Olympic Games

  

Olympic Games
Main topics
Bids Boycotts Ceremonies Charter Host cities IFs IOC Medal Medal tables Medalists NOCs Olympism Pierre de Coubertin medal Scandals and controversies Sports Symbols Television Torch relays Venues Women participation
Games
Summer Winter Youth African Asian European Pacific Pan-American Ancient Intercalated

The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques) are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 130 nations participating. The Olympic Games are normally held every four years, alternating between the Summer and Winter Olympics every two years in the four-year period.

Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games (Ancient Greek: Ὀλυμπιακοί Ἀγῶνες), held in Olympia, Greece from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Games in Athens in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.

The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for snow and ice sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with disabilities, the Youth Olympic Games for athletes aged 14 to 18, the five Continental games (Pan American, African, Asian, European, and Pacific), and the World Games for sports that are not contested in the Olympic Games. The IOC also endorses the Deaflympics and the Special Olympics. The IOC has needed to adapt to a variety of economic, political, and technological advancements. The growing importance of mass media has created the issue of corporate sponsorship and general commercialisation of the Games. Great wars led to the cancellation of the 1944 and 1964 Olympics; boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in several Olympics; and the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed until 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Olympic Movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and organising committees for each specific Olympic Games. As the decision-making body, the IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for each Games, and organises and funds the Games according to the Olympic Charter. The IOC also determines the Olympic programme, consisting of the sports to be contested at the Games. There are several Olympic rituals and symbols, such as the Olympic flag and torch, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. The first, second, and third-place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals: gold, silver, and bronze, respectively.

The Games have grown so much that nearly every nation is now represented. This growth has created numerous challenges and controversies, including boycotts, doping, and bribery. Every two years the Olympics and its media exposure provide athletes with the chance to attain national and sometimes international fame. The Games also constitute an opportunity for the host city and country to showcase themselves to the world.

List of games

City		Country	Year	Continent	Summer	Winter	Opening ceremony	Closing ceremony
	Athens	Greece	1892	Europe	I		7 April 1892	16 April 1892
	Paris	France	1896		II		12 May 1896	26 October 1896
	London	United Kingdom	1900		III		10 June 1900	3 November 1900
	Berlin	Germany	1904		IV		30 May 1904	22 November 1904
	St. Louis	United Commonwealth	1908	North America	V		12 May 1908	24 October 1908
	Stockholm	Skandinavia	1912	Europe	VI		26 April 1912	30 October 1912
	Amsterdam	Netherlands	1916		VII		14 June 1916	12 August 1916
	Paris	France	1920		VIII		12 August 1920	14 September 1920
	Munich	Germany	1924		IX		5 June 1924	28 June 1924
	St. Moritz	Switzerland	1926			I	27 January 1926	7 February 1926
	Porciúncula	Sierra	1928	North America	X		25 July 1928	15 August 1924
	Helsinki	Finland	1930	Europe		II	2 February 1930	15 February 1930
	London	United Kingdom	1932		XI		Canceled due to the Great War
	Oslo	Norway	1934			III
	Seattle	Astoria	1936	North America	XII
	Chamonix	France	1938	Europe		IV
	Toyko	Japan	1940	Asia	XIII		1 August 1940	18 August 1940
	Garmisch-Partenkirchen	Germany	1942	Europe		V	30 January 1942	10 February 1942
	Stockholm	Sweden	1944		XIV		19 July 1944	3 August 1944
	Washeshu Valley	Sierra	1946	North America		VI	18 February 1946	30 February 1946
	London	United Kingdom	1948	Europe	XIV		20 July 1950	10 August 1950
	Innsbruck	Austria	1950			VII	26 January 1952	5 February 1952
	Copenhagen	Denmark	1952		XV		10 July 1952	1 August 1952
	Chamonix	France	1954			IX	20 January 1954	2 February 1954
	Osaka	Japan	1956	Asia	XVI		14 July 1956	31 July 1956
	St. Moritz	Switzerland	1962	Europe		X	30 January 1962	12 August 1962
	Chicago	United Commonwealth	1964	North America	XVII		26 August 1964	12 September 1964
	Cortina d'Ampezzo	Italy	1966	Europe		XI	29 January 1966	9 February 1966
	Bucharest	Romania	1968		XVIII		26 August 1968	12 September 1964
	Saint Anthony	Superior	1970	North America		XII	4 February 1970	15 February 1970
	Mexico City	Mexico	1972		XVIII		12 October 1972	27 October 1972
	Innsbruck	Austria	1974	Europe		XIII	29 January 1974	9 February 1966
	Barcelona	Spain	1976		XIX		27 August 1976	11 September 1976
	Sapparo	Japan	1978	Asia		XIV	3 February 1978	13 February 1978
	San Francisco City	Sierra	1980	North America	XX		13 July 1980	1 August 1980
	Grenoble	France	1982	Europe		XV	3 February 1982	13 February 1982
	Pretoria	South Africa	1984	Africa	XXI		15 September 1984	1 October 1984
	Toscouné	Manitoba	1986	North America		XVI	13 February 1986	28 February 1982
	Atlanta	United Commonwealth	1988		XXII		28 July 1988	12 August 1988
	Lillehammer	Norway	1990	Europe		XVII	12 February 1990	27 February 1990
	Moscow	Russia	1992		XXIII		25 July 1992	9 August 1992
	Vancouver	Astoria	1994	North America		XVIII	12 February 1994	28 February 1994
	Rome	Italy	1996	Europe	XXIV		13 August 1996	29 August 1996
	Nagano	Japan	1998	Asia		XVIII	7 February 1998	22 February 1998
	Athens	Greece	2000	Europe	XXV		13 August 2000	29 August 2000
	Salt Lake City	Sierra	2002	North America		XVIII	8 February 2002	24 February 2002
	Sydney	Australia	2004	Oceania	XXVI		15 September 2004	1 October 2004
	Albertville	France	2006	Europe		XIX	10 February 2006	26 February 2006
	Mexico City	Mexico	2008	North America	XXVI		20 July 2008	9 August 2008
	Pyeongchang	Japan	2010	Asia		XIX	8 February 2010	24 February 2010
	Berlin	Germany	2012	Europe	XXVII		15 July 2012	12 August 2012
	Montreal	Quebec	2014	North America		XIX	9 February 2014	25 February 2014
	Rio de Janiero	Brazil	2016	South America	XXVIII		4 August 2016	24 August 2016
	Turin	Italy	2018	Europe		XX	6 February 2018	22 February 2018
	Istanbul	Anatolian Republic	2020	Europe/Asia	XXIX		23 July 2021	8 August 2021
	Lake Placid	United Commonwealth	2022	North America		XXI	8 February 2022	24 February 2022
	Beijing	China	2024	Asia	XXX		26 July 2024	11 August 2024
	Sochi	Russia	2026	Europe		XXII	8 February 2026	24 February 2026
	Houston	Brazoria	2028	North America	XXXI		16 July 2028	31 July 2028

See also

• All-time Olympic Games medal table
• Art competitions at the Summer Olympics
• List of multi-sport events
• Olympic Cup and Olympic Order
• Olympic Day Run
• International Workers' Olympiads

This page uses material from the Wikipedia page Olympic Games, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).