France at the Olympics

France at the Olympics
IOC code	FRA
NOC	French National Olympic and Sports Committee
Website	www.franceolympique.com (in French)
Medals Ranked 6th	Gold 281 Silver 319 Bronze 354 Total 954
Summer appearances
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winter appearances
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

The modern Olympic Games were founded by French historian Pierre de Coubertin. France has competed in every edition (both Summer and Winter), with the possible exception of the 1904 Games (as sources disagree about whether athlete Albert Corey competed for the United States or France^[1][2]).

Through the Paris 2024 Games, French athletes had won 815 medals at the Summer Olympic Games in a wide variety of sports, achieving particular success in fencing and cycling. France has won an additional 138 medals at the Winter Olympic Games, notably in alpine skiing.

The record for titles at the Olympic Games is held by biathlete Martin Fourcade with five gold medals at the Winter Games and judoka Teddy Riner with five gold medals at the Summer Games, while the record for podiums is held by fencers Philippe Cattiau and Roger Ducret, in the 1920s-1930s with eight medals each, Martin Fourcade and Teddy Riner following with seven medals each (two silver in addition to these five titles for the former and two bronze for the latter), ahead of three other fencers, Lucien Gaudin, Christian d'Oriola and Philippe Riboud (six medals).

In June 1894, during the first Olympic Congress in Paris, on the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin, it was decided to resume the Olympic Games and to found the IOC. In 1900, Paris hosted the second modern Summer Olympic Games, which took place as part of the World Exhibition. The Olympics were held there in Paris a second time in 1924 and a third time in 2024. This makes Paris, together with London, the current record city host, to which Los Angeles will also be added with its third hosting of the Summer Olympics in 2028. In total, France has hosted the Olympic games on six occasions and is scheduled to host a seventh with the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

Games	Host city	Dates	Nations	Participants	Events
1900 Summer Olympics	Paris	14 May – 28 October	24	997	95
1924 Winter Olympics	Chamonix	25 January – 4 February	16	258	16
1924 Summer Olympics	Paris	5 – 27 July	44	3,089	126
1968 Winter Olympics	Grenoble	6 – 18 February	37	1,158	35
1992 Winter Olympics	Albertville	4 – 23 February	64	1,801	57
2024 Summer Olympics	Paris	26 July – 11 August	206	10,714	329
2030 Winter Olympics	French Alps	1 – 17 February	TBC	TBC	TBC

Best results in non-medaling sports:

France's only artistic swimming medal came in the Women's duet at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Games	Swimmers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2000 Sydney	9	2/2	0	0	1	1
Total			0	0	1	1

France's only diving medal came in the women's three-metre springboard in 1952.

Games	Divers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1952 Helsinki	4	4/4	0	1	0	1
Total			0	1	0	1

France first competed in swimming at the Paris 1900 Games, with 47 swimmers, taking five medals, including one Gold.

Games	Swimmers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900	47	7/7	1	2	2	5
1932	5	5/11	0	1	0	1
1948	17	11/11	0	0	2	2
1952	16	11/11	1	1	1	3
1964	16	8/18	0	1	0	1
1968	16	?/29	0	0	1	1
1984	16	15/29	0	1	1	2
1988	25	29/31	0	0	2	2
1992	25	25/31	0	0	3	3
2000	19	22/32	0	1	0	1
2004	21	23/32	1	2	3	6
2008	35	27/34	1	2	3	6
2012	31	24/34	4	2	1	7
2016	30	24/34	0	2	1	3
2020	28	28/37	0	1	0	1
2024	33	30/37	4	1	2	7
Total			12	17	22	51

France was a winner of 1924 tournament, and have twice more finished third.

Games	Water polo players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	11	1/1	0	0	1	1
1924 Paris	11	1/1	1	0	0	1
1928 Amsterdam	9	1/1	0	0	1	1
Total			1	0	2	3

France competed in archery in its first Olympic appearance in Paris 1900. The French team there took 13 of the 20 medals, including gold in 4 of the 7 events.

Games	Archers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1900	129	7	4	5	4	13	1
1904	Did not compete
1908	15	3	1	1	1	3	2
1912	No competition
1920	8	10	1	4	1	6	2
1924-1968	Did not compete
1972	5	2	0	0	0	0	-
1976	2	2	0	0	0	0	-
1980	Did not compete
1984	2	2	0	0	0	0	-
1988	6	4	0	0	0	0	-
1992	6	4	1	0	0	1	2
1996	4	4	0	0	0	0	-
2000	5	4	0	0	0	0	-
2004	6	4	0	0	0	0	-
2008	5	4	0	0	1	1	5
2012	4	4	0	0	0	0	-
2016	3	4	0	1	0	1	3
2020	4	5	0	0	0	0	-
2024	6	5	0	1	1	2	2
Total			7	12	8	27	4

France first competed in athletics at the inaugural 1896 Games, winning a silver and a bronze. The nation's first gold medal in the sport is a disputed one; Michel Théato was Luxembourgish but living in Paris; his win in the 1900 marathon is credited to France by the International Olympic Committee, which rejected a petition by Luxembourg to change the Olympic record of Théato's nationality.^[3]

