The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920.

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, are an international multi-sport event taking place every four years and comprising summer and winter games. Beginning in 776 BC, they were originally held in Olympia, Greece until 393 AD. In 1896, they were revived by a French nobleman, Pierre Frèdy, Baron de Coubertin, thus beginning the era of the Modern Olympic Games. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Olympic_Movement. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Olympic_Movement. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... A multi-sport event is a competition in which athletes compete in a number of different sports. ... Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympía or Ολύμπια Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a city of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. ... Baron Pierre de Coubertin Pierre de Coubertin (January 1, 1863 – September 2, 1937), born as Pierre de Frédy, was a French pedagogue and historian, but is best known as the founder of the modern Olympic Games. ...

The Summer Olympics (Games of the Olympiad) have been held every fourth year starting in 1896, except in 1916, 1940, and 1944 due to the World Wars. Greece and Australia are the only nations to have attended every Summer Olympics. The Summer Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee. ... A world war is a military conflict affecting the majority of the worlds major nations. ...

An event specifically for winter sports, the Olympic Winter Games, was first held in 1924. The first winter Olympics competitions were held as a non-Olympic sports festival, but were declared to be official Games by the International Olympic Committee in 1925. Originally these were held in the same year as the Summer Olympics, but from 1994 (the Lillehammer Games) the Winter Games and the Summer Games have been held two years apart. The Summer Olympics are more prominent and anticipated than the Winter Olympics. A winter sport is a sport commonly played during winter. ... A runner carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics for short but more correctly The Olympic Winter Games, are the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. ... Bold textralf is gay IOC redirects here. ... The XVII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. ...

Ancient Olympics

Athletes trained in this Olympia facility in its ancient heyday.

Main article: Ancient Olympic Games

There are many legends surrounding the origin of the ancient Olympic Games. One of these associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of εκεχειρία (ekecheiria) or Olympic Truce. The date of the Games' inception based on the count of years in Olympiads is reconstructed as 776 BC, although scholars' opinions diverge between dates as early as 884 BC and as late as 704 BC. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (901x603, 166 KB)Large version, by mdoege@compuserve. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (901x603, 166 KB)Large version, by mdoege@compuserve. ... Ruins of the training grounds at Olympia The Ancient Olympic Games were an athletic and religious celebration held in the Greek town of Olympia from (historically) as early as 776 BC to 393 AD. There were 292 Ancient Olympic Games. ... An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games. ...

From then on, the Games quickly became much more important throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honouring both Zeus (whose colossal statue stood at Olympia), and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honour the games were held. The number of events increased to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalised in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an 'Olympiad'. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in these times: the sixth century BC wrestler Milo of Croton is the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics. Various religious symbols Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, and rituals associated with such... The Statue of Zeus at Olympia Phidias created the 12-m (40-ft) tall statue of Zeus at Olympia about 435 BC. The statue was perhaps the most famous sculpture in Ancient Greece, imagined here in a 16th century engraving In Greek mythology, Zeus (in Greek: nominative: Ζεύς Zeús, genitive... A fanciful reconstruction of Phidias Statue of Zeus, in an engraving made by Philippe Galle in 1572, from a drawing by Maarten van Heemskerck The Statue of Zeus at Olympia carved by the famed Classical sculptor Phidias (5th century BC) circa 435 BC, in present day Greece, is traditionally one... Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympía or Ολύμπια Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. ... In Greek mythology, Pelops (Greek Πέλοψ) (from pelios: dark; and ops: face, eye) was a son of Tantalus and Dione. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games. ... Milo or Milon of Croton (late 6th century BC) was the most famous of Greek athletes in Antiquity. ...

The Games gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power in Greece. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a pagan festival and in discord with Christian ethics, and in 393 AD the emperor Theodosius I outlawed the Olympics, ending a thousand-year tradition. The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ...

During the ancient times normally only young men could participate. Competitors were usually naked, not only as the weather was appropriate but also as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would have not only the prestige of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of olive leaves. The olive branch is a sign of hope and peace. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Nudity is a common subject both in fine arts and popular culture. ... Olive branch is a colloquial term referring to a concession or a gesture of peace, as well as a peace symbol. ...

