Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Neutral Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Olympic games Template:1992 Summer Olympics

The 1992 Summer Olympics (Template:Langx, Template:Langx), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (Template:Langx, Template:Langx) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994, the International Olympic Committee decided to hold the Summer and Winter Olympics in alternating even-numbered years. The 1992 Summer and Winter Olympics were the last games to be staged in the same year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These games were the second and last two consecutive Olympic games to be held in Western Europe after the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, held five months earlier. It is also the second Olympic Games to be held in the Spanish-speaking country, following the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

The 1992 Games received universal acclaim, with the organisation, volunteers, sportsmanship, and Spanish public being lauded in the international media. Some mediaTemplate:Weasel inline describe the Barcelona games as one of the best Olympics ever.<ref name="Best ever">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Atlanta criticism">Template:Cite news</ref> The Games showed a renewed image of democratic Spain and projected Barcelona and the whole Spain to the world. Thanks to the Games, the city of Barcelona was completely transformed; it is thanks to the Olympics that the Barcelona of today is built.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> All the venues are still active and the legacy of the 1992 Games was taken as an example for future Olympic events, such as London 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The 1992 Summer Games were the first since the end of the Cold War, and the first unaffected by boycotts since the 1972 Summer Games.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1992 was also the first year South Africa was re-invited to the Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee, after a 32-year ban from participating in international sport due to apartheid.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Unified Team (made up by the former Soviet republics without the Baltic states) topped the medal table, winning 45 gold and 112 overall medals.

Host city selectionEdit

Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain and the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia; it is also the hometown of then-IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and the famous European club FC Barcelona. The city was also a host for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. On 17 October 1986, Barcelona was selected to host the 1992 Summer Olympics over Amsterdam, Netherlands (the city also hosted the 1928 games); Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Birmingham, United Kingdom; Brisbane, Australia; and Paris, France, during the 91st IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> New Delhi, India, had announced a bid for the games, but withdrew in March 1986.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With 85 out of 89 members of the IOC voting by secret ballot, Barcelona won a majority of 47 votes. Samaranch abstained from voting. In the same IOC meeting, Albertville, France, won the right to host the 1992 Winter Games. Paris and Brisbane would eventually be selected to host the 2024 and 2032 Summer Olympics respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Barcelona had previously bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics that were ultimately held in Berlin, Germany. As an anti-fascist response against the Games being organized by Nazi Germany, the Government of Catalonia and the newly elected Spanish Popular Front government advocated for the boycott of the Spanish Republic to the Berlin Games and the organization of an alternative games in Barcelona, known as the People's Olympiad.<ref name="Harrison-1">Template:Cite news</ref> However, the same day of its planned inauguration (19 July), the Spanish Army carried out a coup d'état which led to the Spanish Civil War.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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City Country Round
1 2 3
Barcelona Template:Flag 29 37 47
Paris Template:Flag 19 20 23
Belgrade Template:Flag 13 11 5
Brisbane Template:Flag 11 9 10
Birmingham Template:Flag 8 8
Amsterdam Template:Flag 5

