Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Olympics

There is a discussion about the timeline table of participation's structure. Which one looks better and provides a better information about the name changes? You are invited to my talk page and search for "China at the Olympics". Mkess300 (talk) 06:49, 28 May 2026 (UTC)

@Mkess300: Please don't expect people to carry out searches when it's so easy to provide a direct link to User talk:Mkess300#China at the Olympics. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 17:33, 28 May 2026 (UTC)

There is a requested move discussion at Talk:Lee Gyeong-su#Requested move 29 May 2026 that may be of interest to members of this WikiProject. 1isall (talk | contribs) 18:54, 5 June 2026 (UTC)

There is a requested move discussion at Talk:Figure skating at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Ladies' singles#Requested move 28 May 2026 that may be of interest to members of this WikiProject. TarnishedPath^talk 03:52, 12 June 2026 (UTC)

This project should bump up coverage of national Olympic/Paralympic Hall of Famers to at least “medium priority”, if not “high”. A lot of their pages are marked “low priority”. If the Hall of Fame athletes, the greatest athletes of the olympics, are low priority for the project, priorities are wrong. ~2026-35019-01 (talk) 00:40, 16 June 2026 (UTC)

There has been some contentious editing of Olympic swimming sidebar templates. Discussion is needed. Please see this page at WikiProject Swimming. Thanks. – Jonesey95 (talk) 18:48, 5 July 2026 (UTC)

This is coming from the discussion at Talk:Singapore at the Olympics#Timeline of participation on the timeline table.

New timeline tables are added to the various "Country at the Olympics" articles. I noted for Singapore at the Olympics at this version with the table inclusive of Malaysia and North Borneo. The rationale for the table was because Singapore was once part of Malaysia. Even after Singapore gained independence and participated at the Olympics independently, the table continue to list Malaysia alongside Singapore post 1965. The rationale was preserving historic details and to show the historic teams and future teams.

The table is confusing and maybe unnecessary, since the article is about the Country participation at the Olympics, showing unrelated countries at a certain point in time is confusing and readers may ask, why is it related. At the Olympics aspect, Singapore has no relations with Malaysia or North Borneo up to 1960. Singapore send its own delegation under the Malaysia flag in 1964 so indicating Malaysia is correct, North Borneo ceased to exist in 1963 and became Sabah of Malaysia so it was indicated as a historic team of Malaysia (which it is not, it participated as a Crown Colony of the British Empire).

There was also another explanation that it is to recognise athletes who had participated in different teams due to changes in the first country they represented (example splitting of a country to many other countries and said athletes had went to the Olympics for the initial country and then for the new country which was splitted out). I believe this is best reflected in the athlete's Wikipedia article (if any) instead.

As above, there are many historical details for many countries (especially after the fall of Soviet Union, the split of many Kingdoms in Europe) which should be kept out of the table and these details require a reading of the sporting history of each country (namely the formation of the National Olympic Council for each country and whether they participated at the Olympics independently or as a combined team etc). A simple remarks column could explain the use of a certain flag / IOC code at each period with further details explained in the history section. Please see such a version here.

I would like to seek consensus to

1. keep the table
2. remove all unrelated countries
3. keeping related countries based on the "Other related appearances" currently listed in infobox
4. keep a remarks column for any explanatory remarks

As an example: From original to updated version

Pinging the following editors:
Initial contributors: @Miria~01, @Mkess300
Previous discussion initiator (Timeline table): @Primefac
Part of the discussion at Talk:Singapore at the Olympics: @Robertsky ~ JASWE (talk) 03:33, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

Each country should be treated as a distinct case, given the significant differences in political and sporting history (regarding both athletes and National Olympic Committees). In the case of Singapore, I consider the listed remarks sufficient, as they accurately reflect both the sporting and political aspects.

In contrast, the new version regarding Malaysia at the Olympics omits important details. such as the fact that athletes who competed for North Borneo previously went on to compete for Malaysia starting in 1964, which were better presented in the previous version. The Olympic history of the athletes of North Borneo is related to Malaysia, yet it was removed it from the new version.

I see no reason to impose a rigid framework in order to find a "one-size-fits-all solution" for all countries.Most don't need one at all, or are very short and concise, like Czech Republic at the Olympics. However, I see no reason not to add a "remarks" column or to provide a very brief historical explanation below the table. Miria~01 (talk) 08:37, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

The original purpose of these "timelines" is being overlooked in the confusion that is evident. This original approach was for the purpose of illustrating when an Olympic team splits into multiple teams over time. These timelines are NOT regular tables.

Think of each row of these timelines as being a simplified rectangular map of a geographic area. The first row, for example, for Russia or for Yugoslavia, is one unbroken area. In subsequent years, this “map” splits and shifts as other geographic areas (countries) split away. In fact, you could substitute an actual map for each row with the actual country boundaries on each year’s map. The rectangular row is just a simplified map. It’s not meant to be an ordinary table. Jeff in CA (talk) 09:07, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

A table is a table, a map is a map. A 'rectangular map' in form of a table is not going to be understandable by the majority of the readers without further explanation. Please use the right visualisation for what you want to convey, i.e. a gif of the team changes on the map over time. If you want a table, Special:Permalink/1364319472 suffice.

