Benin (BEN)

Benin was originally part of French West Africa, but became independent from France under the name of Dahomey on 5 August 1960. The National Olympic Committee was formed on 5 May 1962 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 5 June of the same year at the IOC session in Moskva. Dahomey competed in the 1972 Olympics at Munich. The name was changed to Benin in 1975 and, after missing the 1976 Games, it has competed at every Olympics since 1980. Benin has never competed in the Olympic Winter Games and has not yet won an Olympic medal.

Benin’s best Olympic performances came in 1980 when featherweight boxer Barthelémy Adoukonu received a first-round bye, won one match, and then lost in the third round to place equal ninth of 35 boxers and in 2016 when judoka Celtus Dossou Yovo also finished equal ninth out of 35 after a first-round bye, one win, and a loss in the third round in the middleweight class.