Ethiopia competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR. The nation returned to the Olympic Games after boycotting the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 41 competitors, 39 men and 2 women, took part in 26 events in 3 sports.
Miruts Yifter — Athletics, Men's 5000 metresMiruts Yifter — Athletics, Men's 10000 metresMohamed Kedir — Athletics, Men's 10000 metresEshetu Tura — Athletics, Men's 3000 metres SteeplechaseMen's 100 metres
Besha TuffaHeat — 11.55 (→ did not advance)Men's 200 metres
Besha TuffaHeat — 23.18 (→ did not advance)Men's 800 metres
Abebe ZerihunHeat — 1:50.3 (→ did not advance)Nigusse BekeleHeat — 1:51.1 (→ did not advance)Atre BezabehHeat — 1:52.7 (→ did not advance)Men's 1,500 metres
Kassa BalchaHeat — 3:43.1 (→ did not advance)Haile ZeruHeat — 3:45.7 (→ did not advance)Nigusse BekeleHeat — 3:45.8 (→ did not advance)Men's 5,000 metres
Miruts YifterHeat — 13:44.4Semi Final — 13:40.0Final — 13:21.0 (→ Gold Medal)Yohannes MohamedHeat — 13:45.8Semi Final — 13:39.4Final — 13:28.4 (→ 10th place)Mohamed KedirHeat — 13:42.7Semi Final — 13:28.6Final — 13:34.2 (→ 12th place)Men's 10,000 metres
Miruts YifterHeat — 28:41.7Final — 27:42.7 (→ Gold Medal)Mohamed KedirHeat — 28:16.4Final — 27:44.7 (→ Bronze Medal)Tolossa KotuHeat — 28:55.3Final — 27:46.5 (→ 4th place)Men's Marathon
Dereje NediFinal — 2:12:44 (→ 7th place)Mmelaku DeddubgeFinal — 2:18:40 (→ 24th place)Kebede BalchaFinal — did not finish (→ no ranking)Men's 4x400 metres Relay
Besha Tuffa, Kumela Fituma, Asfaw Deble, and Atre BezabehHeat — 3:18.2 (→ did not advance)Men's 3,000 m Steeplechase
Eshetu TuraHeat — 8:23.8Semifinals — 8:16.2Final — 8:13.6 (→ Bronze Medal)Hailu Wolde-TsadikHeat — 8:41.0Semifinals — 8:35.0 (→ did not advance)Girma Wolde-HanaHeat — 8:54.6 (→ did not advance)Men's Long Jump
Abebe GesseseQualification — 6.66 m (→ did not advance)Men's Triple Jump
Yadessa KumaQualification — 13.60 m (→ did not advance)Men's Javelin Throw
Milkessa ChalchisaQualification — 51.04 m (→ did not advance, 18th place)Men's 20 km Walk
Tekeste MitikuFinal — 1:45:45.7 (→ 23rd place)Women's 800 metres
Fantaye SirakHeat — 2:08.7 (→ did not advance)Women's 1,500 metres
Amsale WoldegibrielHeat — 4:25.3 (→ did not advance)Men's Light Flyweight (– 48 kg)
Beruk AsfawFirst Round — lost to Antti Juntumaa (Finland) after knock-out in first roundMen's Flyweight (– 51 kg)
Hassen SherifFirst Round — Defeated Aguibou Barry (Guinea) after disqualification in second roundSecond Round — Lost to Petar Lesov (Bulgaria) on points (0-5)Men's Bantamweight (– 54 kg)
Ayele MohammedFirst Round — ByeSecond Round — Defeated Ahmad Nesar (Afghanistan) on points (5-0)Third Round — Lost to Juan Hernández (Cuba) after referee stopped contest in second roundMen's Featherweight (– 57 kg)
Leoul NearaioFirst Round — ByeSecond Round — Defeated Ramy Zialor (Seychelles) on points (3-2)Third Round — Lost to Sidnei Dalrovere (Brazil) on points (0-5)Men's Lightweight (– 60 kg)
Tadesse HaileFirst Round — Lost to Florian Livadaru (Romania) after disqualification in third roundMen's Light-Welterweight (– 63,5 kg)
Ebrahim SaideFirst Round — Lost to José Angel Molina (Puerto Rico) on points (0-5)Eight cyclists represented Ethiopia in 1980.
Individual road raceZeragaber GebrehiwotJemal RogoraTilahun WoldesenbetMusse YohannesTeam time trialHaile Micael KedirAyele MekonnenTadesse MekonnenTilahun Alemayehu 