Games	Athletes	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1896	5	9/12	0	1	1	2
1900	23	18/23	1	4	2	7
1976		37	1	0	0	1	11
1980	25	28	0	0	1	1	16
1984	21	41	1	1	2	4	9
1988	55	42	0	0	1	1	18
1992	57	43	1	0	0	1	13
1996	49	44	3	0	1	4	4
2000	53	46	0	0	0	0	-
2004	61	46	0	0	2	2	33
2008	52	57	0	1	2	3	27
2012	52	47	1	1	1	3	12
2016	54	47	0	3	3	6	21
2020	61	48	0	1	0	1	31
2024	90	48	0	1	0	1	31
Total			14	27	29	70	16

In the only appearance of basque pelota as a medal sport at the Olympics in 1900, the French team (one of only two teams to enter) withdrew shortly before the competition started, and the match was not played. The Spanish pair is credited with the gold medal.^[4][5]

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	2	1/1	0	0	0	0
Total			0	0	0	0

France is one of two nations to have competed in the only Olympic cricket competition, in 1900. The French team lost to a British team, taking second place.

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	12	1/1	0	1	0	1
Total			0	1	0	1

France was the only nation to compete in the only Olympic croquet competitions, in 1900.

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	10	3/3	3	2	2	7
Total			3	2	2	7

France first competed in cycling in 1896, winning four of the six cycling events—all of the events which France contested. France has won more gold medals (41) and total medals (91) in the sport than any other nation.

Games	Cyclists	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1896 Athens	2	4/6	4	1	1	6
2004	22	18	1	1	1	3	6
2008	28	18	2	3	1	6	2
2012	23	18	1	3	0	4	3
2016	21	18	0	0	1	1	18
2020	30	22	0	0	2	2	21
2024	31	22	3	3	3	9	1
Total			41	27	23	91

France has won the third-most gold medals and fourth-most total medals in equestrian sports. The nation hosted the first equestrian events in Paris 1900, winning gold medals in two of the five events.

Games	Riders	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1900	39	5	2	2	4	8	2
1912	4	5	1	1	1	3	2
1920	12	7	0	2	0	2	4
1924	12	5	0	0	1	1	6
1928	9	6	0	2	0	2	5
1932	3	5	2	1	0	3	1
1936	9	6	0	1	0	1	2
1948		6	2	1	1	4	1
1952		6	1	1	1	3	2
1956		6	0	0	0	0	-
1960	7	5	0	0	1	1	7
1964		6	1	1	0	2	3
1968		6	1	1	0	2	4
1972		6	0	0	0	0	-
1976		6	1	0	0	1	4
1980	Did not compete
1984	11	6	0	0	0	0	-
1988	12	6	1	1	1	3	2
1992	12	6	0	0	1	1	7
1996		6	0	0	1	1	7
2000	10	6	0	0	0	0	-
2004	9	6	1	0	0	1	4
2008	7	6	0	0	0	0	-
2012	10	6	0	0	0	0	-
2016	12	6	2	1	0	3	2
2020	9	6	0	0	1	1	6
2024	9	6	0	1	1	2	3
Total			15	16	14	37	3

France has won the second-most gold medals and second-most total medals in fencing, in each case behind Italy.

Year	Fencers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1896	4	3	1	2	0	3	2
1900	211	7	5	5	5	15	1
1904	Did not compete
1908	22	7	2	1	1	4	1
1912	Did not compete
1920	18	7	1	4	3	8	2
1924	24	7	3	3	0	6	1
1928	20	7	2	3	0	5	1
1932	11	7	2	1	0	3	2
1936	19	7	0	2	1	3	3
1948	21	7	3	1	0	4	1
1952	21	7	2	0	1	3	3
1956	18	7	1	1	2	4	3
1960	21	8	0	0	0	0	-
1964	20	8	0	2	3	5	4
1968	20	8	1	0	1	2	4
1972	19	8	0	1	2	3	5
1976	18	8	0	1	2	3	6
1980	16	8	4	1	1	6	1
1984	20	8	2	2	3	7	3
1988	19	8	2	1	0	3	2
1992	20	8	2	0	3	5	3
1996	15	10	2	2	3	7	3
2000	16	10	1	4	1	6	3
2004	19	10	3	1	2	6	2
2008	17	10	2	2	0	4	1
2012	11	10	0	0	0	0	–
2016	15	10	1	1	1	3	4
2020	18	12	2	2	1	5	2
2024	18	12	1	4	2	7	5
Total			45	47	38	130	2

France competed in the first men's Olympic football "tournament", winning one match and losing another to earn a second place finish currently recognized as a silver medal performance. The nation was a frequent competitor from then through 1996, peaking with a gold medal win in 1984. France did not qualify for the men's tournament from 2000 to 2016, but has qualified for the 2020 Games.