HighlightsEdit

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File:Dream Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics.JPEG
David Robinson shoots a free throw to help secure the gold medal for the United States "Dream Team".
  • At the innovative opening ceremony, Greek mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa sang "Romiossini" as the Olympic flag was paraded around the stadium. Alfredo Kraus later sang the Olympic Hymn in Catalan, Spanish and French, as the flag was hoisted.
  • The Olympic cauldron was ignited using a flaming arrow, lit from the flame of the Olympic torch. It was shot by Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo, who aimed the arrow over the top of the cauldron to ignite the gas emanating from it. The arrow landed outside the stadium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This unusual method for lighting the cauldron had been carefully designed to avoid any chance of the arrow landing in the stadium if Rebollo missed his target.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • South Africa rejoined the Summer Olympics having been banned for its apartheid policy after the 1960 Summer Olympics. The women's 10,000 metres event was hotly contested. White South African runner Elana Meyer and black Ethiopian runner Derartu Tulu (winner) ran hand-in-hand in a victory lap.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Fermín Cacho won the 1,500 m in his home country, earning Spain's first-ever Olympic gold medal in a running event.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Chinese diver Fu Mingxia, age 13, became one of the youngest Olympic gold medalists of all time.
  • In men's artistic gymnastics, Vitaly Scherbo from Belarus, (representing the Unified Team), won six gold medals, including four in a single day. Scherbo tied Eric Heiden's record for individual gold medals at a single Olympics, winning five medals in an individual event (Michael Phelps would later equal this record in 2008).
  • In women's artistic gymnastics, Tatiana Gutsu took gold in the All-Around competition edging the USA's Shannon Miller.
  • Russian swimmers (competing for the Unified Team) dominated the men's freestyle events, with Alexander Popov and Yevgeny Sadovyi each winning two events. Sadovyi also won in the relays.
  • Evelyn Ashford won her fourth Olympic gold medal in the 4×100-metre relay, making her one of only four female athletes to have achieved this in history.
  • The young Krisztina Egerszegi of Hungary won three individual swimming gold medals.
  • In women's 200 m breaststroke, Kyoko Iwasaki of Japan won a gold medal at the age of 14 years and six days, making her the youngest-ever gold medalist in swimming competitions at the Olympics.
  • Algerian athlete Hassiba Boulmerka, who was frequently criticized by Muslim groups in Algeria who thought she showed too much of her body when racing, received death threats<ref name=BBC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was forced to move to Europe to train, won the 1,500 metres, also holding the African women's record in this distance.

  • After being demonstrated in six previous Summer Olympic Games, baseball officially became an Olympic sport. Badminton and women's judo also became part of the Olympic program, while slalom canoeing returned to the Games after a 20-year absence.
  • Roller hockey, Basque pelota, and taekwondo were all demonstrated at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
  • Several of the USA men's volleyball gold medal team from the 1988 Olympics returned to vie for another medal. In the preliminary round, they lost a controversial match to Japan, sparking them to shave their heads in protest. This notably included player Steve Timmons, sacrificing his trademark red flattop for the protest. The U.S. team ultimately progressed to the playoffs and won bronze.
  • Mike Stulce of the United States won the men's shot put, beating the heavily favored Werner Günthör of Switzerland.
  • On the 20th anniversary of the Munich massacre and the 500th anniversary of the Alhambra Decree, Yael Arad became the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal, winning a silver medal in judo. The next day, Oren Smadja became Israel's first male medalist, winning a bronze in the same sport.
  • Derek Redmond of Great Britain tore a hamstring during a 400-meter semi-final heat. As he struggled to finish the race, his father entered the track without credentials and helped him complete the race, to a standing ovation from the crowd.
  • Gail Devers came into the 100 meters hurdles as the favorite. Though her Olympic history shows her winning the 100 meters dash twice, the first time earlier in this Olympics, she primarily made her career as a hurdler. And true to form, Devers had a commanding lead in this race until the final hurdle. Devers came up short and hit the hurdle, foot first, hard, knocking her off balance. She stumbled toward the finish line, falling on the last step, but still finished fifth, .001 out of fourth place. Paraskevi Patoulidou of Greece won the gold medal to even her own disbelief, dropping to her knees on the track when she realized she had won.
  • Jennifer Capriati won the singles tennis competition at the age of 16. She had previously earned a spot in the semifinals of two grand slams at the age of 14.
  • Two gold medals were awarded in solo synchronized swimming after a judge inadvertently entered the score of "8.7" instead of the intended "9.7" in the computerized scoring system for one of Sylvie Fréchette's figures. This error ultimately placed Fréchette second, leaving Kristen Babb-Sprague for the gold medal. Following an appeal, FINA awarded Fréchette a gold medal, replacing her silver medal and leaving the two swimmers both with gold.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Indonesia won its first-ever gold medal after winning a silver at 1988 Olympics. Susi Susanti won the gold in badminton women's singles after defeating Bang Soo-hyun in the final round. Alan Budikusuma won the badminton men's singles competition, earning a second gold medal for Indonesia. Several years later, both players married and they received the nickname golden couple or Olympic couple.

