestrian SportsEquestrian England, Scotland, Wales
International Federation of Sport ClimbingSport Climbing Macau, China New CaledoniaAs Great Britain
International Fencing FederationFencing Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Golf FederationGolf England, Scotland, Wales
International Gymnastics FederationGymnastics England, Scotland, Wales
International Handball FederationHandball Faroe Islands, Greenland, French Guiana, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain, but England and Scotland are association members
International Hockey FederationField hockey Macau, China, Gibraltar England, Scotland, Wales; but Great Britain is adherent member
International Judo FederationJudo Macau, China, Niue, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion, Faroe Islands, CuraçaoAs Great Britain
International Modern Pentathlon UnionModern pentathlonAs Great Britain
World Rowing FederationRowing GibraltarAs Great Britain
World RugbyRugby union Niue New Caledonia, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Macau, China, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Curaçao, Reunion, Mayotte England, Scotland, Wales
World SailingSailing Tahiti, Netherlands AntillesAs Great Britain
International Shooting Sport FederationShooting sports Faroe Islands, Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Surfing AssociationSurfing Hawaii, Tahiti, Channel Islands England, Scotland, Wales
ITTFTable 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 TaekwondoTaekwondo Isle of Man, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, VaticanAs Great Britain
ITFTennis Tahiti, Curaçao, Macau, China, Anguilla, Bonaire, Norfolk Islands, Northern Mariana Islands Sint Maarten, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French GuianaAs Great Britain
World TriathlonTriathlon Gibraltar, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Northern Mariana IslandsAs Great Britain
Fédération Internationale de VolleyballVolleyball 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 FederationOlympic 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 WrestlingAmateur wrestling Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Northern Mariana Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, CuraçaoAs Great Britain
International Bobsleigh and Skeleton FederationBobsleigh and SkeletonAs Great Britain
International Biathlon UnionBiathlon GreenlandAs Great Britain

Association of IOC Recognized International Sports Federations

Name of organizationSportNon-IOC member is member in world levelNon-IOC member is only member in continental levelCase of Great Britain
World Pool-Billiard AssociationPool (cue sports) North Cyprus, Bonaire, Curaçao, Tahiti, Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Billiards and Snooker FederationSnooker and English billiards (amateur) Isle of ManNone
Union Mondiale de BillardCarom billiards North Cyprus, Isle of Man, CuraçaoNone
Tug of War International FederationTug of War Channel Islands, Basque Country, Macau, China England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
International Wushu FederationWushu New Caledonia, Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
Confédération Mondiale des Activités SubaquatiquesUnderwater sport Tahiti, Northern Mariana IslandsAs Great Britain
World Squash FederationSquash Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Macau, China, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Norfolk Island England, Scotland, Wales
Union Internationale MotonautiquePowerboating Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
Federation of International PoloPolo England
International Orienteering FederationOrienteering Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Life Saving FederationLifesaving Macau, China, Faroe IslandsAs Great Britain
World SkateRoller sports Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Federation of Muaythai AssociationsMuay Thai Macau, China, TahitiAs Great Britain
World LacrosseLacrosse Catalonia, Curaçao, Haudenosaunee, Macau, China, England, Scotland, Wales
International Floorball FederationFloorball Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
World Flying Disc FederationFlying Disc Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
International Bowling FederationBowling Catalonia, Macau, China, Jersey, Gibraltar, Northern Mariana Islands, Curaçao Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
World Karate FederationKarate Macau, China, Martinique, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, CuraçaoGreat Britain is full member, but Home Nations participate separately as England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
World Bridge FederationContract bridge Faroe Islands, Macau, China, Reunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe England, Scotland, Wales
International Federation Icestocksportice stock sportAs Great Britain
International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation(3-Event Waterskiing), Wakeboard, Barefoot, Show Skiing, Cable Wakeboard, Cableski, Ski Racing, and Disabled SkiingAs Great Britain
World Association of Kickboxing OrganizationsKickboxing Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
Fédération Internationale de MotocyclismeMotorcycle racing Macau, ChinaAs Great Britain
FIDEChess Faroe Islands, Macau, China, Netherlands Antilles, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales
International Racquetball FederationRacquetball Catalonia, Saipan England
Fédération Internationale de SamboSamboAs Great Britain
International Ski Mountaineering FederationSki MountaineeringAs Great Britain
International Climbing and Mountaineering FederationClimbing and MountaineeringAs Great Britain
International Sumo FederationSumoAs Great Britain
International Cricket CouncilCricket, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Saint Helena, Faroe Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Falkland Islands Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat, Sint Maarten England, Scotland