During competition for some of the events, many of the participants would use oils to keep their skin smooth, as well as provide an appealing lustre to anyone who saw them. Even though the bearing of a torch formed an integral aspect of Greek ceremonies, the ancient Olympic Games did not include it, nor was there a symbol formed by interconnecting rings. These Olympic symbols were introduced as part of the modern Olympic Games. The Olympic symbols are various logos, icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee for various aspects related to the promotion of the olympism around the world. ...

According to legend, King Ifitos of Elis, seeking to establish peace among warring Greeks, visited the Oracle of Delphi. There, he was advised to break the cycle of conflict every four years by replacing war with friendly athletic competition. Ifitos sought the cooperation of Kings Lycourgos of Sparta and Cleosthenes of Pisa. They agreed to a truce called “Ekeheiria” and organized the first Olympic Games at Olympia. Fighting ceased from 12 days before until 12 days after the Games, allowing athletes, artists, and spectators to travel to Olympia, participate in the Olympic Games and return to their homelands in peace.

Revival of the Olympic Games

In the seventeenth century, the Olympic Games sports festival was held in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England, followed by the National Olympic Games, which were established in the nineteenth century and continue to this day. Later, similar events were organised in France and Greece, but these were all small-scale and certainly not international. A woodcut from 1636 depicting the Cotswold Games The Cotswold Games were an annual public celebration of games and sports held in the Cotswolds in England. ... Shropshire (abbreviated Salop or Shrops) is an English county in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Much Wenlock is a town in Shropshire, England. ...

The interest in reviving the Olympics as an international event grew when the ruins of ancient Olympia were uncovered by German archaeologists in the mid-nineteenth century. At the same time, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was searching for a reason for the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871). He thought the reason was that the French had not received proper physical education, and sought to improve this. In 1890 he attended the Wenlock Olympian Society. Coubertin also thought of a way to bring nations closer together, to have the youth of the world compete in sports, rather than fight in war. In his eyes, the recovery of the Olympic Games would achieve both of these goals. Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympía or Ολύμπια Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a city of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Helmuth von Moltke Strength 500,000[citation needed] 550,000[citation needed] Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian [citation needed] 100,000 dead or wounded 200... The Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games are usually held every year in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England. ...

In a congress at the Sorbonne University, in Paris, held from June 16 to June 23, 1894 he presented his ideas to an international audience. On the last day of the congress, it was decided that the first modern Olympic Games would take place in 1896 in Athens, in the country of their birth. To organise the Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was established, with the Greek Demetrius Vikelas as its first president. The Olympic Congress is a vast gathering of the Olympic Movement, which happens on an irregular basis, but generally every ten years or so during the last few decades. ... The Sorbonne, Paris, in a 17th century engraving The historic University of Paris (French: Université de Paris) first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganized as 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ... Bold textralf is gay IOC redirects here. ... Demetrius Vikelas (February 15, 1835 – July 20, 1908) was the first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1894 to 1896. ...

The total number of athletes at the the first modern Olympic Games, less than 250, seems small by modern standards, but the games were the largest international sports event ever held until that time. The Greek officials and public were also very enthusiastic, and they even proposed to have the monopoly of organizing the Olympics. The IOC decided differently, however, and the second Olympic Games took place in Paris, France. Paris was also the first Olympic Games where women were allowed to compete. The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were held in 1900 in Paris, France. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area...

Modern Olympics

Poster for the Paris 1924 Summer Olympic Games.

Main articles: Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games

After the initial success, the Olympics struggled. The celebrations in Paris (1900) and St. Louis (1904) were overshadowed by the world's fair exhibitions in which they were included. The so-called Intercalated Games (because of their off-year status, as 1906 is not divisible by four) were held in 1906 in Athens, as the first of an alternating series of Athens-held Olympics. Although originally the IOC recognised and supported these games, they are currently not recognised by the IOC as Olympic Games, which has given rise to the explanation that they were intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the modern Olympics. The 1906 Games again attracted a broad international field of participants — in 1904, 80% had been American — and great public interest, thereby marking the beginning of a rise in popularity and size of the Games. Image File history File links Poster of the Paris 1924 Summer Olympic Games File links The following pages link to this file: Olympic Games ... Image File history File links Poster of the Paris 1924 Summer Olympic Games File links The following pages link to this file: Olympic Games ... Poster for the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. ... An athlete carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games or the Olympic Winter Games, are a winter multi-sport event held every four years. ... The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were held in 1900 in Paris, France. ... participants The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. ... A Worlds Fair is any of various large expositions held since the mid-19th century. ... The 1906 Summer Olympics, also called the 1906 Intercalated Games, were held in Athens, Greece. ...