RecordsEdit

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VenuesEdit

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Medals awardedEdit

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The 1992 Summer Olympic programme featured 256 events in the following 25 sports:

1992 Summer Olympics Sports Programme

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Demonstration sportsEdit

Participating National Olympic CommitteesEdit

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File:1992 Summer Olympic games countries.svg
Participants at the 1992 Summer Olympics Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Yellow circle is host city (Barcelona)

A total of 169 nations sent athletes to compete in the 1992 Summer Games.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, twelve of the fifteen new states chose to form a Unified Team, while the Baltic States of Estonia and Latvia sent their own teams for the first time since 1936, and Lithuania sent its own team for the first time since 1928. Bosnia-Herzegovina competed for the first time as an independent nation after its separation from Socialist Yugoslavia, and Namibia and the unified team of Yemen (previously North and South Yemen) also made their Olympic debuts. Croatia and Slovenia made their first Summer Olympic appearance at these games, having participated at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.

The 1992 Summer Olympics notably marked Germany competing as a unified team for the first time since 1964 and the first time since 1936 as a single nation following German reunification. South Africa returned to the Games for the first time in 32 years.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned due to UN sanctions, but individual Yugoslav athletes were allowed to take part as Independent Olympic Participants. Four then-existing National Olympic Committees did not send any athletes to compete: Afghanistan, Brunei, Liberia and Somalia.Template:Cn

Participating National Olympic Committees

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  • Template:FlagIOC participated in the Opening Ceremony, but its delegation consisted of only one official. This also occurred in the 1988 Games.<ref name="Olympics Official Report">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Barcelona 1992 Opening Ceremony on YouTube">Template:YouTube</ref>
  • Template:Flagicon Afghanistan did not send their athletes to compete, but the country took part in the Parade of Nations. Apparently, its flag was carried by a volunteer from the Barcelona Organising Committee.<ref name="Barcelona 1992 Opening Ceremony on YouTube" />
  • Template:FlagIOC and Template:FlagIOC also participated in the Opening Ceremony, but its accredited athletes (five and two, respectively) did not enter to compete.<ref name="Olympics Official Report" /><ref name="Barcelona 1992 Opening Ceremony on YouTube" />

