Cook Islands at the 1992 Summer Olympics recognized by the International Olympic Committee on 1 January 1986. The nation made its first Olympic appearance at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and have sent a delegation to every Summer Olympic Games since. Barcelona was therefore their second time competing in the Summer Olympics, and they have never participated in a Winter Olympic Games. As of 2018 the Cook Islands have never won a medal at the Olympics. The 1992 Summer Olympics were held from 25 July to 9 August; a total of 9,356 athletes represented 169 National Olympic Committees. The Cook Islands' delegation to Barcelona consisted of two competitors,
Winter Olympic Games three events in his sport. Alberto Tomba, an Italian skier, made his Olympic debut by winning both the giant slalom and slalom. East German Christa Rothenburger won the women's 1,000 metre speed skating event. Seven months later she would earn a silver in track cycling at the Summer Games in Seoul, to become the only athlete to win medals in both a Summer and Winter Olympics in the same year. The 1992 Winter Games were the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games. They were hosted in the French Savoie region, with 18 events held