Switzerland

Highlights

Switzerland competed at the Athens 1896 Olympic Games and have been ever present since then.

Their first Olympic champion was gymnast Louis ZUTTER in the pommel horse in 1896.

Many of Switzerland's early successes came in gymnastics. George MIEZ remains their most successful Olympian.

He won four gold medals in a career that stretched from 1924 to 1936 and also collected three silvers and a bronze.

The last time the Games were held in London, in 1948, gymnasts Michael REUSCH, Karl FREI and Josef STALDER all won gold and the Swiss gymnasts enjoyed further success in Helsinki in 1952.

In dressage, Hans MOSER won gold in 1948, Henri CHARMARTIN did likewise in 1964 and Christine STUECKELBERGER was the first Swiss woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she won the dressage in 1976. She competed in six Olympic Games and collected a further three silver medals and a bronze.

Cyclist Robert Dill BUNDI occupies an unusual place in Swiss Olympic history.

When he received his gold medal for the men's 4,000m individual pursuit at the 1980 Games in Moscow, the Olympic flag was raised rather than that of Switzerland. Rowing has also proved a successful sport for Switzerland.

Hans WALTER won gold in the men's coxed fours in 1920 and 1924.

Denis OSWALD took the bronze medal in the coxed fours at the 1976 Games. He later became president of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Aviron (FISA) and has been chairman of the IOC coordination commission for London 2012.

In 1996 brothers Michael and Markus GIER won rowing gold in the lightweight double sculls. Xeno MULLER won gold in 1996 and took silver in 2000 in men's single sculls.

Brigitte McMAHON became the first Olympic champion in the new sport of triathlon when she won gold in 2000.

Roger FEDERER won gold in the men's doubles with Stanislas WAWRINKA at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He carried his country's flag in both 2004 and 2008. In 1936 Switzerland won two of the most bizarre gold medals to date.

Hettie and Gunther Oskar DYHRENFURTH won gold for their expedition to the Himalayas, while Hermann SCHREIBER took gold for gliding over the Alps.

Switzerland has enjoyed great success at the Winter Olympic Games and St Moritz acted as host city in 1928 and 1948.

The Swiss city of Lausanne has provided a home to the International Olympic Committee since 1915.

Anthem: Title

Schweizer Psalm (Swiss Psalm)

Anthem: Year of Induction

1981

Anthem: Composer

Music Alberich ZWYSSIG, German words Leonhard WIDMER.

Official NOC name

Switzerland

IOC recognition date

1912

NOC President's name

Mr Jorg SCHILD

NOC General Secretary's name

Mr Roger SCHNEGG

IOC Member's Name

Mr Denis OSWALD, Dr Rene FASEL, Mr Joseph S. BLATTER, Mr Gian-Franco KASPER, Mr Patrick BAUMANN

Year of first appearance in an Olympic Games

1896

Number of appearances in Olympic Games

27, including London 2012

Summary of Olympic Games Appearances