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Olympic Committees . International Olympic Committee.
  2. Web site: Palestine . International Olympic Committee.
  3. Web site: Kosovo . International Olympic Committee.
  4. Web site: Chinese Taipei . International Olympic Committee.
  5. Web site: Cook Islands . International Olympic Committee.
  6. Web site: American Samoa . International Olympic Committee.
  7. Web site: Guam .
  8. Web site: Puerto Rico . International Olympic Committee.
  9. Web site: Virgin Islands, US . International Olympic Committee.
  10. Web site: Bermuda . International Olympic Committee.
  11. Web site: Virgin Islands, British . International Olympic Committee.
  12. Web site: Cayman Islands . International Olympic Committee.
  13. Web site: Aruba . International Olympic Committee.
  14. Web site: Hong Kong, China . International Olympic Committee.
  15. Web site: Overseas Territories (3rd February 2012) . Publications.parliament.uk . 2014-01-23.
  16. Web site: Faroe Islands . 2023-02-12 . International Paralympic Committee . en.
  17. Web site: Macao, China . 2023-02-12 . International Paralympic Committee . en.
  18. Web site: Status of Treaties – Niue . United Nations Treaty Collection. 1975-12-02 . 2023-10-17.
  19. Web site: Niue . insidethegames.biz . 2012-10-30 . 2023-10-17.
  20. Web site: 127th IOC Session comes to close in Monaco. International Olympic Committee. 9 December 2014. 6 August 2016. The NOC of Kosovo met the requirements for recognition as outlined in the Olympic Charter. These include the sport and technical requirements as well as the definition of "country" as defined in Rule 30.1 – "an independent State recognised by the international community". Kosovo is recognised as a country by 108 of the 193 UN Member States..
  21. Web site: Executive Board concludes first meeting of the new year. 13 January 2011. 13 January 2011. olympic.org ("Official website of the Olympic movement").
  22. Web site: Curtain comes down on 123rd IOC Session. Olympic.org.
  23. Web site: Belize - National Olympic Committee (NOC). 27 July 2021.
  24. Web site: Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association: ANOC.
  25. https://olympics.com/ioc/people-s-republic-of-china
  26. https://olympics.com/ioc/hong-kong-china
  27. https://olympics.com/ioc/chinese-taipei
  28. https://olympics.com/ioc/czechia Czechia
  29. https://olympics.com/ioc/turkiye Türkiye
  30. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-executive-board-suspends-russian-olympic-committee-with-immediate-effect IOC Executive Board suspends Russian Olympic Committee with immediate effect
  31. The OCA includes 45 NOCs; the Macau Sports and Olympic Committee is not recognized by the IOC and Macau does not compete at the Olympic Games.
  32. Web site: For the Faroe Islands, Paralympics offer rare chance to wave the flag on global stage . 25 August 2021 . The Japan Times . 27 November 2021 .
  33. Book: Hargreaves, John. Freedom for Catalonia? : Catalan nationalism, Spanish identity and the Barcelona Olympic Games. 2000. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. 9780521586153. [Online-Ausg.]..
  34. Web site: andalucia.com . andalucia.com . 20 June 2012.
  35. Web site: Full Page – Niue Island Sports Association and National Olympic Committee – FOX SPORTS PULSE . Sportingpulse.com . 2014-01-23.
  36. Web site: New Caledonia National Olympic Committee . SportingPulse . 16 August 2010.
  37. Web site: Centro Caribe Sports Members . . 2023-08-21.
  38. Web site: ODESUR CON's . . 2023-08-21.
  39. Web site: CANOC Members . canoc.net . 26 October 2023 .
  40. Web site: Display Article . Kurdishglobe.net . 16 January 2010 . 16 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716183114/http://www.kurdishglobe.net/displayArticle.jsp?id=11301963491D9371927E24F3508532C6 . 16 July 2011 .
  41. Web site: Archived copy . 10 October 2009 . 17 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201017023204/http://www.sportcountries.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/conference_2008/INSCRITS_DEFINITIU.pdf . dead .
  42. Web site: Turkish Cypriots denied access to London Olympics 2012 . 6 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402180615/http://cyprusscene.com/2012/08/11/743/ . 2 April 2015 . dead .
  43. Web site: Website ka wasaaradda Dhalinyaradda Iyo Ciyaaraha Somaliland - Homepage . Somalilandolympics.org . 18 January 2010 . 16 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130618230851/http://somalilandolympics.org/ . 18 June 2013 .
  44. Web site: Smoltczyk . Alexander . The ABC Republic: Abkhazia Attempts to Invent Itself . Der Spiegel. 2009-08-27 . 2014-01-23.
  45. Web site: Native Americans seek recognition . Nativevoices.org . 27 February 2006 . 16 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928082652/http://www.nativevoices.org/articles/native_plympic_team.htm . 28 September 2011 .
  46. Web site: Jim Thorpe's Sons Bolster Native American Olympic Dream : Fri, 10 Jul 2009 : eNewsChannels . Enewschannels.com . 10 July 2009 . 16 August 2010.
  47. Web site: В Южной Осетии продолжат работу над созданием национального олимпийского комитета - Политика, выборы, власть - Новости - ИА REGNUM . Regnum.ru . 2014-01-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140219002141/http://www.regnum.ru/news/fd-abroad/polit/1757978.html . 19 February 2014 .
  48. News: Zanzibar loses membership in Caf U-turn . BBC Sport .
  49. Web site: Senior Challenge Cup - CECAFA FOOTBALL . 13 July 2014 .
  50. Web site: Ethiopia score five against Zanzibar in CECAFA Senior Women's Championship .