Growth

From the 241 participants from 14 nations in 1896, the Games grew to nearly 11,100 competitors from 202 countries at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The number of competitors at the Winter Olympics is much smaller than at the Summer Games; at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, 2,400 athletes from 77 countries competed in 78 events. The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ... The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ...

The Olympics are one of the largest media events. In Sydney in 2000 there were over 16,000 broadcasters and journalists, and an estimated 3.8 billion viewers watched the games on television. The growth of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today. Although allowing professional athletes and attracting sponsorships from major international companies solved financial problems in the 1980s, the large number of athletes, media and spectators makes it difficult and expensive for host cities to organize the Olympics. This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Further information: Olympic Participants

203 countries currently participate in the Olympics. This is a noticeably higher number than the number of countries recognised by the United Nations, which is only 193. The International Olympic Committee allows nations to compete which do not meet the strict requirements for political sovereignty that many other international organizations demand. As a result, many colonies and dependencies are permitted to host their own Olympic teams and athletes even if such competitors hold the same citizenship as another member nation. Examples of this include territories such as Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and Hong Kong, all of which compete as separate nations despite being legally a part of another country. Also, since 1980, Taiwan has competed under the name "Chinese Taipei", and under a flag specially prepared by the IOC. Prior to that year the People's Republic of China refused to participate in the Games because Taiwan had been competing under the name "Republic of China". The Republic of the Marshall Islands was recognised as a nation by the IOC on February 9, 2006, and will compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allocates three-letter country codes to all National Olympic Committees and other groups competing in the Olympic Games. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Motto: None Anthem(s): National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  - President Chen Shui-bian  - Vice President Annette Lu  - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution   - Declared... The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing in the Peoples Republic of China from August 8, 2008 to August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p. ...

Disruption to the Olympics

War

Despite what Coubertin had hoped for, the Olympics did not stop wars from happening. In fact, three Olympiads had to pass without Olympics because of war; due to World War I the 1916 Games were cancelled, and the games of 1940 and 1944 were cancelled because of World War II. Also, the winners of World War I banned the defeated countries from the 1920 games. An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games. ... Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard...

Terrorism

In 1972, when the Summer Games were held in Munich, West Germany, eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by Palestinian terrorists. A bungled liberation attempt led to the deaths of the nine abducted athletes who had not been killed prior to the rescue as well as that of a policeman, with five of the terrorists also being killed. This event is known today as the Munich massacre. Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich (German: München, (pronounced listen) is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern). ... The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ... Terrorism refers to the use of violence for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological goal. ... One of the Black September terrorists on the balcony of the Israeli team quarters at the Olympic village The Munich massacre occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September, a group...

During the Summer Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, a bomb was set off at the Centennial Olympic Park, killing two and injuring more than 100. The bomb was set by Eric Robert Rudolph, a Christian Extremist, who is currently serving a life sentence at Supermax in Florence, Colorado. Nickname: Hotlanta, The Big Peach, The ATL, A-Town Location in Fulton County in the state of Georgia Coordinates: Country United States State Georgia Counties Fulton, Dekalb Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Area    - City 343. ... Fountain of Rings Centennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre (85,000 m²) public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. ... Eric Rudolphs FBI photo Eric Robert Rudolph, also known as the Olympic Park Bomber (born September 19, 1966) is an American domestic terrorist who committed a series of bombings across the southern United States, which killed three people and injured at least 150 others. ... Supermax is the name used to describe control-unit prisons or units within prisons, representing the most secure and austere levels of custody in the prison systems of the United States and other countries. ... Florence is a city located in Fremont County, Colorado, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,653. ...

Further information: Centennial Olympic Park bombing

The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, were the first Olympic Games since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Olympic Games since then have required an extremely high degree of security due to the fear of possible terrorist activities. Shrapnel mark on Olympic Park sculpture. ... The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly...

