Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Joseph Mewis (born 23 March 1931) is a Belgian wrestler. He was Olympic silver medalist in Freestyle wrestling in 1956. He also competed at the 1952, 1960 and 1964 Olympics.

Renée Garilhe (15 June 1923 – 6 July 1991) was a French fencer. She won a bronze medal in the women's individual foil event at the 1956 Summer Olympics, and a gold medal in both women's individual foil and foil team events at the 1950 World Fencing Championships.

René Jules Libeer (28 November 1934 – 12 November 2006) was a French flyweight boxer. Competing as an amateur he won bronze medals at the 1956 Summer Olympics and 1957 European Championships. Next year he turned professional and in 1965 won the vacant European title against Paul Chervet. After defending it three times he lost it in 1967 to Fernando Atzori. Their rematch the same year ended in a draw, after which Libeer retired from boxing.

Gilbert Chapron (October 7, 1933 – September 5, 2016) was a French boxer, who competed in the middleweight division (– 75 kg) during his career as an amateur. He was born in Blois, Loir-et-Cher.

Gilbert "Gib" Ford (September 14, 1931 – January 10, 2017) was an American basketball player and business executive, who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics as part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. Born in Tulia, Texas, he played college basketball at the University of Texas. He worked for thirty-five years at Converse, Inc., ultimately becoming the company's chairman and CEO.
Ford played for Amarillo High School. In 1950 he was a Texas High School All State player and a participant in the Texas High School All Star Game. His name is enshrined in the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame. Following High School, Ford played basketball for the University of Texas from 1950 to 1954, and was co-captain of the team his senior year, when the team was a co-champion of the Southwest Conference. He was named to various All-SWC teams and took part in the 1954 Shrine East/West College All Star Game in Kansas City. In 1986, he was inducted into the University of Texas Longhorn Hall of Honor.After graduation from Texas in 1954, where he was also a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, Ford was a starter for the famous Phillips 66 Oilers, which won the National AAU Championship in 1955, and the National Industrial Basketball League Championship in 1955 and 1958. While serving in the Air Force, Ford played on the 1956 All Air Force Team and the All Armed Forces Team, which qualified for the 1956 Olympic trials.
In August 1994, Ford was appointed chairman of the board and CEO of Converse, Inc. He retired December 1, 1996 after 35 years of service with the company. Ford first joined Converse as a member of the sales staff in 1961, and served in a number of executive capacities before becoming president of the company in 1986.
Ford was affiliated with several sporting goods and footwear manufacturers' organizations. He served two terms, 1982–85 and 1991–93, as the chairman of the board of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA). He was instrumental in creating the industry's first Super Show in 1986, the world's largest sporting goods trade show. He also was a member of the boards of directors of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, the Two/Ten Foundation, the Footwear Industries of America, the Rubber and Plastic Footwear Manufacturers Association, the New England Sports Hall of Fame, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He served a six-year term as a member of the board of trustees for Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Juno Stover-Irwin (November 22, 1928 – July 2, 2011) was a four-time Olympic diver for the United States in 1948, 1952, 1956 and 1960 Primarily a 10-meter platform performer, Irwin was a native of Los Angeles, California; she attended Hoover High School and Glendale Community College.
Juno was three and a half months pregnant when she took the bronze medal at the Helsinki Olympic Games. She travelled to competitions with her ukulele which she played for relaxation and enjoyment.

Jeanne Georgette Stunyo (born April 11, 1936) is a former world-class diver who earned a silver medal on the three-meter springboard at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.At those same Games, Irene MacDonald finished in third place to become Canada's first Olympic medalist in diving. Standing at the top of the awards podium was gold medalist Patricia McCormick of the United States.Prior to her performance at the 1956 Olympics, Jeanne Stunyo was a three-meter springboard finalist at the 1952 US Olympic Trials; Jeanne also won a silver medal at the 1955 Pan-American Games in Mexico City.Coached by four-time Olympian, Clarence Pinkston, Jeanne Stunyo and teammate Barbara Sue Gilders competed for the Detroit Athletic Club; Jeanne also attended the University of Detroit.
Stunyo was born in Gary, Indiana.

Michel Vermeulin (born 6 September 1934) is a former road and track cyclist from France, who won the gold medal in the men's team road race at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, alongside Arnaud Geyre and Maurice Moucheraud. He also won the silver medal in the men's 4.000m team pursuit in the track competition in Melbourne, Australia. Vermeulin was a professional rider from 1958 to 1964.

Galliano Rossini (17 May 1927 – 13 November 1987) was an Italian sports shooter. He competed at the 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968 Olympics in the trap event and finished in 7th, 1st, 2nd, 4th and 13th place, respectively. He also won six medals in the trap at the world championships of 1954–1959.