Independent Olympic Athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Independent Olympic athletes competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The team was composed of Kuwaiti athletes who competed under the Olympic flag, as the Kuwait Olympic Committee had been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the second time in five years due to governmental interference.[2][3][4]

For the refugee Olympic team, see Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. For the Paralympic team, see Independent Paralympic Athletes Team at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

Independent Olympic Athletes at the
2016 Summer Olympics
Olympic Flag
IOC codeIOA
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors9 in 3 sports
Flag bearer Volunteer[1]
Medals
Ranked 51st
Gold
1
Silver
0
Bronze
1
Total
2
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Kuwait (1968–)

In addition to the independent athletes, ten refugees were scheduled to compete under the Olympic flag as the Refugee Olympic Team, which constituted a separate team.

Kuwaiti shooter Fehaid Al-Deehani became the first independent athlete to win a gold medal.[5]

Medalists
Further information: 2016 Summer Olympics medal table and List of 2016 Summer Olympics medal winners
Medal Name Sport Event Date
 GoldFehaid Al-DeehaniShootingMen's double trap10 August
 BronzeAbdullah Al-RashidiShootingMen's skeet13 August

Background

The Kuwaiti Olympic Committee was suspended due to interference from the government. The suspension started in October 2015.[6] Kuwait was also suspended in 2010, but this suspension was lifted before the start of the 2012 Olympic Games.[6]

Fencing
Main article: Fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics

One fencer competed as independent athlete into the Olympic competition. Abdulaziz Al-Shatti had claimed his Olympic spot in the men's épée with a top finish at the Asian Zonal Qualifier in Wuxi, China, signifying the nation's sporters' return to the sport at the Olympics for the first time since 2000.

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Final / BM
Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank
Abdulaziz Al-Shatti Men's épée  Rédli (HUN)
L 13–14		 Did not advance

Shooting
Main article: Shooting at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Kuwaiti individual shooters – starting as independent athletes and not for their country – have achieved quota places for the following events by virtue of their best finishes at the 2015 World Shotgun and Asian Championships, as long as they obtained a minimum qualifying score (MQS) by March 31, 2016.[7]

Athlete Event Qualification Semifinal Final
Points Rank Points Rank Points Rank
Ahmad Al-Afasi Men's double trap 128 15 Did not advance
Fehaid Al-Deehani 135 6 Q 28 1 Q 26 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Abdulrahman Al-Faihan Men's trap 115 14 Did not advance
Khaled Al-Mudhaf 117 8 Did not advance
Abdullah Al-Rashidi Men's skeet 123 1 Q 14 4 q 16 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Saud Habib 117 20 Did not advance

Qualification Legend: Q = Qualify for the next round; q = Qualify for the bronze medal (shotgun)

Swimming
Main article: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Kuwait has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.[8][9][10]

Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Abbas Qali Men's 100 m butterfly 54.63 36 Did not advance
Faye Sultan Women's 50 m freestyle 26.86 54 Did not advance

See also

References
  1. "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. "IOC suspends Kuwait's national Olympic committee". USA Today. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  3. "Suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee". Olympics. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  4. "Independent Olympic Athletes". Rio2016.com. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  5. "Kuwaiti becomes first independent athlete to win gold with men's double trap win". stuff.co.nz. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  6. "Kuwait ban unlikely to be lifted in time for Rio 2016 Olympics: IOC". Indian Express. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  7. "Quota Places by Nation and Number". www.issf-sports.org/. ISSF. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  8. "Swimming World Rankings". FINA. Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  9. "Men's Final Entry List" (PDF). FINA. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  10. "Women's Final Entry List" (PDF). FINA. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
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