Olympic Patch of the Netherlands Team

The 16th Summer Olympics took place in Melbourne in the winter of 1956. However, because Australia had a six-month quarantine on horses, the Games’ equestrian events took place earlier in Stockholm, Sweden. Alexis Pantchoulidzew (1888-1968) was the only Dutch competitor in the Stockholm event.

The Netherlands team did not take part in the Melbourne Olympics since the country boycotted the Games as a protest against the Soviet invasion of Hungary.

In 1956, the Winter Olympic Games were also held in Cortina d' Ampezzo, Italy. Eight Dutch athletes participated, but they did not win any medals.

This Olympic patch in orange, the colour of the Dutch royal family, and the coat of arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is probably linked to one of the Olympic events of 1956.