Mediterranean Games

Greece, faithful to its traditions, has always been present in the institution of the Mediterranean Games, from their birth until today.

Its historical journey began in 1951 in Alexandria, Egypt. Six countries have also taken part in all previous competitions. They are Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, Lebanon and Malta. The then Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee, Egyptian Mohamed Tahir Pasha (1897-1970), was first inspired by the Mediterranean Games and put forward his proposal on the sidelines of the 1948 Olympic Games in London. With the support of the Greek Ioannis Ketsea the IOC turned his dreams into reality, and Tahir Pasha’s hometown offered to host the first event in Alexandria in 1951.

In 1955 in Barcelona, at the 2nd Mediterranean Games, the plan for the establishment of the International Mediterranean Games Committee (IMCG) was submitted, which began its operation on June 16, 1961 with Ioannis Ketsea as Secretary General and in the following years in the same position Epaminondas Petralias, Nikos Filaretos, Minoa Kyriakou, Isidoros Kouvelos and Iakovos Filippoussis, who was elected to the position in November 2018. Until 1967, only men participated in the institution.

From 1991 in Athens onwards, the year of the Mediterranean Games was changed with the decision to always hold them one year after the summer Olympic Games. A change was also made in 2018 when the event in Tarragona, Spain took place in the interval of the Olympic Games.

City: Oran
Nbr of participating countries: 26
Nbr of Sports: 24
Men: 2014 – Women: 1284 – Total: 3298
Greek Medals: 31
Flagbearer: Anna Korakaki – Makis Mittas (Shooting)

City: Tarragona
Nbr of participating countries: 26
Nbr of Sports: 28
Men: 2180 – Women: 1468 – Total: 3648
Greek Medals: 48
Flagbearer: Evangelia Psarra (Archery)

City: Mersin
Nbr of participating countries: 24
Nbr of Sports: 27
Men: 1994 – Women: 1070 – Total: 3064
Greek Medals: 59
Flagbearer: Vasso Vougiouka (Fencing)

City: Pescara
Nbr of participating countries: 23
Nbr of Sports: 29
Men: 3368 – Women: 1185 – Total: 2183
Greek Medals: 64
Flagbearer: Vassilis Polymeros   (Rowing)

City: Almeria
Nbr of participating countries: 21
Nbr of Sports: 24
Men: 2134 – Women: 1080 – Total: 3214
Greek Medals: 59
Flagbearer: Ilias Iliadis (Judo)

City: Tunis
Nbr of participating countries: 23
Nbr of Sports: 23
Men: 2002 – Women: 1039 – Total: 3041
Greek Medals: 88
Flagbearer: Leonidas Sabanis  (Weightlifting)

City: Bari
Nbr of participating countries: 21
Nbr of Sports: 26
Men: 2166 – Women: 790 – Total: 2956
Greek Medals: 62
Flagbearer: Akakios Kahiasvilis (Weightlifting )

City: Agde – Roussillon
Nbr of participating countries: 19
Nbr of Sports: 26
Men: 1994 – Women: 604 – Total: 2598
Greek Medals: 66
Flagbearer: Pyrros Dimas (Weightlifting)

City: Athens
Nbr of participating countries: 18
Nbr of Sports: 23
Men: 2176 – Women: 586 – Total: 2762
Greek Medals: 60
Flagbearer: Pavlos Saltsidis (Weightlifting)

City: Latakia
Nbr of participating countries: 18
Nbr of Sports: 17
Men: 1529 – Women: 467 – Total: 1996
Greek Medals: 36
Flagbearer: Dimitris Thanopoulos (Wrestling)

City: Casablanca
Nbr of participating countries: 16
Nbr of Sports: 20
Men: 1845 – Women: 335 – Total: 2180
Greek Medals: 32
Flagbearer: Stelios Mygiakis (Wrestling)

City: Split
Nbr of participating countries: 14
Nbr of Sports: 25
Men: 2009 – Women: 399 – Total: 2408
Greek Medals: 29
Flagbearer: Giorgos Pozidis (Wrestling)

City: Algiers
Nbr of participating countries: 15
Nbr of Sports: 18
Men: 2095 – Women: 349 – Total: 2444
Greek Medals: 36
Flagbearer: Vassilis Papageorgopoulos  (Athletics)

City: Izmir
Nbr of participating countries: 14
Nbr of Sports: 17
Men: 1235 – Women: 127 – Total: 1362
Greek Medals: 38
Flagbearer: Petros Galaktopoulos  (Wrestling)

City: Tunis
Nbr of participating countries: 12
Nbr of Sports: 14
Men: 1211 – Women: 38 – Total: 1249
Greek Medals: 25
Flagbearer: Andreas Garyfallos (Water polo)

City: Naples
Nbr of participating countries: 13
Nbr of Sports: 17
Men: 1057 – Women: – – Total: 1057
Greek Medals: 8
Flagbearer: Ioannis Komitoudis (Athletics)

City: Beirut
Nbr of participating countries: 12
Nbr of Sports: 16
Men: 792 – Women: – Total: 792
Greek Medals: 30
Flagbearer: Giorgos Marselos  (Athletics)

City: Barcelona
Nbr of participating countries: 10
Nbr of Sports: 19
Men: 1135 – Women: – – Total: 1135
Greek Medals: 16
Flagbearer: Kostas Giataganas (Athletics)

City: Alexandria
Nbr of participating countries: 10
Nbr of Sports: 13
Men: 734 – Women: – – Total: 734
Greek Medals: 21
Flagbearer: Kostas Giataganas (Athletics)