Politics

Politics also interfered with the Olympics on several other occasions, the most well-known of which was the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin; the games were used as propaganda by the German Nazis. At this Olympics, a true Olympic spirit was shown by Luz Long, who helped Jesse Owens (a black athlete) to win the long jump, at the expense of his own silver medal. The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, were held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. ... Berlin is the capital city and a state of Germany. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... Carl Ludwig Lutz Long (aka Luz Long) (April 27, 1913 – July 13, 1943) was a German Olympic athlete, most notable for giving advice to his competitor, Jesse Owens. ... James Cleveland Jesse Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was a popular American athlete and civic leader. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ...

The Soviet Union did not participate in the Olympic Games until the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Instead, the Soviets organised an international sports event called Spartakiads, from 1928 onward. Many athletes from associations organized by Communists or close to them chose not to participate or were even barred from participating in Olympic Games, and instead participated in Spartakiads. The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were held in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. ... Founded 1550 Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Area[1] - Of which land - Rank 185. ... Spartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to oppose the Olympics. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ...

A political incident on a smaller scale occurred at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Two American track-and-field athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, performed the Black Power salute on the victory stand of the 200-meter track and field race. In response, the IOC's autocratic president Avery Brundage told the USOC to either send the two athletes home, or withdraw the complete track and field team. The USOC opted for the former. The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... (Spanish: Ciudad de México, México D.F. or simply México, pronounced IPA: ) is the capital city of the nation of Mexico. ... Tommie Smith (born June 5, 1944) is a former American athlete, winner of the 200 m run at the 1968 Summer Olympics. ... John Wesley Carlos (born June 5, 1945) is a former American track and field athlete and bronze-medal winner of the 200 m run at the 1968 Summer Olympics. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... Avery Brundage (September 28, 1887 – May 8, 1975) was an American athlete, sports official, art collector and philanthropist. ...

In 1963, various newly independent nations set up a challenge to the IOC called Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO), which openly espoused politics in sport. The IOC declared participants in GANEFO "personae non gratae" for the Olympic Games. GANEFO: Games of the New Emerging Forces. ... Look up Persona non grata in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Between 1964 and 1992 South Africa was barred from participating in the Olympics due to its Apartheid policy. A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...

Between 1999 and 2002, Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee was suspended from the Olympic Movement. Afghanistan returned to Olympic competition in 2004 after the 2001 overthrow of the Taliban regime. The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ...

Boycotts

The 1956 Melbourne Olympics were boycotted by the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, because of the repression of the Hungarian Uprising by the Warsaw Pact; additionally, Cambodia, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, boycotted the games due to the Suez Crisis. The Games of the XVI Olympiad were held in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, although the equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations. ... Combatants Soviet Union ÁVH Hungarian government, various nationalist militias Commanders Yuri Andropov Pál Maléter, Béla Király, Gergely Pongrátz, József Dudás Strength 150,000 troops, 6,000 tanks 100,000+ demonstrators (some later armed), unknown number of soldiers Casualties 720 killed according to official... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 300,000 Casualties 177 Israeli KIA 16 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 33 French WIA 1,650 KIA 4,900 WIA...

In 1972, and 1976, a large number of African countries threatened the IOC with a boycott, to force them to ban South Africa, Rhodesia, and New Zealand. The IOC conceded in the first 2 cases, but refused in 1976 because the boycott was prompted by a New Zealand rugby union tour to South Africa, and rugby was not an Olympic sport. The countries withdrew their teams after the games had started; some African athletes had already competed. A lot of sympathy was felt for the athletes forced by their governments to leave the Olympic Village; there was little sympathy outside Africa for the governments' attitude. Twenty-two countries (Guyana was the only non-African nation) boycotted the Montreal Olympics, because New Zealand was not banned. The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ... The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were held in 1976 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... National motto: Sit Nomine Digna (Latin: May she be worthy of the name) Official language English Capital Salisbury Political system Parliamentary system Form of government Constitutional monarchy (until 1970) Republic (March 2, 1970) - Last President John Wrathall - Prime Minister Ian Smith Area  - Total  - % water 390 580 km² 1% Population  - 1978... A scrum Rugby union (often referred to as rugby, union or football) is one of the two codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league. ... Motto: Concordia Salus Coordinates: Country Canada Province Quebec Founded 1642 Established 1832 City Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area    - City 366. ...

