Italy has never missed an Olympic Games nor an Olympic Winter Games. Although it is usually considered not to have competed in 1896, research in the 1990s discovered that an Italian shooter namedGiuseppe Rivabella did compete in 1896. In 2009, Olympic historians discovered that Olympic cyclistFrank Bizzoni was still an Italian citizen when he competed in 1904. He was formerly thought to have been an USA athlete, but his appearance could be considered to give Italy a competitor at all Olympic Games. Italy did not form a National Olympic Committee until 1908, and it was not until 1915 that this committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The country has had success in many different sports, winning a total of 758 Olympic medals and 258 gold medals, but has often been the dominant country in cycling and fencing. FencerEdoardo Mangiarotti has won the most medals of any Italian Olympian, with 13. He is trailed by female speedskaterArianna Fontana, with eleven medals, and female cross-country skierStefania Belmondo, who has won 10. Both Mangiarotti and fencerNedo Nadi have won six gold medals, and female fencerValentina Vezzali joined them in 2012, winning her sixth gold medal.

Italy has competed at every Olympic Winter Games from 1924-2022, winning 141 medals and 42 gold medals. Its top sports have been cross-country skiing (36 medals, nine gold), Alpine skiing (36 medals, 14 gold), and luge (18 medals, seven gold). Alpine skiersAlberto Tomba andDeborah Compagnoni are the only Italian Winter Olympians with three gold medals.

Italy hosted the Games of theXVIIth Olympiad at Rome in 1960, the7th Olympic Winter Games at Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956, and the20th Olympic Winter Games in Torino (Turin) in 2006. Italy is also scheduled to host the35th Olympic Winter Games in Milano/Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026. In 1975 the Olympic Committee of Italy was awarded with theOlympic Cup.