If they're not represented at the Olympics in Japan, they've done amazingly well as absentees, given that they've won one gold medal, three silver medals and one bronze medal so far ;-)
There are 206 independent nations in the world and I’m sure when I was watching the opening ceremony they said there were 207 competing!
So if that is right it means there’s one extra which isn’t a country: isn’t there a “stateless athletes” provision? Wasn’t there a taekwondo competitor who was a political refugee from Iran? Who actually defeated her “official” Iranian opponent.
I see one athlete from Belarus may be claiming political asylum …
Sorry from Buenchico’s fascinating link I see that it’s actually 206 Olympic nations, which isn’t quite the same thing.
It’s not clear if the Vatican counts among those. If so, then that means there are 205 competing and if my overheard 207 is correct then somehow 2 extra
Ichkeria:
The only UN-recognised country that doesn't have Olympic status is the Vatican. Of the 206 'countries' (which includes several 'territories', such as Anguilla) which are entitled to be represented in Japan, only North Korea has opted not to take part.
[See my link above].
Russia was barred from entering a team because of the drugs scandal but they were allowed to enter a team with Russia getting no credit for successes and no national anthem played.
It’s a ludicrous situation with Russia. Banned for shameless government sponsored doping, the IOC have effectively caved in by allowing them back as long as they are called something else, don’t use their flag and don’t play their anthem
Funnily enough I did wonder what ROC stood for to begin with; I did consider “Republic of China” at one point, which is what Taiwan really calls itself; that really would have had Mr Xi and his merry band in meltdown.
It’s actually “Republic of Cheats” ;-)