1928 Summer Olympics#Participating nations

Dutch nobleman Frederik van Tuyll van Serooskerken first proposed Amsterdam as the host city for the Summer Olympic Games in 1912, even before the Netherlands Olympic Committee was established.

The Olympic Games were canceled in 1916 due to World War I. In 1919, the Netherlands Olympic Committee abandoned the proposal of Amsterdam in favor of their support for the nomination of Antwerp as host city for the 1920 Summer Olympics. In 1921, Paris was selected for the 1924 Summer Olympics on the condition that the 1928 Summer Olympics would be organized in Amsterdam. This decision, supported by the Netherlands Olympic Committee, was announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 2 June 1921.

Los Angeles' bid for the 1928 Summer Olympics was unsuccessful in 1922 and again in 1923.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1923/04/06/archives/america-bids-for-games-olympics-of-1928-may-be-held-in-this-country.html|title=America Bids for Games: Olympics of 1928 May be Held in This Country|url-access=subscription|date=6 April 1923|newspaper=The New York Times|page=15}} The city was eventually selected as host city for the 1932 Summer Olympics, being the only bidder for that year.{{rp|p.915}}

{{trivia section|date=February 2025}}

• These were the first Olympics to be organized under the IOC presidency of Henri de Baillet-Latour.
• A symbolic fire was lit for the first time during the Olympics, a tradition that continues today.{{cite web|title=Amsterdam 1928|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/amsterdam-1928|publisher=Olympics.com|access-date=12 February 2023}} The first Olympic flame and torch relay, however, would not take place until the 1936 Summer Olympics.
• For the first time, the parade of nations started with Greece, which holds the origins of the Olympics, and ended with the host country, a tradition that has continued ever since.
• The events were entirely funded through private donations with the government of the host nation providing no financial support for the first time.{{Cite book |last=Stanton |first=Richard |title=The forgotten Olympic art competitions: the story of the Olympic art competitions of the 20th century |date=2000 |publisher=Trafford |isbn=978-1-55212-606-6 |location=Victoria}}
• The Games were officially opened by Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina, who had authorized her husband to deputize for her.{{cite web|url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1928/1928.pdf|title=The Ninth Olympiad Amsterdam 1928 Official Report, Netherlands Olympic Committee|editor=G. Van Rossem|publisher=J. H. de Bussy|year=1928|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408184510/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1928/1928.pdf|archive-date=8 April 2008}}{{rp|p.294}} The Queen was unable to attend the opening ceremony as she was on holiday in Norway and did not want to disrupt her trip.{{cite web |title=The 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam were officially opened by the Netherlands' Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina, who had authorized him to deputize for her |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/index.php/articles/16361/the-1928-olympics-in-amsterdam-were-officially-opened-by-the-netherlands-prince-hendrik-consort-of-queen-wilhelmina-who-had-authorised-him-to-deputise-for-her |website=insidethegames.biz |date=26 March 2012 |access-date=6 December 2020 }} This was the second time a head of state had not personally officiated at an Olympic opening ceremony (the first occasion being the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, which were officially opened by David R. Francis, the Mayor of St. Louis). The Queen had initially refused to appear at either the opening or closing ceremony; it is thought that she objected to the Netherlands hosting the 1928 Games as she considered the Olympics a demonstration of paganism.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/1928-amsterdam-netherlands-1.1173804|title=1928: Amsterdam, Netherlands|date=15 June 2012|publisher=CBC Sports|access-date=11 October 2018}} However, she returned from Norway before the conclusion of the Games, to be present at the closing ceremony,{{cite web |title=Queen Withelmina Presents Medals to Athletes as Olympics Officially Close; 9TH OLYMPIC GAMES OFFICIALLY CLOSED Queen Wilhelmina, Princess Juliana and Prince Consort Henry at Final Ceremonies. VICTORS RECEIVE MEDALS Queen Assists in Presentation of Prizes--Americans Take 54, Largest Number. 40,000 CROWD THE STADIUM Court Baillet-Latour, the Olympic President, Proclaims End of the Games at Amsterdam. Holland and Poland Tied. Prize Winners on Field. America's Total Large. 34 Medals for Canada. (Published 1928) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1928/08/13/archives/queen-withelmina-presents-medals-to-athletes-as-olympics-officially.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=6 December 2020 |date=13 August 1928}} and she presented the first prizes at the prize distribution which was held immediately beforehand.{{rp|p.913}}
• The American company Coca-Cola made its first appearance as an official sponsor of the Olympic Games, remaining the oldest Olympic sponsor to this day.[https://olympics.com/ioc/partners/coca-cola-mengniu International Olympic Committee: The Coca-Cola Company is the longest-standing partner of the Olympic Movement, having supported every Olympic Games since 1928].
• Many cars were expected for the Games, but Amsterdam had at most 2,000 single-car parking spaces. Consequently, several new parking sites were provided, and a special parking symbol was launched to show foreign visitors where they could park. The white P on a blue background was to become the international traffic sign for parking, which is still used today.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/news/how-amsterdam-1928-changed-the-face-of-car-parking-forever|title=How Amsterdam 1928 changed the face of car parking forever|date=4 May 2018|publisher=IOC|access-date=12 October 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportgeschiedenis.nl/2012/12/06/parkeerbord-is-speciaal-bedacht-voor-de-olympische-spelen-van-1928.aspx|title=Parkeerbord is speciaal bedacht voor de Olympische Spelen van 1928|trans-title=The parking sign was specially designed for the 1928 Olympics|last=van de Vooren|first=Jurryt|date=12 June 2012|website=Sportgeschiedenis.nl|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220201056/http://www.sportgeschiedenis.nl/2012/12/06/parkeerbord-is-speciaal-bedacht-voor-de-olympische-spelen-van-1928.aspx|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}}
• These Games were the first to bear the name "Summer Olympic Games", to distinguish them from the Winter Olympic Games (held since 1924).
• These Games were the first to feature a fixed schedule of sixteen days, which is still followed since 1984. In previous Olympics, competition had been stretched out over several months.
• Athletics events were held on a 400-meter track, later becoming the standard for athletics tracks.
• Germany returned to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1912, after being banned from the 1920 and 1924 Games due to its role in World War I. The German team immediately finished second in the 1928 medal count.
• South American football made a definite breakthrough, as Uruguay retained its title by defeating Argentina.
• India took its first ever gold medal in field hockey, beginning a streak of six consecutive gold medals in the sport.

