2004 Summer Olympics

"Athens 2004" redirects here. For the video game, see Athens 2004 (video game). For the Summer Paralympics, see 2004 Summer Paralympics.

Games of the XXVIII Olympiad
Emblem of the 2004 Summer Olympics[a]
LocationAthens, Greece
MottoWelcome Home
(Greek: Καλώς ήρθατε σπίτι, romanized: Kalós írthate spíti)
Nations201
Athletes10,557 (6,257 men, 4,300 women)
Events301 in 28 sports (40 disciplines)
Opening13 August 2004
Closing29 August 2004
Opened by
President Konstantinos Stephanopoulos[1]
Cauldron
Nikolaos Kaklamanakis[1]
StadiumOlympic Stadium
Summer
Winter
2004 Summer Paralympics
Olympic rings
Part of a series on
2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympics (Greek: Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, romanized: Therinoí Olympiakoí Agónes 2004),[b] officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, Agónes tis 28is Olympiádas), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (Αθήνα 2004), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes compete,[2][3] some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team officials from 201 countries,[2] with 301 medal events in 28 different sports.[2] The 2004 Games marked the first time since the 1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a National Olympic Committee were in attendance, and also marked the first time Athens hosted the Games since their first modern incarnation in 1896 as well as the return of the Olympic games to its birthplace. Athens became one of only four cities at the time to have hosted the Summer Olympic Games on two occasions (together with Paris, London and Los Angeles). A new medal obverse was introduced at these Games, replacing the design by Giuseppe Cassioli that had been used since 1928. The new design features the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens[4] rectifying the long-running mistake of using a depiction of the Roman Colosseum rather than a Greek venue.[5]

The 2004 Olympic Games were hailed as "unforgettable dream games" by then-IOC President Jacques Rogge, and left Athens with a significantly improved infrastructure, including a new airport, ring road and subway system.[6] There has been debate (mostly in popular media) regarding the cost of the Games and their possible contribution to the 2010–18 Greek government-debt crisis, although there is little or no evidence supporting this claim. The 2004 Games were generally deemed to be a success, with the rising standard of competition amongst nations across the world. The final medal tally was led by the United States, followed by China and Russia with host nation Greece in 15th place. Several world and Olympic records were also broken during these Games.

Chile, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Georgia and Israel won their first Olympic gold medals. Eritrea and Paraguay won their first Olympic medals. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) won both their first Olympic medal and gold medal in this event.


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  1. ^ a b "Factsheet - Opening Ceremony of the Games of the Olympiad" (PDF) (Press release). International Olympic Committee. 9 October 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Athens 2004". International Olympic Committee. olympic.org. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  3. ^ "The Olympic Summer Games Factsheet" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Athens' New Olympic Medal Design Win IOC's Nod". People's Daily. 2 July 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Winner Medals". olympic-museum.de. Archived from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Rogge: Athens 'unforgettable, dream Games'". ESPN. Associated Press. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2012.