Venues of the 2000 Summer Olympics for the 2000 Games continue to be in use as of 2018. Australia first hosted the Summer Olympics in 1956 at Melbourne. The main venue used was the Melbourne Cricket Ground which hosted the ceremonies (opening/closing), athletic events, and the finals for both field hockey and football. Sydney first made preliminary plans for the 1972 and 1988 Summer Olympics, but they were not followed through. Melbourne made a bid for the 1988 Summer Games, but withdrew in February 1981. Brisbane made a bid for the 1992 Summer Olympics, losing out to Barcelona while Melbourne finished fourth in the bidding for
Mauritania at the 2000 Summer Olympics Los Angeles Olympics, and have sent a delegation to every Summer Olympic Games since; they have yet to make their first appearance at the Winter Olympic Games. These Sydney Olympics were the nation's fifth appearance at a Summer Olympiad. The 2000 Summer Olympics were held from 15 September to 1 October 2000; a total of 10,651 athletes represented 199 NOCs. The Mauritanian delegation consisted of two track and field athletes, Sidi Mohamed Ould Bidjel and Fatou Dieng. Ould Bidjel was selected as the flag-bearer for the opening ceremony. Fatou Dieng was 16 years old at the time of the Sydney