Also in 1976, due to pressure from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Canada told the team from the Republic of China (Taiwan) that it could not compete at the Montreal Summer Olympics under the name "Republic of China" despite a compromise that would have allowed Taiwan to use the ROC flag and anthem. Taiwan refused and as a result did not participate until 1984, when it returned under the name "Chinese Taipei" and used a special flag. PRC is a common abbreviation for: Peoples Republic of China Palestinian Red Crescent Popular Resistance Committees This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Motto: None Anthem(s): National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  - President Chen Shui-bian  - Vice President Annette Lu  - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution   - Declared... Motto: None Anthem(s): National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  - President Chen Shui-bian  - Vice President Annette Lu  - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution   - Declared... National flag. ... At the inauguration of the Whampoa Military Academy, Sun Yat-sen delivered a speech that would later become the lyrics of the national anthem. ...

Countries that boycotted the 1976 (yellow), 1980 (blue) and 1984 (red) games

In 1980 and 1984, the Cold War opponents boycotted each other's games. The United States led and 64 other Western nations followed in refusing to compete at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but 16 other Western nations did compete at the Moscow Olympics. The boycott reduced the number of nations participating to only 80. This is the lowest number of nations to compete since 1956. The Soviet Union and 14 of its Eastern Bloc partners (except Romania) countered by skipping the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, arguing the safety of their athletes could not be guaranteed there. The 1984 boycotters staged their own Friendship Games in July-August. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x633, 48 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Olympic Games 1976 Summer Olympics 1984 Summer Olympics Boycott American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics Cold War (1979-1985) ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x633, 48 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Olympic Games 1976 Summer Olympics 1984 Summer Olympics Boycott American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics Cold War (1979-1985) ... For other uses, please see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Badge, released in the USSR The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. ... A Soviet soldier on guard in Afghanistan in 1988. ... Music sample: Olympic Fanfare and Theme ( file info) — composed by John Williams for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Problems listening to the file? See media help. ... The Friendship Games or Druzhba Games was an international multisport event that was held in 1984 in six different cities. ...

In 1988, North Korea boycotted the Seoul Olympics to protest at not being made co-host with South Korea. Three other nations, Cuba, Ethiopia and Nicaragua (due mostly to economic problems of sending athletes to compete) stayed away in solidarity, though in order to avoid censure by the IOC it was not officially announced as a boycott. The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ...

Iran's general sporting boycott of Israel is manifest not in explicit refusal to compete (which would attract sanctions) but in withdrawals due to "injuries" and similar reasons. During the 2004 Athens Games, Iranian judoka Arash Miresmaeili intentionally over-ate, exceeding the weight limit and forfeiting his match against Israeli Ehud Vaks, the first time this had happened at the Olympics. The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Judo (Japanese: 柔道, jūdō; gentle way) is a martial art, combat sport, and philosophy which originated in Japan. ... Arash Miresmaili (b. ... Ehud Vaks is an Israeli judo athlete (judoka). ...

Environmental groups have also called for a boycott of the 2008 Summer Olympics after it was discovered that the Chinese government had placed an order of $1 billion (USD) on 800,000 cubic meters of hardwood from the endangered rainforests of Indonesia's Papua province to be used in construction for the games.^[1] The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 through August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p. ... Papua is a province of Indonesia comprising a majority part of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands (see also Western New Guinea). ...

Olympic symbols

The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920.

Main article: Olympic symbols

The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing Coubertin's ideas and ideals. The best known symbol is probably that of the Olympic Rings. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five continents (the Americas are considered one continent). They appear in five colors on a white field on the Olympic Flag. These colors, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colors in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown were Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Olympic_Movement. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Olympic_Movement. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The Olympic symbols are various logos, icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee for various aspects related to the promotion of the olympism around the world. ... Among the recognizable Olympic symbols: The Olympic flag: A white flag with the Olympic Rings on it in five colours. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, tone, style, and voice). ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ...

The official Olympic Motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius", a Latin phrase meaning "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". Coubertin's ideals are probably best illustrated by the Olympic Creed: Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... The Olympic Oath is taken by an athlete and a judge at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. ...