Number of athletes by National Olympic CommitteeEdit

9,356 athletes from 169 NOCs

IOC Letter Code Country Athletes
USA Template:FlagIOC 545
EUN Template:FlagIOC 475
GER Template:FlagIOC 463
ESP Template:FlagIOC 422
GBR Template:FlagIOC 371
FRA Template:FlagIOC 339
ITA Template:FlagIOC 304
CAN Template:FlagIOC 295
AUS Template:FlagIOC 279
JPN Template:FlagIOC 256
CHN Template:FlagIOC 244
KOR Template:FlagIOC 226
HUN Template:FlagIOC 217
TCH Template:FlagIOC 208
NED Template:FlagIOC 201
POL Template:FlagIOC 201
SWE Template:FlagIOC 187
BRA Template:FlagIOC 182
CUB Template:FlagIOC 176
ROM Template:FlagIOC 173
BUL Template:FlagIOC 138
NZL Template:FlagIOC 134
DEN Template:FlagIOC 110
AUT Template:FlagIOC 102
MEX Template:FlagIOC 102
SUI Template:FlagIOC 102
RSA Template:FlagIOC 93
POR Template:FlagIOC 90
FIN Template:FlagIOC 88
ARG Template:FlagIOC 84
NOR Template:FlagIOC 83
EGY Template:FlagIOC 75
PUR Template:FlagIOC 71
GRE Template:FlagIOC 70
BEL Template:FlagIOC 68
PRK Template:FlagIOC 64
IOP Template:FlagIOC 58
IRL Template:FlagIOC 58
NGR Template:FlagIOC 55
IND Template:FlagIOC 52
COL Template:FlagIOC 49
KEN Template:FlagIOC 49
LTU Template:FlagIOC 47
THA Template:FlagIOC 46
MAR Template:FlagIOC 44
INA Template:FlagIOC 42
TUR Template:FlagIOC 41
CRO Template:FlagIOC 39
HKG Template:FlagIOC 38
EST Template:FlagIOC 37
IRI Template:FlagIOC 36
JAM Template:FlagIOC 36
ALG Template:FlagIOC 35
SLO Template:FlagIOC 35
GHA Template:FlagIOC 34
LAT Template:FlagIOC 34
MGL Template:FlagIOC 33
DOM Template:FlagIOC 32
KUW Template:FlagIOC 32
TPE Template:FlagIOC 31
ISR Template:FlagIOC 30
ANG Template:FlagIOC 28
QAT Template:FlagIOC 28
ISL Template:FlagIOC 27
PAK Template:FlagIOC 27
PAR Template:FlagIOC 27
MAS Template:FlagIOC 26
PHI Template:FlagIOC 26
VEN Template:FlagIOC 26
ISV Template:FlagIOC 25
GUM Template:FlagIOC 22
BER Template:FlagIOC 20
ETH Template:FlagIOC 20
SEN Template:FlagIOC 20
ZIM Template:FlagIOC 19
FIJ Template:FlagIOC 18
BAR Template:FlagIOC 17
CYP Template:FlagIOC 17
SMR Template:FlagIOC 17
ZAI Template:FlagIOC 17
CRC Template:FlagIOC 16
PER Template:FlagIOC 16
URU Template:FlagIOC 16
CAF Template:FlagIOC 15
BAH Template:FlagIOC 14
GUA Template:FlagIOC 14
SIN Template:FlagIOC 14
ANT Template:FlagIOC 13
BOL Template:FlagIOC 13
ECU Template:FlagIOC 13
CIV Template:FlagIOC 13
MAD Template:FlagIOC 13
MRI Template:FlagIOC 13
PNG Template:FlagIOC 13
TUN Template:FlagIOC 13
UAE Template:FlagIOC 13
CHI Template:FlagIOC 12
LIB Template:FlagIOC 12
SEY Template:FlagIOC 11
SLE Template:FlagIOC 11
SRI Template:FlagIOC 11
BRN Template:FlagIOC 10
BIZ Template:FlagIOC 10
BSH Template:FlagIOC 10
CAY Template:FlagIOC 10
HON Template:FlagIOC 10
RWA Template:FlagIOC 10
KSA Template:FlagIOC 9
TAN Template:FlagIOC 9
ZAM Template:FlagIOC 9
AND Template:FlagIOC 8
CMR Template:FlagIOC 8
DJI Template:FlagIOC 8
GUI Template:FlagIOC 8
IRQ Template:FlagIOC 8
NCA Template:FlagIOC 8
SYR Template:FlagIOC 8
UGA Template:FlagIOC 8
YEM Template:FlagIOC 8
ALB Template:FlagIOC 7
CGO Template:FlagIOC 7
GEQ Template:FlagIOC 7
HAI Template:FlagIOC 7
LIE Template:FlagIOC 7
MDV Template:FlagIOC 7
TRI Template:FlagIOC 7
VIE Template:FlagIOC 7
BAN Template:FlagIOC 6
BEN Template:FlagIOC 6
BHU Template:FlagIOC 6
BOT Template:FlagIOC 6
CHA Template:FlagIOC 6
GUY Template:FlagIOC 6
LAO Template:FlagIOC 6
LES Template:FlagIOC 6
LUX Template:FlagIOC 6
MLT Template:FlagIOC 6
MTN Template:FlagIOC 6
MOZ Template:FlagIOC 6
NAM Template:FlagIOC 6
VIN Template:FlagIOC 6
SUD Template:FlagIOC 6
SWZ Template:FlagIOC 6
TOG Template:FlagIOC 6
VAN Template:FlagIOC 6
ARU Template:FlagIOC 5
GAB Template:FlagIOC 5
GAM Template:FlagIOC 5
LBA Template:FlagIOC 5
MLI Template:FlagIOC 5
OMA Template:FlagIOC 5
PAN Template:FlagIOC 5
TGA Template:FlagIOC 5
WSM Template:FlagIOC 5
IVB Template:FlagIOC 4
BUR Template:FlagIOC 4
ESA Template:FlagIOC 4
GRN Template:FlagIOC 4
JOR Template:FlagIOC 4
MAW Template:FlagIOC 4
MYA Template:FlagIOC 4
AHO Template:FlagIOC 4
ASA Template:FlagIOC 3
NIG Template:FlagIOC 3
COK Template:FlagIOC 2
MON Template:FlagIOC 2
NEP Template:FlagIOC 2
SOL Template:FlagIOC 1

