Date
July 25 - August 8
Teams
169
Country
Spain
Events
257
Athletes
9356
Historical changes
In the years following the 1988 Games, the world witnessed radical political changes that included the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, allowing it to participate in the Olympic Games again, for the first time since 1960. This era also witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of West and East Germany, as well as the unification of North Yemen and its south. The Soviet Union disintegrated and divided into 15 countries.
At the 1992 Barcelona Games, the independent teams of Estonia and Latvia participated for the first time since 1936, and Lithuania sent its first delegation since 1928. The other former Soviet republics participated in a "unified team", but the winners were honored with medals under the flags of their republics.
Games without interruption
For the first time since 1972, the Games witnessed no boycotts thanks to significant global political changes.
Newcomers and young people
For the first time, baseball was included as an official sport rather than a demonstration sport as it had been in six previous Olympics. Women's badminton and judo were also included in the Olympic program, and Spain's Carlos Font, the 11-year-old captain of the octagon, became the youngest Olympic athlete since the 1900 Games.
Immortal heroes
Men's basketball became open to all professionals, and America fielded a "Dream Team" that included superstars like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird. The Dream Team dominated the tournament and won the gold medal. Gymnast Vitaly Scerbo also stood out with his impressive performance, winning six gold medals, four of them in one day.
African hope
On the last lap of the 10,000m final, Ethiopian Derartu Tolu took the lead and won the race. At the finish line, Derarto waited for her opponent, Elana Mayer, a white runner from South Africa. The two South Africans participated together in a triumphant tour that embodied hope for a new Africa.
National Olympic Committees: 169
Athletes: 9356 (2704 women and 6652 men)
Events Sports: 257
number Volunteers: 34548
means media: 13,082 media outlets (5,131 print media, 7,951 broadcasters)
English 
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