Even if going by your explanation, it makes sense for when a larger country being split into a smaller one. But for Singapore's context or in fact, most of Southeast Asia, many of the countries here are of an amalgamation of smaller colonies/states, rather than a split. Example: Special:Permalink/1364319472

The only link between Singapore and North Borneo was the future union of Malaysia, but Singapore and North Borneo in colonial times were separate colonies with no overlapping land or citizenry. Going by your logic, North Borneo shouldn't appear at all for that row.

Singapore competed under Malaysia's banner for that one Games when Singapore was within the Federation is a given since Singapore is a state within Malaysia. Even after it split from Malaysia, the existing state boundaries did not change unlike the examples raised here. – robertsky (talk) 16:37, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

I’m not saying anything about Malaysia, Singapore or North Borneo. I didn’t come up with the concept of this visualization. You can argue with someone else about that. What I agree with is that this visualization "makes sense for when a larger country being split into a smaller one." That’s why this thing was first created for Yugoslavia, and then applied to Russia. There was quite a lot of Talk Page discussion when that was done a couple years ago. Jeff in CA (talk) 20:59, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

I was replying in general. However, I am curious to read the original talk page discussion. Where can I find it? – robertsky (talk) 04:53, 17 July 2026 (UTC)

He is likely referring to this discussion in Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Olympics/Archive 17 , but similar discussions also took place on other pages regarding the countries.

Regarding your remarks on the visualization, I honestly see no basis for them.It is a simple historical timeline chart that is frequently used, for example, Template:History of the Low Countries. Such a visualization of historical change—whether involving dynasties, territorial shifts, or other historical developments—truly does not require a GIF.

Sticking with the example of Singapore,the table in the history section is actually explained, which is certainly desirable and even the last bit of confusion should be resolved: On 16 September 1963, Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were merged and Malaysia was formed. In 1964, Singapore competed as part of Malaysia at the 1964 Summer Olympics.

Ideally, I would like to see opponents of the current tables to give an alternative version for a more complex history situation, as for Yugoslavia at the Olympics, what the changes to this table should look like.

As I noted in my initial post, I strongly support the current visualization method; however, exceptions can be made for specific countries—such as the example of Singapore (which sparked this debate)—if doing so better illustrates sporting changes for athletes of a NOC to the reader.
It should be noted that political changes do not necessarily mean teams cease to exist, as sporting structures vary for every organisation; consider FIFA for Singapore, where the national team continued to compete independently during the period of unification with Malaysia (1963–1965) or Hong Kong, where athletes have continued to compete as a separate team at the Olympics since 1952, even though it is part of China since 1997 and the athletes are Chinese citizens. Miria~01 (talk) 12:18, 17 July 2026 (UTC)

There are multiple conflating issues here (the OP makes a reasonable list); it might be worth discussing each one separately just to avoid too much confusion? I think we should have a general setup/structure/framework which will allow for more consistency across all articles, which can then be modified on a case-by-case basis as-needed, but from what I've seen of these discussions across multiple pages I think we can reasonably make a few guidelines that will cover almost all pages. Primefac (talk) 12:09, 18 July 2026 (UTC)

Possible three points for a guideline (first is without "major controversy"):
1. A table is unnecessary if only the "flag", IOC code or the country's form of government has changed, but the NOC of the team itself remains the same and has no direct or second-degree indirect relation with other Olympic teams or NOCs.
Example of diffs with an unnecessary table: Brazil, Sweden, Tanzania, Honk Kong, Austria
These were eventually reversed, and I believe a majority supported this view.

2. Olympic teams with direct relations to other NOCs should be listed in a table, if the Olympic predecessor/successor relationship has some type of direct historical lineage , see e.g.:

• Split: British India → India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
• Merger: North Yemen + South Yemen → Yemen
• Temporary union: East Germany + West Germany → United Team of Germany or Australia + New Zealand → Australasia

The corresponding flags of the Olympic team for that period should also be included in the table.

3.When a common predecessor splits into multiple successor teams, all direct successors may be shown if they represent the continuation of the same predecessor identity. However, once a successor branch develops its own further lineage, the tracing follows that branch and omits parallel branches that no longer belong to the selected continuity e.g

• Serbia and Montenegro, Russia

Miria~01 (talk) 16:20, 18 July 2026 (UTC)

There is a requested move discussion at Talk:Lajos Tóth#Requested move 18 July 2026 that may be of interest to members of this WikiProject. ~2026-40264-05 (talk) 01:11, 19 July 2026 (UTC)

There is a requested move discussion at Talk:Henri Padou#Requested move 22 July 2026 that may be of interest to members of this WikiProject. ~2026-41240-37 (talk) 21:09, 22 July 2026 (UTC)

There is a requested move discussion at Talk:Sam Kerr#Requested move 25 July 2026 that may be of interest to members of this WikiProject. ~2026-41542-01 (talk) 10:29, 25 July 2026 (UTC)

Please see Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Swimming#Marathon swimming redux, a discussion about whether consensus has changed regarding marathon swimming articles (link to 2025 discussion on this page). – Jonesey95 (talk) 21:22, 25 July 2026 (UTC)

Inspired by @Nitobus edits (, regarding the Mixed teams, I have also detailed the changes by the IOC post-2024 in the 1900 medal table, in order to provide the reader with comprehensive background information. Though so far only for this one, I would also complete that for 1904 when I have the time. For each medal in the tables a note, as footnote, is included to clarify the individual decisions by the IOC for the reader.

I am open to feedback (whether regarding the visuals or missing content), and changes are welcome. Miria~01 (talk) 19:52, 27 July 2026 (UTC)