Many countries have never won an Olympic medal. After the 2024 Summer Olympics, 64 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are recorded as having never won any medal (gold, silver, or bronze) in the Summer or Winter Olympic Games. Some of these countries include:
- In Africa: Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan.
- In Asia: Bhutan, Brunei, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Yemen, Oman.
- In Europe: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Monaco.
- In Oceania: Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
- In the Americas: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The reasons vary but often relate to limited resources, smaller athlete delegations, and less developed sports infrastructures. The International Olympic Committee has programs to support athletes from such countries, aiming to help them achieve their first medals eventually.