• Paavo Nurmi of Finland won his ninth, and final, gold medal in the 10,000 m race.
• Canadian athlete Percy Williams exceeded expectations by winning both the 100 m and 200 m sprint events.
• Crown Prince Olav, who would later become King of Norway, won a gold medal in the 6 meter sailing event.
• Pat O'Callaghan won the first ever medal for a newly independent Ireland, taking gold in the hammer throw.
• Mikio Oda of Japan won the triple jump event with a result of {{convert|15.21|m|ftin|2|abbr=on}}, becoming the first gold medalist from an Asian country.
• Betty Robinson of the USA won the women's 100 metres in a world record time of 12.2 seconds. She was still just 16 years of age at the time.
• Algerian-born marathon runner Boughera El Ouafi won a gold medal for France in the men's marathon.
• Johnny Weissmuller, who later appeared in several Tarzan movies, won two gold medals in swimming: an individual gold in the men's 100 m freestyle, and a team gold in the men's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.{{cite book|last=Kirsch|first=George B.|last2=Othello |first2=Harris|last3=Nolte |first3=Claire Elaine|title=Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States|publisher=Greenwood |year=2000|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofet0000unse_u6f6/page/488 488]|isbn=0-313-29911-0|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofet0000unse_u6f6/page/488}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/we/johnny-weissmuller-1.html |title=Johnny Weissmuller |website=SR |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229120721/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/we/johnny-weissmuller-1.html |archive-date=29 December 2008 |access-date=12 November 2015}}

During the 1928 Summer Olympics, there were 14 sports, 20 disciplines and 109 events in the tournament. In parentheses is the number of events per discipline.{{rp|pp.973–985}}

{{Columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Aquatics
• {{GamesSport|Diving|Events=4|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Swimming|Events=11|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Water polo|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Athletics|Events=27|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Boxing|Events=8|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Cycling|Format=d}}
• Road (2)
• Track (4)
• {{GamesSport|Equestrian|Format=d}}
• Dressage (2)
• Eventing (2)
• Show jumping (2)
• {{GamesSport|Fencing|Events=7|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Field hockey|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Football|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Gymnastics|Events=8|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Modern pentathlon|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Rowing|Events=7|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Sailing|Events=3|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Weightlifting|Events=5|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Wrestling|Format=d}}
• Freestyle (7)
• Greco-Roman (6)

