San Marino at the 2002 Winter Olympics San Marino at the 2002 Winter Olympics San Marino sent a delegation to compete at the 2002 Winter Olympics, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States from 8–24 February 2002. This was the nation's sixth appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. The delegation consisted of a single athlete, alpine skier Gian Matteo Giordani. In his race, the giant slalom, he finished in last place of those who finished the course at 57th. San Marino first entered Olympic competition at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. The nation did not enter a Winter Olympic Games until Innsbruck in 1976. Excepting the
Winter Olympic Games speed skiing, bandy and skijoring, were demonstration sports but never incorporated as Olympic sports. The rise of television as a global medium for communication enhanced the profile of the Games. It generated income via the sale of broadcast rights and advertising, which has become lucrative for the IOC. This allowed outside interests, such as television companies and corporate sponsors, to exert influence. The IOC has had to address numerous criticisms over the decades like internal scandals, the use of performance-enhancing drugs by Winter Olympians, as well as a political boycott of the Winter Olympics. Nations have used the Winter (as