Template talk:GYM National Team

Supported countries / Flags

Mypurplelightsaber, love that you created this. I had been thinking about this for a while, but never got around to coding it. I'd love to help you improve upon it. Few things:

1. I can't really tell in the code, but how are countries/links populated? It appears via IOC code? If so, which countries are currently supported? We probably should have a listing in the documentation so we also know which countries currently aren't and would therefore need an article created. For example, I know {{GYM National Team|USA|WAG}} currently works as intended, but {{GYM National Team|MEX|MAG}} is redlinked which indicates an article needs to be created (which is totally fine!). Diving deeper though, {{GYM National Team|URS|MAG}} starts to throw up red template errors (which probably isn't fine) and I don't know if creating an article fixes for that error.

2. We currently have flags displaying for this template. Probabaly part of a larger conversation for WikiProject Gymnastics, but is this necessary? Furthermore, how can we ensure historical accuracy that the correct flag is being shown? For example, the IOC code for the former country of Yugoslavia (YUG) represents time as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (and associated names) as well as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (and associated names). These two entities had different flags.

Let me know how and where I can help! GauchoDude (talk) 18:21, 16 June 2025 (UTC)

For national teams that do not have an article, you can add link=no --> ({{GYM National Team|MEX|MAG|link=no}})

For countries that throwing errors (ie: URS), my template is using {{IOC code}}, which I believe we can go update. I do see they do not have Soviet Union listed (and are probably missing a handful of other countries). Additionally we can go create our own template to map codes to countries if needed; I was just trying to reuse templates that are already created.

As for flags, if we do decide to use them, perhaps another parameter like flag=1861 could be used to use trigger the non-default flag for the country? Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 19:02, 16 June 2025 (UTC)

No, I think having the redlink is important so we as a group can see them and know which articles have been created and which haven't been in the infoboxes this template is used. My point was for the documentation on this template, it might make sense to have a table showing all of the supported IOC codes with links (existing or redlinked) to the respective teams as a visual "okay, here are all the ones already existing" or "here are all the ones still left to be created" so we can have a centralized place to work from if someone were to go and create them all.

As for flags, I'm indifferent, but I think we should probably get an official project consensus. MOS:FLAG and MOS:INFOBOXFLAG appear to generally discourage, including other larger infobox projects, but does make mention that they could be acceptable regarding sporting nationality which would be the case here. I personally think it's a bit overkill to have in the Infobox for team and then again have the flag in the medals section, but certainly not a hill I plan on dying on. Maybe others have stronger opinions one way or another, but we could memorialize in the style guide once we land on something. GauchoDude (talk) 19:18, 16 June 2025 (UTC)

Another thought, Mypurplelightsaber: would it be possible to automatically pull the MAG/WAG/etc. when using with {{Infobox gymnast}} from the |discipline field? It would reduce double input. Not sure technically if possible. Maybe we can also look to nest this code into that? GauchoDude (talk) 20:31, 19 June 2025 (UTC)

I am not sure about pulling the "MAG"/"WAG"/etc from the discipline field (I'm still relatively new at making templates that aren't just nav boxes).

However, the flag issue has been resolved: I added a param "flagyear" that, if set, will use that param in the flagicon template. Added some documentation showing it as well. Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 16:43, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

Non-IOC Countries

Mypurplelightsaber, I have started to slowly implement this template on MAG articles. However, came across the British delegation, for which most represent Great Britain, however there are competitions (such as Commonwealth Games) in which they represent their countries (e.g. England). As England doesn't have an IOC code and "ENG" results in an error, (how?) should this template handle? GauchoDude (talk) 18:11, 12 August 2025 (UTC)

We can either directly update Template:IOC code to include locations such as England. Or if that seems iffy we can create our own Template (duplicating Template: IOC code and adding to it) and update Template: GYM National Team to use that new template instead of IOC code. Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 15:39, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

Does that make sense to do? England (Wales, Scotland, etc.) won't ever have IOC codes because they're not members. As such, editing the IOC code template probably wouldn't fly, or would be reverted.

The second option would probably be better. I know there are some areas represented in gymnastics competition that likely won't ever be included via IOC codes (Isle of Man who competes at the Northern European Gymnastics Championships, for example) so this is probably the only way? GauchoDude (talk) 17:54, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

I have created the template Template:FIG country code and included England, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland. I've then updated this template to use the new one. Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 14:52, 15 August 2025 (UTC)

Thank you. I assume we should likely add older ones as well?

By way of example, I've previously added Bohemia and Yugoslavia to the IOC template. I assume you copied the most recent version so those are likely included too.

I will also add to the new FIG template UAR and RAU for United Arab Republic. These are now obsolete IOC codes which have now been overlapped by EGY and/or SYR, but the United Arab Republic was a sovereign state between 1958–1971 and athletes during that period would have represented United Arab Republic. GauchoDude (talk) 16:40, 15 August 2025 (UTC)

Yup I copied over the latest as of when I commented. And yes, do go add any historical codes or even code changes (like both ROM and ROU should go to Romania). Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 18:54, 15 August 2025 (UTC)

Historical countries/nomenclature

Mypurplelightsaber, me again. Wanted to review Germany (and probably other countries) from a historical context. The IOC (now our FIG?) code for Germany historically has been GER, which exists to this day. However, this also encompasses the time where Germany was the German Empire between 1871–1918 (such as the Summer Olympics between 1896 through 1912).

1. Do we want to differentiate historical "teams" any differently than how IOC currently views? E.g. should one representing a 1912 German Team be linked to "German Empire" or "Germany" team? Or 1932 as Weimar Republic or 1936 as Nazi Germany, etc. I personally lean towards it all rolling up into a standard Germany like the IOC, but wanted other opinions.

2. If we point to the general "Germany" as the IOC does, I see that we have the |flagyear parameter. How does this work? I attempted on a few different German years and it didn't appear to have any effect. This would be quite awkward for a German competitor from the above years appearing to compete under a flag that did not represent them at the time of competition (or even exist then at all).

Thanks. GauchoDude (talk) 19:44, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

Nevermind re: the flagyear thing, I think it's because I assumed any year would just populate the correct flag. It looks like you have to pick the "correct" year that's encoded into the Country data template(s). GauchoDude (talk) 20:15, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

I, too, would lean towards rolling it up into a standard Germany but if someone had a strong opinion towards the other option, I would be open to hearing it.

And yes, flagyear is annoying in that you do have to pick the encoded year and it is not set up to know what the flag was in a specific given year... Mypurplelightsaber (talk) 12:56, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

I think, unless FIG has it done somewhere differently, they probably should roll into the one "Germany" as IOC does. To note though, as East and West Germany are split during their tenures, I think we retain that split as well.

Also, when going through the bios, I've *NOT* put special Olympic teams (such as EUA for the Unified German team) as a represented country (because they're not countries), but if that person has won a medal under that flag I've separated it out as though they're different entities. See country and medals section for Helmut Bantz as example. This will likely apply for other situations such as ROC and not Russia for 2020 Olympics, EUN following the Soviet collapse, etc. GauchoDude (talk) 16:45, 19 August 2025 (UTC)