CalendarEdit

<section begin="Calendar"/>

All times are in Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
OC Opening ceremony Event competitions 1 Gold medal events CC Closing ceremony
July/August 1992 July August Events
24th
Fri
25th
Sat
26th
Sun
27th
Mon
28th
Tue
29th
Wed
30th
Thu
31st
Fri
1st
Sat
2nd
Sun
3rd
Mon
4th
Tue
5th
Wed
6th
Thu
7th
Fri
8th
Sat
9th
Sun
File:Olympic Rings Icon.svg Ceremonies OC CC Template:N/a
Aquatics File:Diving pictogram.svg Diving 1 1 1 1 1 39
File:Swimming pictogram.svg Swimming 4 5 5 5 6 6
Template:Nowrap 1 1
File:Water polo pictogram.svg Water polo 1
File:Archery pictogram.svg Archery 1 1 2 4
File:Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics 2 4 4 6 5 6 6 9 1 43
File:Badminton pictogram.svg Badminton 4 4
File:Baseball pictogram.svg Baseball 1 1
File:Basketball pictogram.svg Basketball 1 1 2
File:Boxing pictogram.svg Boxing 6 6 12
Canoeing File:Canoeing (slalom) pictogram.svg Slalom 2 2 16
File:Canoeing (flatwater) pictogram.svg Sprint 6 6
Cycling File:Cycling (road) pictogram.svg Road cycling 2 1 10
File:Cycling (track) pictogram.svg Track cycling 1 1 5
File:Equestrian pictogram.svg Equestrian 2 1 1 1 1 6
File:Fencing pictogram.svg Fencing 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8
File:Field hockey pictogram.svg Field hockey 1 1 2
File:Football pictogram.svg Football 1 1
Gymnastics File:Gymnastics (artistic) pictogram.svg Artistic 1 1 1 1 4 6 15
Template:Nowrap 1
File:Handball pictogram.svg Handball 2 2
File:Judo pictogram.svg Judo 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 14
File:Modern pentathlon pictogram (pre-2025).svg Modern pentathlon 2 2
File:Rowing pictogram.svg Rowing 7 7 14
File:Sailing pictogram.svg Sailing 2 7 1 10
File:Shooting pictogram.svg Shooting 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 13
File:Table tennis pictogram.svg Table tennis 1 1 1 1 4
File:Tennis pictogram.svg Tennis 2 2 4
File:Volleyball (indoor) pictogram.svg Volleyball 1 1 2
File:Weightlifting pictogram.svg Weightlifting 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 9
File:Wrestling pictogram.svg Wrestling 3 3 4 3 3 4 20
Daily medal events 9 12 14 17 19 19 22 30 18 11 12 12 22 30 10 257
Cumulative total 9 21 35 52 71 90 112 142 160 171 183 195 217 247 257
July/August 1992 24th
Fri
25th
Sat
26th
Sun
27th
Mon
28th
Tue
29th
Wed
30th
Thu
31st
Fri
1st
Sat
2nd
Sun
3rd
Mon
4th
Tue
5th
Wed
6th
Thu
7th
Fri
8th
Sat
9th
Sun
Total events
July August

<section end="Calendar"/>

Medal tableEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The following table reflects the top ten nations in terms of total medals won at the 1992 Games (the host nation is highlighted). Template:Medals table

BroadcastingEdit

International signalEdit

In order to guarantee that the international signal was produced objectively and impartially, for the first time in Olympic history, a host broadcaster was expressly created for each of the 1992 Olympic Games instead of delegating responsibility to a national host broadcaster. The Albertville Organizing Committee created the Organisme de radio télévision olympique '92 (ORTO'92) for the Winter Olympics and the Barcelona Organizing Committee created the Ràdio Televisió Olímpica '92 (RTO'92) for the Summer Olympics.<ref name=OR4/>

RTO'92 managed the staff and the production and technical resources hired to Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE), the Corporació Catalana de Ràdio i Televisió (CCRTV) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). With a workforce of 3,083 people, a permanent radio and television installation at the Olympic Stadium and Palau Sant Jordi, and over 50 mobile units for other venues, RTO'92 provided live coverage of all Summer Olympic sports for the first time ever –except for a few preliminary events–, some 2,800 hours of live television footage, to its international rights-holders. The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) was located at the exhibition halls of Fira de Barcelona in Montjuïc.<ref name=OR4>Template:Cite book</ref>

