Basketball has been played consistently at the Summer Olympic Games since 1936, with demonstration events in 1904 and 1924. The United States won all of the gold medals in the men's competition from 1936-1968.

Winning the Olympics is considered to be the highest honour in international basketball, followed by the World Championships of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for men and women and the respective intercontinental championships.

History

Basketball was invented by the Canadian-American James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States in 1891. The new game became popular throughout the United States as an indoor spectator sport; the popularity spread overseas and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was organized in 1932 in Geneva, Switzerland.

FIBA organized the first Olympic basketball tournament in the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin as an outdoor tournament; Naismith presented the medals. In keeping up with the Olympic tradition, all competitors were amateurs, and FIBA debuted the indoor game on 1948. The Americans proved their dominance winning all of the Olympic tournaments until the 1972 Summer Olympics when the Soviet Union beat them in gold-medal game in highly controversial circumstances; the Americans refused to receive their silver medals and the IOC still possesses them.

The Americans reclaimed the gold in 1976 but with the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, the Yugoslavs became the first team coming outside the U.S. or the USSR to win the title after beating the Soviets in the semifinals. The Yugoslavs would later lose their gold medal to the Americans in the 1984 Summer Olympics, with the Soviets boycotting. In 1988, with the Americans sending in a young team, the Soviets reclaimed the gold medal, beating the Yugoslavs in the gold medal game.

In 1989, FIBA through the leadership of Borislav Stanković, approved the rule in which professionals were allowed to compete in international tournaments, including the Olympics. In the next Olympics, the United States debuted their "Dream Team" and won the gold medal without calling a time out. Their new-found dominance ended in 2004 Summer Olympics in which they were beaten in the semifinals by Argentina enroute to their first gold medal. However, in 2008, the United States defeated Spain to reclaim Olympic gold, and their first in any major international tournament since the 2000 Olympics.

Venues

All venues were indoor stadiums except for the 1936 tournament which was held outdoors on tennis courts.

• Berlin 1936: Reichsportfeld, Berlin
• London 1948: Harringay Arena, Harringay
• Helsinki 1952: Tennis Palace and Messuhalli II, both in Helsinki
• Melbourne 1956: Exhibition Building, Melbourne
• Rome 1960: Sports Arena and Sports Palace , Rome
• Tokyo 1964: Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo
• Mexico City 1968: Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City
• Munich 1972: Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Siegenburger Straße
• Montreal 1976: Étienne Desmarteau Centre and the Montreal Forum, Montreal
• Moscow 1980: CSCA Sports Palace and Olimpiysky Stadium, Moscow
• Los Angeles 1984: The Forum, Inglewood
• Seoul 1988: Jamsil Arena, Seoul
• Barcelona 1992: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona, Badalona
• Atlanta 1996: Forbes Arena and the Georgia Dome, Atlanta
• Sydney 2000: The Dome and Sydney SuperDome, Sydney
• Athens 2004: Helliniko Indoor Arena and the Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens
• Beijing 2008: Wukesong Indoor Stadium, Beijing
• London 2012: Olympic Basketball Arena (or Wembley Arena) and the O₂ Arena, London

Medal table

1		19	2	3	24
2		4	4	4	12
3		1	5	2	8
4		1	0	1	2
5		1	0	0	1
6		0	3	1	4
7		0	2	0	2
		0	2	0	2
		0	2	0	2
10		0	1	4	5
11		0	1	1	2
		0	1	1	2
13		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
16		0	0	3	3
17		0	0	2	2
		0	0	2	2
19		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
Total		26	26	26	78

Qualifying

Teams qualify according to the FIBA Zone they are affiliated with. The distribution of the different FIBA Zones is as follows, for the 2008 tournament:

Zone	Men	Women
FIBA Africa	1	1
FIBA Americas	2	1
FIBA Asia	1	1
FIBA Europe	2	1
FIBA Oceania	1	1
Wildcards	3	5
Host	1	1
World Champion	1	1
Total	12	12

The wildcards qualify via another qualifying tournament a few weeks before the Olympics. The best teams which did not qualify automatically from each zone compete for the remaining berths.

Men's tournaments

Year	Host		Gold medal game				Bronze medal game
			Gold medalist	Score	Silver medalist		Bronze medalist	Score	Fourth place
1936 details	Berlin			19-8				26-12
1948 details	London			65-21				52-47
1952 details	Helsinki			36-25				68-59
1956 details	Melbourne			89-55				71-62
1960 details	Rome			No playoffs				No playoffs
1964 details	Tokyo			73-59				76-60
1968 details	Mexico City			65-50				70-53
1972 details	Munich			51-50				66-65
1976 details	Montreal			95-74				100-72
1980 details	Moscow			86-77	Italy			117-94	Spain
1984 details	Los Angeles			96-65				88-82
1988 details	Seoul			76-63				78-49
1992 details	Barcelona			117-85				82-78	Unified Team
1996 details	Atlanta			95-69				80-74
2000 details	Sydney			85-75				89-71
2004 details	Athens			84-69				104-96
2008 details	Beijing			118-107				87-75

Medal table

1		13	1	2	16
2		2	4	3	9
3		1	3	1	5
4		1	0	1	2
5		0	2	0	2
		0	2	0	2
		0	2	0	2
8		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
11		0	0	3	3
		0	0	3	3
13		0	0	2	2
14		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1

Performance per federation

• FIBA Americas - 14 gold medals (13 USA, 1 Argentina)
• FIBA Europe - 3 gold medals (2 USSR, 1 Yugoslavia)
• FIBA Oceania - fourth place (Australia)
• FIBA Asia - fifth place (Philippines)
• FIBA Africa - tenth place (Angola, Central African Republic)