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

The Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. Though torches have played a part historically, the relay was introduced in 1936. The Olympic Flame at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics The Olympic Flame, Olympic Fire, Olympic Torch, Olympic Light, Olympic Eye, and Olympic Sun is a symbol of the Olympic Games. ... The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, were held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. ...

Opening ceremonies

Opening ceremonies climax with the lighting of the Olympic Flame. For lighting the torch, modern games feature elaborate mechanisms such as this cauldron-spiral-cauldron arrangement lit by the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Apart from the traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of that country. Download high resolution version (700x1034, 126 KB)Caption: Salt Lake City, UT (Feb. ... Download high resolution version (700x1034, 126 KB)Caption: Salt Lake City, UT (Feb. ... The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team celebrates the goal that led them to victory over the USSR. The Miracle on Ice is the popular nickname for the mens ice hockey game in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, in which a team of amateur and collegiate players from the... The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. ...

Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the hoisting of the host country's flag and the performing of its national anthem. The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a parade of nations, during which most participating athletes march into the stadium country by country. One honoured athlete, typically a top competitor, from each country carries the flag of his or her nation, leading the entourage of other athletes from that country.

Traditionally (starting at the 1928 Summer Olympics) Greece marches first, because of its historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, Greece marched last as host nation rather than first, although the flag of Greece was carried in first.) Between these two nations, all other participating nations march in alphabetical order of the dominant language of the host country, or in English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language using the Latin alphabet. In the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, both Spanish and Catalan were official languages of the games, but due to politics surrounding the use of Catalan, the nations entered in French alphabetical order. The Games of the IX Olympiad were held in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Flag Ratio: 2:3 (Naval Flag 1822-1828, Sea Flag 1828-1969; 1975-1978, National Flag 1969-1975; 1978 to date) The flag of Greece is based on nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white. ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal Postal code 08001-08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Catalan in Europe Catalan IPA: (català ) is a Romance language, the official language of Andorra and co-official in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Valencia (under the name Valencian) and Catalonia. ...

After all nations have entered, the president of the host country's Olympic Organising Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech, introduces the organising country's head of state, who in turn formally opens the Olympics. In some cases, the country's head of state did not open the Olympics. Two examples of this are from the United States. Once, in 1960, when Vice-President Richard Nixon opened the VIII Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California instead of President Dwight Eisenhower, and again in 1980, when Vice President Walter Mondale, not President Jimmy Carter opened the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. Despite this, the Games are awarded to a city, not to the country. At the 2000 Sydney games, Ausralian Governor General Sir William Deane opened the games, as Her Majesty the Queen did not attend. Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... The VIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1960 in Squaw Valley, USA. Alexander Cushing, the creator of the resort, campaigned vigorously to win the Games. ... Squaw Valley is a census-designated place located in Fresno County, California, in the United States. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Walter Frederick Fritz Mondale (born January 5, 1928) is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (largely established by former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey). ... James Earl Jimmy Carter, Jr. ... The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. ... Lake Placid is a village of 2,638 in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, near the center of the Town of North Elba and named after an adjacent lake. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of 16 sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally, though she is more directly involved with the United Kingdom, where the Royal Family resides, and the Monarchy is historically indigenous. ...

Next, the Olympic Flag is carried into the stadium and hoisted as the Olympic Anthem is played. The flag bearers of all countries circle a rostrum, where one athlete (since the 1920 Summer Olympics) and one judge (since the 1972 Summer Olympics) speak the Olympic Oath, declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules. Finally, the Torch is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier of the Torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron. (The Olympic Flame has been lit since the 1928 Summer Olympics, but the torch relay did not start until the 1936 Summer Olympics.) Beginning at the post-World War I 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was for 68 years followed by the release of doves, symbolizing peace. This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening of the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Olympic Hymn, also known informally as the Olympic Anthem, is a musical piece composed by Spyros Samaras with words taken by a poem of the Greek poet and writer Kostis Palamas. ... Rostrum can mean one of several different things: A rostrum (Latin beak) is an anatomical structure resembling a birds beak, such as the snout of crocodiles or dolphins or the part of the carapace of a crustacean. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ... The Olympic Oath is taken by an athlete and a judge at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. ... The olympic flame at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics The Olympic Flame or Olympic Fire is a symbol of the Olympic Games. ... The Games of the IX Olympiad were held in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, were held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. ... Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... subfamily see article text Pigeon beside Weiming Lake, Peking University (2002) Pigeons and doves are some 300 species of near passerine birds in the order Columbiformes. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ...

