South Africa at the 2002 Winter Olympics South Africa at the 2002 Winter Olympics South Africa sent a delegation to compete at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States from 8–24 February 2002. This was South Africa's fourth time appearing at a Winter Olympic Games. The nation's delegation consisted of a single alpine skier, Alexander Heath. In his best performance, he finished 27th in the men's slalom. South Africa first entered Olympic competition at the 1904 St. Louis Summer Olympics. They made their debut at a Winter Olympic Games in the 1960 Winter Olympics. From 1964 until 1991, South Africa was banned from the
Olympic Games of sports to encompass other winter activities. At the 1921 Olympic Congress in Lausanne, it was decided to hold a winter version of the Olympic Games. A winter sports week (it was actually 11 days) was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France, in connection with the Paris Games held three months later; this event became the first Winter Olympic Games. Although it was intended that the same country host both the Winter and Summer Games in a given year, this idea was quickly abandoned. The IOC mandated that the Winter Games be celebrated every four years on the same year