The Slovak team featured 17 returning Olympians, including skeet shooter Danka Barteková, who won the bronze in London four years earlier, 2015 world champion Matej Tóth, who entered his fourth consecutive Games as a top medal favorite in the 50 km race walk, and sprint kayaker and two-time medalist Erik Vlček, who joined the slalom canoe legend Michal Martikán as the only Slovaks participating in five Olympics.

The only medalist returning from the previous Games to compete in Rio de Janeiro, Barteková was nominated by the committee to carry the Slovak flag at the opening ceremony.

[4] Among the medalists were Tóth, who walked away with Slovakia's first ever track and field gold in his event, and the Škantár cousins, who succeeded the Hochschorner twins Pavol and Peter to win the Olympic title in the slalom canoe double.

[7] Meanwhile, another Slovak archer was added to the squad by virtue of a top five national finish in the men's individual recurve at the 2016 Archery World Cup meet in Antalya, Turkey.

[14] Meanwhile, two additional boats (women's K-1 200 & 500 m) were awarded to the Slovak squad by virtue of a top two national finish at the 2016 European Qualification Regatta in Duisburg, Germany.

Chinese-born Wang Yang and Barbora Balážová were automatically selected among the top 22 eligible players each in their respective singles events based on the ITTF Olympic Rankings.

[24] Meanwhile, Beijing 2008 Olympian Eva Ódorová granted an invitation from ITTF to compete in the women's singles as one of the next seven highest-ranked eligible players, not yet qualified, on the Olympic Ranking List.

London 2012 Olympian Richard Varga was ranked among the top 40 eligible triathletes in the men's event based on the ITU Olympic Qualification List as of May 15, 2016.