Olympic Order

The Olympic Order, established in 1975, is the highest award of the Olympic Movement. It is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, i.e. recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. Traditionally, the IOC bestows the Olympic Order upon the chief national organiser(s) at the closing ceremony of each respective Olympic Games.

History

The Olympic Order was established in May 1975 by the International Olympic Committee as a successor to the Olympic Diploma of Merit. The Olympic Order originally had three grades (gold, silver and bronze). In 1984, at the 87th IOC Session in Sarajevo (Yugoslavia), it was decided that there would be no distinction between the silver and bronze order.

Design

The insignia of the Olympic Order is in the form of a collar (or chain), in Gold, Silver or Bronze according to grade; the front of the chain depicts the five rings of the Olympic Movement, flanked on either side by kotinos emblem (olive wreath). A lapel badge, in the form of miniature five rings and kotinos in Gold, Silver and Bronze according to grade, is presented to recipients to wear as appropriate.

Recipients

The following is a list of recipients of the Olympic Order. Some no longer have their orders, as they have been withdrawn.

Gold Olympic Order

Silver Olympic Order

Bronze Olympic Order

Recipients with missing data

Following is the list of recipients of Olympic Order with some missing data like year of award, country and colour of award.

Trivia

Elena Mukhina became the youngest recipient of the Olympic Order in 1982 when she was 22 years old at the time of her award. She was also the only member of the Olympic Order who never competed at the Olympics.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman and Nadia Comaneci are the two only athletes to be awarded the Olympic Order twice.