1956 Melbourne Olympics

Also called: Games of the XVI Olympiad, Melbourne 1956

The first Olympics held in the Southern Hemisphere. Several nations stayed away in protest at the Hungarian Revolution and the Suez Crisis. South Korea won its first silver medal, through the boxer Song Sun-chun.

The Games were held from 22 November to 8 December 1956. Because of Australia’s strict animal quarantine, the equestrian events alone were held separately in Stockholm in June. The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland stayed away in protest at the Soviet invasion of Hungary, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon over the Suez Crisis, and the People’s Republic of China over the participation of Taiwan. During the Games a water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union was so violent that the water was stained with blood. At the closing ceremony athletes entered mingled together rather than by nation for the first time. South Korea won its first silver medal through the boxer Song Sun-chun.