The History of the Olympics:

The first Olympic Games in three decades without a boycott was hosted by the Spanish city of Barcelona. Athletes from most of the new countries of the former Soviet Union competed as the "Unified Team" and for the first time since 1964, Germany competed as a unified country. South Africa also rejoined the Games having eliminated apartheid.

Baseball, a demonstration sport in earlier Games, was added to the Olympic roster.

The amateur rule that was overturned for the 1988 Olympic Games, allowed the United States to send the "Dream Team," a basketball team made up of a number of the most famous U.S. professional basketball players, to the Olympics.

Gymnast Vitaly Sherbo of Belarus won six gold medals.

Approximately 9,300 athletes participated, representing 169 countries.