}}

Women's athletics and team gymnastics debuted at these Olympics,{{cite web|url=http://faculty.elmira.edu/dmaluso/sports/timeline/gymnastics.html|title=Timeline of Women in Sports: Gymnastics|website=faculty.elmira.edu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203123650/http://faculty.elmira.edu/dmaluso/sports/timeline/gymnastics.html|archive-date=3 February 2014|url-status=live|access-date=2014-02-12}} in spite of criticism. Five women's athletics events were added: 100 meters, 800 meters, high jump, discus, and 400 meter hurdles. In protest of the limited number of events, British women athletes, boycotted the Games.{{Cite book|title=Olympic Women|last=Hargreaves|first=Jennifer|work=Women and Sports in the United States|publisher=Northeastern University Press|year=2007|isbn=978-1-55553-671-8|editor-last=O'Reilly|editor-first=Jean|location=Boston|pages=8|editor2-last=Cahn|editor2-first=Susan}} Halina Konopacka of Poland became the first female Olympic track and field champion. Reports that the 800 meter run ended with several of the competitors being completely exhausted were widely (and erroneously) circulated. As a result, the IOC decided that women were too frail for long-distance running, and women's Olympic running events were limited to 200 meters until the 1960s.{{Cite web|url=http://bitchmedia.org/article/forgotten-history-female-athletes-who-organized-their-own-olympics|title=The forgotten history of female athletes who organized their own Olympics|date=26 July 2016|author=Jules Boykoff|website=bitchmedia.org|access-date=28 July 2016}}

Tennis disappeared from the program until it reappeared in 1968 as a demonstration sport.

• Kaatsen (not considered official by the IOC){{cite web | title=Demonstration sports : history at the Olympic Summer Games / The Olympic Studies Centre | website=Olympic World Library | date=2024-01-19 | url=https://library.olympics.com/doc/SYRACUSE/619826 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119230639/https://library.olympics.com/doc/SYRACUSE/619826 | archive-date=2024-01-19 | url-status=live | access-date=2024-01-27}}
• Korfball
• Lacrosse

These Games also included art competitions in five categories: architecture, painting, sculpture, literature, and music. However, the IOC no longer considers these to be official medal events, so the medals awarded are not included in today's Olympic medal counts.{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-the-olympics-gave-out-medals-for-art-6878965/|title=When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Art|author=Joseph Stromberg|date=24 July 2012|work=Smithsonian|access-date=11 October 2018}}

File:Olympic Stadium Amsterdam 1928.jpg

Fourteen sports venues were used for the 1928 Summer Olympics. The Swim Stadium was demolished in 1929.{{rp|p.193}} The Het Kasteel football stadium was renovated in 1998–99. The Monnikenhuize stadium was demolished in 1950. The Schermzaal sports hall has also been demolished. The Olympic Stadium was renovated between 1996 and 2000, and is still in use. The Old Stadion was demolished in 1929 and replaced with housing in the Amsterdam area.

{{Location map+ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|relief=1|alt=Map of the Amsterdam region with Olympic venues marked |caption= Map of the Amsterdam region with Olympic venues marked. The Krachtsportgebouw, Oude Stadion and Schermzaal were located next to the Olympic Stadium.|float=right |width=400 |places=

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|label=Buiten-IJ |background=white |position=right|lat_deg=52.371245 |lon_deg=4.990447}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|marksize=12|label=Olympic Stadium |background=white |position=left|lat_deg=52.343417|lon_deg=4.854192}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|label=Olympic Sports Park Swim Stadium |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=52.347611 |lon_deg=4.856061}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|label=Sloten |background=white |position=left|lat_deg=52.341944|lon_deg=4.796944}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|label=Zeeburg |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=52.366667|lon_deg=4.966667}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands Amsterdam Greater|label=Zuiderzee |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=52.833333 |lon_deg=5.333333}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Netherlands|relief=1|alt=Map of the Netherlands with Olympic venues marked |caption= Map of the Netherlands with Olympic venues marked.{{Efn|Although Flevoland is depicted in this map, it did not exist at this time.|name=Flevoland}} |float=left|width=400 |places=

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Amersfoort |background=white |position=bottom|lat_deg=52.15|lon_deg=5.383333}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Hilversum |background=white |position=right|lat_deg=52.233333 |lon_deg=5.166667}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Monnikenhuize |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=51.994167|lon_deg=5.931111}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel |background=white |position=right|lat_deg=51.919485|lon_deg=4.433619}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Amsterdam |background=white |position=top|marksize=12|lat_deg=52.366667|lon_deg=4.9 }}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Zuiderzee |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=52.833333 |lon_deg=5.333333}}

{{Location map~ |Netherlands|label=Ringvaart |background=white |position=top|lat_deg=52.2316 |lon_deg=4.555 }}

}}

File:1928 Summer Olympic games countries.png

File:1928 Summer olympics team numbers.png

A total of 46 nations were represented at the Amsterdam Games. Malta, Panama, and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) competed at the Olympic Games for the first time. Germany returned after having been banned in 1920 and 1924.{{cite book |last=Guttmann |first=Allen |title=The Olympics: A History of the Modern Games |url=https://archive.org/details/olympicshistoryo00gutt/page/38 |date=April 1992 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |location=Urbana and Chicago |isbn=0-252-01701-3 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/olympicshistoryo00gutt/page/38 38] |url-access=registration }}

The nations that participated in the previous games in Paris 1924 but were absent in Amsterdam 1928 were Brazil and Ecuador.

