The 2000 Summer Games returned to Australia and the southern hemisphere for the first time since the Melbourne Games in 1956.

Sydney received the Games in a close vote with Beijing, though Beijing would go on and host the 2008 Games.

Of the 200 countries recognized by the IOC only Afghanistan was not in attendance. The IOC banned the Afghans from participation due to the Taliban’s oppression of women and its prohibition of sports. A record 80 countries would win at least on medal at these games.

Swimmers Ian Thorpe from Australia and Inge de Bruijn were the first stars of the games, with Thorpe winning 5 medals and de Bruijn winning 4. de Bruijn would be tainted by allegations of performance enhancing drugs, but she never failed a drug test and was never clearly connected to such activities.

The women’s gymnastics were dominated by Romania. The all around saw the Romanian team occupy the podium, with Andreea Raducan winning gold, Simona Amanar with silver, and Maria Olaru winning bronze. Raducan was disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. She was suffering from a cold and the medicine resulted in a positive drug test. The women’s gymnastics all around final had other controversy as well, as the vaulting horse was set 5cm too low. Many of the gymnasts fell and some were injured and severely shaken up by the falls on the vault. It was not discovered until almost halfway through the competition. The gymnasts were given the chance to vault again, but many chose not to.

One of the greatest upsets happened in Greco-Roman Wrestling. Rulon Gardner had never won an NCAA or world title, when he faced off with 3 time gold medalist Alexander Karelin. Karelin had never lost, not had he surrendered a point in ten years. Gardner scored on Karelin and won the gold medal.

The American men won the 4×400 meter relay, but several of the men on the team tested positive for banned substances. The IOC stripped the medal and vacated the 4×400. Only Michael Johnson and Angelo Taylor would not be implicated. On the women’s side Marion Jones of the United States would surrender all 5 of her medals after confessing to using a banned substance.

Australia’s Cathy Freeman, who lit the Olympic Flame would win the 400 meter race.

The United States would win the medal count with 94 medals, 37g, 24s, 33b, Russia would be second with 89 medals 32g, 28s, 29b, with China and host Australia tying with 58 medals each, with China claiming 3rd by virtue of more gold medals.