NHK and Panasonic developed the 1/2" DX digital system used to record the Games digitally for the first time. Also new were the underwater camera dolly on a track at the bottom of the swimming pool, the underwater microcameras at the bottom of the water polo pool, the periscope camera capable of transmit shots from below and above the water, the overhead camera dolly on a track along the canopy of the Olympic Stadium for the Template:Convert high zenithal shot of the athletics track, the stabilized optic gyro-zoom cameras, the super slow motion PAL camera and the microcamera on the high jump bar.<ref name=OR4/>

Personalized coverageEdit

To cover the Games, major international broadcasting unions such as the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the International Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT), the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (OTI), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) and the Union of African National Television and Radio Organizations (URTNA), secured the rights for their member broadcasters in their countries. In other countries, broadcast networks secured the rights directly or pooled to secure the rights. The Games were covered by the following television and radio broadcasters:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Territory Television Radio
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Template:Flag Seven Network ABC
Template:Flag ORF ORF
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Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

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Template:Flag BNT
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Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

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Template:Flag CCTV CPBS
Template:Flag Canal A Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag HRT HRT
Template:Flag ICRT ICRT
Template:Flag CyBC
Template:Flag ČST Czechoslovak Radio
Template:Flag DR DR
Template:Flag ERTU ERTU
Template:Flag ETV
Template:Flag Yle Yle
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

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Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

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ARD
Template:Flag ERT ERT
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Template:Flag MTV Magyar Rádió
Template:Flag RÚV RÚV
Template:Flag Doordarshan
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Radio Republik Indonesia
Template:Flag Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
Template:Flag RTÉ RTÉ
Template:Flag IBA IBA
Template:Flag RAI RAI
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag JRTV
Template:Flag Télé Liban
Template:Flag LJBC
Template:Flag LTV
Template:Flag RTL RTL
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

TDM
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

RTM
Template:Flag MBA
Template:Flag Televisa
Template:Flag RMC RMC
Template:Flag MNB
Template:Flag RTM RTM
Template:Flag NOS NOS
Template:Flag TVNZ RNZ
Template:Flag NRK NRK
Template:Flag PTV PBC
Template:Flag ABS-CBN Template:Flatlist

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Template:Flag TVP PR S.A.
Template:Flag RTP RDP
Template:Flag WIPR
Template:Flag TVR Radio România
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag SBC Channel 12
Template:Flag RTVSLO RTVSLO
Template:Flag SABC
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag SVT SR
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

SRG SSR
Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag Template:Flatlist

Template:Endflatlist

Template:Flag ERTT
Template:Flag TRT TRT
Template:Flag BBC One BBC Radio 4
Template:Flag NBC
Template:Flag Venevisión

HDTV coverageEdit

The 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics were the first in which a comprehensive coverage in high-definition television (HDTV) was attempted. The European HDTV broadcast of the Summer Olympics was managed by the joint venture "Barcelona 1250" created by RTO'92, RTVE, Retevisión and PESA, with the financial support of the European Economic Community and a workforce of over 300 production and technical staff. A total of 225 hours and 45 minutes was broadcast in analog HD-MAC standard in 1,250 lines and 16:9 aspect ratio, with commentary in five languages –Spanish, English, French, German and Italian– in addition to the non-commentary sound track, of eighteen different sports at seventeen venues, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Events from five venues were covered live –80% of the total broadcast time– and other events were recorded for a delayed broadcast. On-screen text and graphics were shown in HDTV for the first time ever. Nearly 700 viewing sites installed throughout Europe, including the fifty HDTV receivers installed in various pavilions at the Seville Universal Exposition, were able to receive the broadcast.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

For Japan, NHK also covered the 1992 Summer Olympics in HDTV in their own analog Hi-Vision system.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Political controversies and terrorismEdit

