Tajikistan at the 2002 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 Tajikistan made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. The nation was making its Winter Olympic Games debut in these Salt
Winter Olympic Games consecutive ice hockey gold medal. In 1980 the Winter Olympics returned to Lake Placid, which had hosted the 1932 Games. The first boycott of a Winter Olympics took place at these Games, when Taiwan refused to participate after an edict by the IOC mandated that they change their name and national anthem. This was an attempt by the IOC to accommodate China, who wished to compete using the same name and anthem as those used by Taiwan. As a result, China participated for the first time since 1952. American speed-skater Eric Heiden set either an Olympic or World record in