France did not qualify for the first four women's tournaments from 1996 to 2008. The French women debuted in 2012, placing 4th, and followed that with a 5th-place finish in 2016.

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	13	1/1	0	1	0	1
1984 Los Angeles	17	1/1	1	0	0	1
2024 Paris	18	2/2	0	1	0	1
Total			1	2	0	3

France competed in the first Olympic golf tournaments in 1900, which the nation hosted. The French golfers' best results that year were 4th place for the women and 10th place for the men. France did not compete in the 1904 golf tournaments. When the sport returned to the Olympics in 2016, France had two men and two women compete; the best result was Grégory Bourdy's 21st-place finish.

Games	Fencers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	7	2/2	0	0	0	0
2016 Rio de Janeiro	4	2/2	0	0	0	0
Total			0	0	0	0

France had one gymnast participate in one event in the inaugural 1896 Games. The nation's first medals in the sport came when Paris hosted the Games in 1900; the only event on the schedule was the men's individual all-around, in which France swept the top 18 places (having 108 of the 135 competing gymnasts).

Games	Gymnasts	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1896 Athens	1	1/8	0	0	0	0
1900 Paris	108	1/1	1	1	1	3
Total			3	10	9	22

France competed at two of the five editions of Olympic polo tournaments, both occasions when Paris hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924. The nation is formally credited with no medals, though French players competed on a mixed team in 1900 (along with a British player) that took bronze. France had a fully-French team as well in 1900, which took fifth place. Both the all-French and the mixed team went 0–1 (losing to the same team), with the mixed team placed higher due to a bye. The French team in 1924 went 0–4 in the round-robin tournament. Thus, the overall Olympic record of teams with French polo players is 0–6.

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	7	1/1	0	0	0	0[6]
1924 Paris	5	1/1	0	0	0	0
Total			0	0	0	0[6]

France hosted the inaugural Olympic rowing contests in Paris 1900. France won 2 of the 5 gold medals, and a French boy served as cox in the final for the otherwise Dutch team that won the coxed pair.

Games	Rowers	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	47	4/4	2	3	1	6[7]
Total			8	15	14	37

France hosted the inaugural Olympic rugby union contest in 1900, winning the gold medal over Germany and Great Britain. France did not play in 1908, but returned in 1920 (losing the single match to the United States) and 1924 (beating Romania but losing again to the United States).

With the return of rugby, in the form of rugby sevens, in 2016, France competed again. France had both men's and women's teams in 2016; both advanced out of pool play to the quarterfinals but were defeated there.

Games	Players	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	17	1/1	1	0	0	1
1920 Antwerp	15	1/1	0	1	0	1
1924 Paris	30	1/1	0	1	0	1
2016 Rio de Janeiro	25	2/2	0	0	0	0
Total			1	2	0	3

France hosted the first Olympic sailing competitions in 1900, earning 24 total medals in the 13 events, including 5 golds.

Games	No. Sailors	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Ranking
1900	451	130/13	5	9	10	24	1
1908	3	1/4	0	0	1	1	4
1912	3	1/4	1	0	0	1	3
1920	3	1/14	0	1	0	1	6
1924	9	3/3	0	0	1	1	5
1928	13	3/3	1	0	0	1	3
1932	3	2/4	1	0	0	1	3
1936	14	4/4	0	0	0	0
1948	17	5/5	0	0	0	0
1952	9	4/5	0	0	0	0
1956	8	4/5	0	0	0	0
1960	11	5/5	0	0	0	0
1964	3	2/5	0	0	0	0
1968	9	4/5	0	0	0	0
1972	11	5/6	1	1	0	2	2
1976	10	5/6	0	0	0	0
1980	0	0/6	0	0	0	0
1984	11	6/7	0	0	1	1	8
1988	13	7/8	2	0	0	2	1
1992	17	10/10	2	0	0	2	2
1996	13	8/10	0	0	0	0
2000	12	7/11	0	0	0	0
2004	18	11/11	1	0	1	2	7
2008	18	11/11	0	1	2	3	9
2012	16	10/10	0	0	1	1	12
2016	15	10/10	1	0	2	3	6
2020	14	9/10	0	2	1	3	8
Total			15	14	20	49	4

France competed in shooting at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one shooter in one event, winning no medals. The nation's first medals came when France hosted the Games in 1900, with 3 golds and 10 total medals that year.

Games	Shooters	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1896 Athens	1	1/5	0	0	0	0
1900 Paris	37	9/9	3	4	3	10
Total			9	14	10	33

France first competed in tennis at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one player competing in men's singles and losing in the first round.

Games	Athletes	Events	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1896 Athens	1	1/2	0	0	0	0
1900 Paris	14	4/4	0	1	1	2[8]
Total			5	6	8	19

• List of flag bearers for France at the Olympics
• Category:Olympic competitors for France
• France at the Paralympics
• List of Olympic female gymnasts for France

• "France". International Olympic Committee. 27 July 2021.
• "France". Olympedia.com.
• "Olympic Analytics/FRA". olympanalyt.com.