Tajikistan at the 2002 Winter Olympics for the event. Drygin would later go on to represent Tajikistan twice more, at the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Tajikistan at the 2002 Winter Olympics Tajikistan sent a delegation to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States, held 8–24 February 2002. This was Tajikistan's first time participating in a Winter Olympic Games. The country sent one representative, alpine skier Andrey Drygin. He failed to finish either of his events. The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan (NOC) was first recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1993, and
Winter Olympic Games City, previously a candidate for the 1972 Winter Olympics, then put itself forward, but the IOC opted instead to invite Innsbruck to host the 1976 Games, as most of the infrastructure from the 1964 Games had been maintained. Despite only having half the usual time to prepare for the Games, Innsbruck accepted the invitation to replace Denver in February 1973. Two Olympic flames were lit because it was the second time that the Austrian town had hosted the Winter Games. The 1976 Games featured the first combination bobsleigh and luge track, in neighbouring Igls. The Soviet Union won its fourth