At the time, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Ireland were all dominions of the British Empire. India and Rhodesia were also a part of the British Empire, but were not dominions. For other sovereign states (i.e. United States, France, Argentina, Japan, etc) and the international community as a whole (i.e League of Nations) the term dominion, used internally in the British Empire, was very ambiguous, meaning "something between a colony and state". It was only years later with the Statute of Westminster 1931 that this ambiguity would be dispelled. Philippines was an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States.

{{Main|1928 Summer Olympics medal table|List of 1928 Summer Olympics medal winners}}

These are the top ten nations that won medals at the 1928 Games.

{{Medals table

| caption =

| host =

| show_limit =

| remaining_text =

| flag_template = flagIOC

| event = 1928 Summer

| team =

| gold_USA = 22 | silver_USA = 18 | bronze_USA = 16

| gold_GER = 10 | silver_GER = 7 | bronze_GER = 14

| gold_FIN = 8 | silver_FIN = 8 | bronze_FIN = 9

| gold_SWE = 7 | silver_SWE = 6 | bronze_SWE = 12

| gold_ITA = 7 | silver_ITA = 5 | bronze_ITA = 7

| gold_SUI = 7 | silver_SUI = 4 | bronze_SUI = 4

| gold_FRA = 6 | silver_FRA = 10 | bronze_FRA = 5

| gold_NED = 6 | silver_NED = 9 | bronze_NED = 4 | host_NED = yes

| gold_HUN = 4 | silver_HUN = 5 | bronze_HUN = 0

| gold_CAN = 4 | silver_CAN = 4 | bronze_CAN = 7

}}

File:1928-summer-oympics-poster.jpg

The official poster for the Games displaying a running man in a white shirt was designed by Jos Rovers however the IOC never succeeded in obtaining the copyright of the image. The IOC used a different poster, with the German text Olympische Spiele, and an athlete partly covered in the Dutch national flag, holding a peace leaf in his hand. The poster was made for a German book about the Amsterdam Olympics.{{cite web|url=http://archief.nrc.nl/index.php/1996/Juli/30/Overig/18/De+Spiele+in+Amsterdam|title=De Spiele in Amsterdam|trans-title=The Amsterdam Games|author=Henk van Gelder|date=30 July 1996|work=NRC Handelsblad|language=nl|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729150301/http://archief.nrc.nl/index.php/1996/Juli/30/Overig/18/De+Spiele+in+Amsterdam|archive-date=29 July 2013}}

The last living competitor of the 1928 Summer Olympics was Carla Marangoni, a member of the silver medal-winning Italian gymnastic team who had been twelve years old during the Olympics. Marangoni died 18 January 2018, at the age of 102 as the oldest living Olympic medalist at the time of her death.{{cite news|last1=Turner|first1=Amanda|title=Carla Marangoni, Oldest Olympic Medalist, Dies at 102|url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4993:carla-marangoni-oldest-olympic-medalist-dies-at-102&catid=81:headlines&Itemid=191|access-date=15 February 2018|work=International Gymnast Magazine|date=23 January 2018|language=en-gb}}

{{IOC seealso|games=1928 Summer Olympics}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{IOC games|games=1928 Summer Olympics}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080408184510/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1928/1928.pdf The Ninth Olympiad. Amsterdam 1928. Official Report]
• [http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/d9443f.htm "Louis S. Nixdorff Diary, 10 July – 15 August 1928"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102235412/http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/d9443f.htm |date=2 January 2013 }}
• [http://www.olympiade1928.nl/ Memorabilia of the Ninth Olympiad 1928 Amsterdam]

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{{s-bef|before=Paris}}

{{s-ttl|title=IX Olympiad
Amsterdam|years=1928}}

{{s-aft|after=Los Angeles}}

{{S-end}}

{{Olympic Games}}

{{1928 Summer Olympic venues}}

{{Nations at the 1928 Summer Olympics}}

{{EventsAt1928SummerOlympics}}

{{Portal bar|Olympics|Netherlands|Sports|1920s}}

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Summer Olympics, 1928

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