On the eve of the Olympics, between 29 June and 14 July 1992, the police operation later known as "Operation Garzón" saw the arrest of 45 Catalan pro-independence activists, journalists and politicians,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> under the accusation of belonging to the armed Catalan pro-independence and socialist organisation Terra Lliure (which already announced its dissolution in 1991), many of them without real proof. 25 of the arrested were kept in solitary confinement. They denounced torture at the hands of the Spanish police<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and threats of violence and rape to them and their families, as well as constant Anti-Catalan and Catalanophobic insults.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Political activists argue that the Spanish State used the Operation Garzón as a tool, under the pretext of security during the Olympic Games, to weaken the left-wing branch of Catalan independence movement.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The Basque nationalist group ETA attempted to disrupt the Barcelona Games with terrorist attacks. It was already feared beforehand that ETA would use the Olympics to gain publicity for their cause in front of a worldwide audience.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> As the time of the Games approached,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> ETA committed attacks in Barcelona and the Catalonia region as a whole, including the deadly 1991 Vic bombing.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 10 July 1992, the group offered a two-month truce covering the Olympics in exchange for negotiations, which the Spanish government rejected.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> However, the Games went ahead successfully without an attack.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Effect on the cityEdit

File:050529 Barcelona 049.jpg
Frank Gehry's Fish sculpture in front of the Hotel Arts (left) and the Torre Mapfre (right) in the Olympic Village neighbourhood

The celebration of the 1992 Olympic Games had an enormous impact on the urban culture and outward projection of Barcelona. The Games provided billions of dollars for infrastructure investments, which are considered to have improved the quality of life in the city, and its attraction for investment and tourism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Barcelona became one of the most visited cities in Europe after Paris, London, and Rome.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Barcelona's nomination for the 1992 Summer Olympics sparked the implementation of an ambitious plan for urban transformation that had already been developed previously.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Barcelona was opened to the sea with the construction of the Olympic Village and Olympic Port in Poblenou. New centers were created, and modern sports facilities were built in the Olympic zones of Montjuïc, Diagonal, and Vall d'Hebron; hotels were also refurbished and new ones built. The construction of ring roads around the city helped to reduce traffic density, and El Prat airport was modernized and expanded with the opening of two new terminals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Cost and cost overrunEdit

The Oxford Olympics Study<ref name="Oxford Study">Template:Cite book</ref> estimates the direct costs of the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics to be US$9.7 billion (expressed in 2015 U.S. dollars) with a cost overrun of 266%. This includes only sports-related costs, that is: (i) operational costs incurred by the organizing committee for the purpose of staging the Games, e.g., expenditures for technology, direct transportation, workforce, administration, security, catering, ceremonies, and medical services; and (ii) direct capital costs incurred by the host city and country or private investors to build the competition venues, the Olympic village, international broadcast center, media and press center, and similar structures required to host the Games. Costs excluded from the study are indirect capital and infrastructure costs, such as for road, rail, or airport infrastructure, or for hotel upgrades or other business investment incurred in preparation for the Games.<ref name="Oxford Study" /><ref name="WEF">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The costs for Barcelona 1992 may be compared with those of London 2012, which cost US$15 billion with a cost overrun of 76%, and those of Rio 2016 which cost US$4.6 billion with a cost overrun of 51%. The average cost for the Summer Olympics since 1960 is US$5.2 billion, with an average cost overrun of 176%.<ref name="Oxford Study" /><ref name="WEF" />

Songs and themesEdit

There were two main musical themes for the 1992 Games. The first one was "Barcelona", a classical crossover song composed five years earlier by Freddie Mercury and Mike Moran; Mercury was an admirer of lyric soprano Montserrat Caballé, both recorded the official theme as a duet. Due to Mercury's death eight months earlier, the duo was unable to perform the song together during the opening ceremony. A recording of the song instead played over a travelogue of the city at the start of the opening ceremony, seconds before the official countdown.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Amigos Para Siempre" (Friends for Life) was the other musical theme and it was official theme song of the 1992 Summer Olympics. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black, and sung by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras during the closing ceremonies.

Ryuichi Sakamoto composed and conducted some musical pieces at the opening ceremony musical score.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Opening Olympic fanfare was composed by Angelo Badalamenti and with orchestrations by Joseph Turrin.

MascotEdit

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The official mascot was Cobi, a Catalan sheepdog in cubist style designed by Javier Mariscal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was widely featured in merchandising products and starred his own animated television series, The Cobi Troupe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Corporate image and identityEdit

A renewal in Barcelona's image and corporate identity could be seen in the publication of posters, commemorative coins, stamps minted by the FNMT in Madrid, and the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Official Commemorative Medals, designed and struck in Barcelona.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See alsoEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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