Participating nations

Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
	A												10th	11th	12th	12th	12th	5
		15th	4th											9th		1st	3rd	5
				12th		9th		9th	8th	8th	7th	4th	6th	4th	4th	9th	7th	12
	19th	11th	17th															3
	9th	3rd	6th	6th	3rd	3rd	4th	7th		5th	9th	5th	5th	6th				13
			7th	5th	16th		10th											4
	2nd	9th	9th	9th		14th			4th		4th	6th			7th			8
	A											10th						1
	9th	6th	5th	8th														4
	A				A						10th	11th	12th	8th	10th	8th	8th	7
B	15th	18th		11th														3
	C												2nd	7th			6th	3
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
		13th	9th				11th	3rd	7th	6th								6
	9th	7th	9th		5th			8th	6th	9th				A				7
	15th	19th	9th					16th	12th		12th	12th						7
	9th	A	D															1
			9th			11th												2
	19th	2nd	8th	4th	10th						11th				2nd			7
E	15th							12th			8th		7th				10th	5
		20th																1
			17th											5th		5th	5th	4
		16th	9th		9th	13th												4
										12th								1
		14th															11th	2
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
		22nd																1
		23rd																1
	A		17th															1
	7th	17th	17th		4th	5th	8th	4th	5th	2nd	5th				5th	2nd		12
	9th			10th	15th	10th		14th	11th									6
	A	8th		14th		16th	14th					9th		12th				6
	15th	A	D															1
		A	D										3rd	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	5
	3rd	4th	9th		12th	12th	5th		10th									7
	A						16th											4
															11th	10th		2
							12th											1
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
	8th	10th				15th												3
	5th	12th	9th	7th	11th		13th	13th										7
	4th				7th	6th	6th	10th		7th								6
	A				13th	4th	9th	6th	9th			7th	8th	10th		6th		9
			17th															1
	A		D										F		8th		9th	2
	A						15th	15th		11th								3
H	G													2nd	6th	11th		3
	A			13th		I												1
	A		2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd	1st	3rd	3rd		1st	F	A				9
					14th		7th	11th		4th	2nd	8th	9th		9th	7th	2nd	10
										10th								1
Nation	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
	9th	21st	17th															3
	A			15th														1
	19th		17th															2
	A												4th	A				1
	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd*	1st		1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	1st	16
	6th	5th	3rd	3rd	8th	8th					6th							7
													11th					1
					6th	7th	2nd	5th	2nd	1st	3rd	2nd				A		8
Nations	21	23	23	15	16	16	16	16	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12

Notes

^A NOC was not member of IOC
^B as " China" from 1936-56
^C part of " Yugoslavia" from 1936-1988
^D competed as part of " Soviet Union" from 1952-88
^E as " West Germany" from 1968-88
^F part of in 1992
^G now " Serbia", as " Yugoslavia" from 1992-2002
^H part of " Yugoslavia" from 1936-1988
^I part of " Malaysia" in 1964

Unofficial or demonstration tournament winners

• 1904 Buffalo German YMCA
• 1924 London Central YMCA

Women's tournaments

Year	Host		Gold medal game				Bronze medal game
			Gold medalist	Score	Silver medalist		Bronze medalist	Score	Fourth place
1976 details	Montreal			No playoffs				No playoffs
1980 details	Moscow			104-73				68-65
1984 details	Los Angeles			85-55				63-57
1988 details	Seoul			77-70				68-53
1992 details	Barcelona		Unified Team	76-66				88-74
1996 details	Atlanta			111-87				66-56
2000 details	Sydney			76-54				84-73
2004 details	Athens			74-63				71-62
2008 details	Beijing			92-65				94-81

Medal table

.

1		6	1	1	8
2		2	0	1	3
3		1	0	0	1
4		0	3	1	4
5		0	1	1	2
		0	1	1	2
		0	1	1	2
		0	1	1	2
9		0	1	0	1
10		0	0	2	2

Performance per federation

• FIBA Americas - 6 gold medals (6 USA)
• FIBA Europe - 3 gold medals (2 Soviet Union, 1 Unified Team)
• FIBA Oceania - 3 silver medals (Australia)
• FIBA Asia - 2 silver medals (China, South Korea)
• FIBA Africa - eleventh place (Nigeria)

Participating nations

Nation	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
			5th	4th	6th	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	7
					7th	2nd	3rd	4th	11th	5
	B				C				6th	1
	3rd	2nd		5th						3
	6th		4th			11th	10th			4
	A	4th	3rd	6th	2nd	9th		9th	4th	7
		5th			4th	6th	9th			4
	D							5th	7th	2
							5th			1
								7th		1
		4th								1
		6th			8th	8th				3
	5th					7th		10th		3
Nation	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
			2nd	7th		10th	4th	12th	8th	6
	B								9th	1
									12th	1
							11th	8th	10th	3
								11th		1
	4th						8th			1
	B				C	5th	6th	3rd	3rd	4
							12th			1
	D						7th			4
	1st	1st		3rd	C	A				3
					5th			6th	5th	3
	B				C	4th				4
Nation	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Years
	A				1st	A				1
	2nd		1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	8
		3rd	6th	2nd				A		3
E						12th				1
Nations	6	6	6	8	8	12	12	12	12

Notes

^A NOC was not member of IOC
^B competed as part of " Soviet Union" from 1952-88
^C part of in 1992
^D part of " Czechoslovakia" from 1920-92
^E as " Zaire" from 1984-96

Notes

References

• 2008 Olympic Basketball Coverage by fiba.com
• All-time men's results
• All-time women's results