It can be a real tragedy when a country can't participate in The Olympics. However, when the country does something terrible, they have no right to participate. They need to know that actions have consequences. They can't do something and expect that nothing external will happen. At least one person will take notice and will make noise about what has happened.
Zimbabwe, back then known as Rhodesia, first participated in the Olympic Games in 1928. Rhodesia was then absent until 1960 when the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland competed under the name of Rhodesia in Rome. Southern Rhodesia then competed alone under the banner of Rhodesia once again and for the last time in 1964.
The country thus always competed as a British territory. It was unable to take part in the 1968 Games in Mexico, due to the Mexican government's interpretation of regulations on passports. It never successfully competed following Ian Smith's declaration of an independent Rhodesian republic in 1970. Although it returned to the Games in 1972, Rhodesia was expelled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) four days before the opening ceremony, under pressure from other African countries; which didn't recognise the legitimacy of the Rhodesian state and threatened a boycott.
Rhodesia, a British colony, which was self-governing from 1923 and competed at two Olympic Games – those of 1928 and 1964. On 11 November 1965, Rhodesian Prime Minister, Ian D. Smith, announced his nation’s unilateral declaration of independence from Great Britain. Britain termed the act illegal and demanded that Rhodesia broaden voting rights to provide for eventual rule by majority Africans.
In May 1968, the United Nations Security Council condemned the white-dominated Rhodesian government, asking that Rhodesian passports not be accepted for international travel. Rhodesia didn't compete at the 1968 Olympics, one reason being that the IOC didn't recognise it's independent status, another being that Mexico honoured the U.N. Security Council ruling.
At the 71st IOC Session in Luxembourg in 1971, the IOC ruled that Rhodesian athletes could compete at the 1972 Olympics under the same conditions as in 1968 – using British uniforms, the Union Jack as a flag and with "God Save the Queen" as the anthem. Initially, this placated the African nations. However, shortly before the 1972 Munich Olympics, the African nations threatened a mass boycott if Rhodesia was allowed to compete.
The petition stated that the Rhodesians had entered Germany not on British passports, as still required by the U.N. Security Council but by using the Olympic Identity Card. Two days before the 1972 Opening Ceremony, the IOC voted narrowly (36-31, with three abstentions) to withdraw the invitation to Rhodesia for the 1972 Olympic Games.
In 1975, the IOC sent a three-member contingent to visit Rhodesia to inspect the sporting facilities and groups. Led by Major Sylvio de Magalhães Padilha of Brazil, this commission of inquiry was not kind to Rhodesian sports and the IOC expelled the Rhodesian Olympic Committee, by a 41-26 vote.
After a civil war and eventual free elections, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe on 18 April 1980. Zimbabwe first appeared at the Olympics in 1980 at Moskva and the highlight of it's appearance was the gold medal performance of it's women’s hockey (field) team. Zimbabwe has since competed at all subsequent Olympic Games and in 2014, competed for the first time in the Olympic Winter Games with the Alpine skier, Luke Henri Steyn.
In 2004 and 2008, Zimbabwean swimmer, Kirsty Coventry, won seven medals, including two golds in the 200 metres backstroke, bringing her nation’s medal total to eight. Coventry later became a member of the IOC.
In 2014, it competed for the first time (and only time through 2022) at the Olympic Winter Games, with Alpine skier Luke Steyn. Steyn started in the men’s slalom and giant slalom, placing 57th in the giant slalom but not finishing the slalom.
Unfortunately, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) are not the only country to be banned from The Olympics. Twenty countries have faced the reality of being ex-communicated from the grand event.
The first ban came in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium where Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey were banned due to their role and involvement in World War I (WWI). Germany was also banned from the 1924 games in Paris as an extension of the previous ban and the ramifications of WWI.
South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games from 1964 - 1992 due to racial segregation as a result of the Apartheid regime.
In 2000, Afghanistan was banned from the Melbourne Games due to the ruling Taliban’s stance on women. At this recent Olympic Games, with the Taliban back in power in Kabul, Afghan athletes did participate but not under the Taliban’s flag. Instead, they competed under the red, green and black flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which the Taliban overthrew in 2021.
Kuwait was suspended by the IOC in October 2015 due to government interference in the country’s Olympic committee. As a result, Kuwaiti athletes participated in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics as independent Olympic athletes under the Olympic flag.
During the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, North Korea was banned due to it's decision to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, citing COVID-19 concerns, which violated the Olympic Charter.
Despite not being banned completely from the 2016 Olympics, many Russian athletes were barred from competing in Rio due to state-sponsored doping. This also continued into the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2020 summer olympics in Tokyo.
Russia and Belarus were banned from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to their involvement in the ongoing Ukraine war.
At the 2024 Olympics, only 15 athletes from Russia and 18 from Belarus competed as "Individual Neutral Athletes" or AIN's, according to the latest numbers released by the IOC. Competing under the AIN means that Russian and Belarusian flags, national anthems and uniforms will not be allowed at the Paris Games.
AIN's are athletes with Belarusian or Russian passports who are confirmed as eligible and invited to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, which is based on quotas and specific eligibility requirements determined by the International Federations (IFs).
At the end of the day, countries are responsible for their own actions. They weren't coerced into doing the despicable actions. I don't condone the actions that the various countries took. I would run to the hills to escape any horrifying actions that may take placed. I would leave the country if it meant that I could be free of any blame.