List of Olympic Games boycotts
While all countries are normally eligible to compete in the Olympic Games, there have been several instances of nations boycotting or being barred from participation, often in protest to decisions made by the International Olympic Committee.
Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire were not invited to attend the 1920 Antwerp games in Belgium, having lost World War I.
South Africa and the Olympics|South Africa] was not invited to the 1964 Games, while its invitation to the 1968 Games was withdrawn after several other African countries threatened to boycott the Games due to apartheid. South Africa would not be permitted to return to the Olympics until 1992.
Rhodesia was also prevented from entering the 1972 Summer Olympics when its invitation was withdrawn by the International Olympic Committee following protests by other African countries.
Possibly the most famous Olympic boycotts occurred in 1980 [Summer Olympics boycott|1980] and 1984, due to the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. Iran, Albania and Upper Volta are the only three countries to have boycotted both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, while Albania and Upper Volta are the only two countries to have boycotted the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics.
In 2021, several nations announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics to protest against Chinese mistreatment of the Uyghur population, thus prohibiting many government officials from attending the games in an official capacity, while still permitting athletes to compete. Later, India joined the boycott over China's decision to choose Qi Fabao, a regimental commander in the People's Liberation Army, as a torchbearer for the event.