The

Netherlands Antilles nl, In vrijheid verenigd"Unified by freedom" , national_anthem = , common_languages = Dutch English Papiamento , demonym = Netherlands Antillean , capital = Willemstad , year_start = 1954 , year_end = 2010 , date_start = 15 December , ...

participated at the Olympic Games from 1952 until 2008. As a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it supported the Netherlands' boycott of the 1956 Games and also joined the

American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and its allies late ...

. The Netherlands Antilles participated in the Winter Olympic Games twice. The

National Olympic Committee A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games ...

for the Netherlands Antilles was created in 1931 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee from 1950 until 2011 upon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. At the 2012 Olympics, participants from the five islands competed as independent athletes under the Olympic flag.

History

Consisting entities

* (until 1986) * * * * * Aruba left the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 to become a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Since then, their athletes have competed separately under their own Olympic banner. After the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba became part of the Netherlands as special municipalities of the Netherlands. Curaçao and Sint Maarten became separate constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2016, athletes from these five islands will have the choice to compete either with the Netherlands Olympic team or Aruba's. All the above are collectively called " Dutch Caribbean".

Flags

File:Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1959–1986).svg, Six-star

flag of the Netherlands Antilles The flag of the Netherlands Antilles was white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center, one-third of the flag's hoist, superimposed on a vertical red stripe of the same width, also centered; six white, five-pointed stars are arranged in a hex ...

(until 1985). The six stars represents the six islands of the Netherlands Antilles. File:Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986–2010).svg, Five-star

(since 1986 until resolution). Because Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles, only five stars are left on the flag. Three participants from the five islands of the former Netherlands Antilles can compete as

independent athletes Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independen ...

at the 2012 Summer Olympics. They used the Olympic Flag.

Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles

Following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee was no longer recognised as a National Olympic Committee. At the 2012 Olympics, participants from the five islands competed as independent athletes under the Olympic flag. Three athletes from the former Netherlands Antilles participated as part of the team of Independent Athletes:

Liemarvin Bonevacia Liemarvin Bonevacia (born 5 April 1989) is a Dutch sprinter who was born in Willemstad, Curaçao. Career He was one of four people to participate in the 2012 Summer Olympics as "Independent Olympic Athletes". Bonevacia competed in the 400 m and ...

in the men's athletics (

400m The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics (sport), athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor runn ...

Philipine Van Aanholt Philipine van Aanholt (born 26 May 1992) is a female sailor from Curaçao, competing mainly in the Laser Radial class. She is a two-time Women World Champion in non-Olympic classes. In 2008 and 2009 she was chosen Curaçao's Youth Sports Women of ...

in the women's sailing ( laser radial class) and

Reginald de Windt Reginald de Windt (born 30 November 1983) is a judoka from Curaçao who participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics as one of four "Independent Olympic Athletes". Biography De Windt grew up in Curaçao; his nickname "Juny" derives from "Junior", a ...

in the men's judo ( 81kg). All three are from

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

. Churandy Martina competed for the Netherlands. At the 2016 Olympics, Martina, Bonevacia,

Hensley Paulina Hensley Paulina (born 26 June 1993) is a Dutch sprinter. He competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay event at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing narrowly missing the final. Competition record 1Did not finish in the final 2Disqualified in ...

and Jean-Julien Rojer competed for the Netherlands while Van Aanholt competed for Aruba.

Participation

Timeline of participation

Overview of Olympic participation

Netherlands Antilles at the Summer Olympics

Netherlands Antilles at the Winter Olympics

Medals by sport

List of medalists

Jan Boersma Jan D. Boersma (born November 1, 1968) is a sailor from the Netherlands Antilles, who won a silver medal in Men's Lechner Sailboard in the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olymp ...

was the only Netherlands Antillean athlete to win an Olympic medal, a silver medal in sailing in 1988. They nearly earned another silver in men's 200m in Beijing 2008. Churandy Martina finished second, behind Usain Bolt but was disqualified after an American protest due to his running outside of his lane during the race. Martina's disqualification was appealed but was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on March 6, 2009.Martina's bid to reclaim silver rejected
ESPN.com, March 6, 2009.

References

External links

* * * {{Nations at the Olympics