Opening ceremonies have been held outdoors, but those for the 2010 Winter Olympics will be the first to be held indoors, at BC Place Stadium. The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games, are the next Winter Olympics, scheduled to be celebrated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2010. ... BC Place Stadium is Canadas first domed stadium. ...

Closing ceremonies

Various traditional elements also frame the closing ceremonies of an Olympic Games, which take place after all of the events have concluded. Flag bearers from each participating delegation enter the stadium in single file, but behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping of nationality. This tradition began at the 1956 Summer Games at the suggestion of a Melbourne schoolboy, who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as 'one nation'. (In 2006, the athletes marched in with their countrymen, then dispersed and mingled as the ceremonies went on). Neve and Gliz, the 2006 Olympics mascots, on display in Turin The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. ...

Three national flags are each hoisted onto flagpoles one at a time while their respective national anthems are played: The flag of Greece (again honouring the birthplace of the Olympic games), the flag of the host country, and finally the flag of the host country of the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, only one flag of Greece was raised.)

In what is known as the "Antwerp Ceremony" (because the tradition started during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic Flag to the president of the IOC, who then passes it on to the mayor of the next city to host the Olympic Games. The receiving mayor then waves the flag eight times. There are three such flags, differing from all other copies in that they have a six-coloured fringe around the flag, and are tied with six coloured ribbons to a flagstaff: The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ...

• The Antwerp flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1920 Summer Olympics by the city of Antwerp, Belgium, and was passed on to the next organising city of the Summer Olympics until the Games of Seoul 1988.
• The Oslo flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1952 Winter Olympics by the city of Oslo, Norway, and is passed on to the next organising city of the Winter Olympics.
• The Seoul flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1988 Summer Olympics by the city of Seoul, South Korea, and is passed on to the next organising city of the Summer Olympics, which was Barcelona, Spain, at that time.

After these traditional elements, the next host nation introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of that country. This tradition began with the 1976 Games. The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... The Summer Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... The VI Olympic Winter Games were held in 1952 in Oslo, Norway. ... County Oslo NO-03 District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... A runner carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics for short but more correctly The Olympic Winter Games, are the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... Seoul (Sŏul[1] 서울)   is the capital and largest city of South Korea (Republic of Korea). ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal Postal code 08001-08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were held in 1976 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...

The president of the host country's Olympic Organising Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech formally closes the Olympics. The Olympic Flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic Flag that was hoisted during the opening ceremonies is lowered from the flagpole and carried out of the stadium.

Olympic sports

Main article: Olympic sports

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, events were held in 28 sports categories, according to the IOC count. If each sport such as aquatics were counted separately, there were 37. Nine sports were on the original Olympic programme in 1896: athletics (track and field), cycling, fencing, gymnastics, weightlifting, shooting, swimming, and wrestling. If the 1896 rowing events had not been cancelled due to bad weather, they would have been included in this list as well. The current program of the Olympic Games includes 35 different sports, 53 disciplines and more than 400 events. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... There are a large number of sports that involve water. ... A womens 400 metre hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ... This road bicycle is built using lightweight, shaped aluminium tubing and carbon fiber stays and forks. ... In the broadest possible sense, fencing is the art and science of armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapons directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot or thrown (in other words, swords, knives, pikes, bayonets, batons, clubs, and so on). ... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, and forward rolls,and backtucks. ... A professional weightlifter Weightlifting is a sport where competitors attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on steel bars, the execution of which is a combination of power and technique. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Swimming is a technique that humans, and other animals, use to move through water using only movements of the body. ... Andrell Durden (top) and Edward Harris grapple for position during the All-Marine Wrestle Offs. ... A coxless pair which is a sweep-oar boat. ...

At the most recent Winter Olympics, seven sports were conducted, or 15 if each sport such as skiing and skating is counted. Of these, cross country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating have been featured on the programme at all Winter Olympics. In addition, figure skating and ice hockey also have been contested as part of the Summer Games before the introduction of separate Winter Olympics. Deep powder skiing An alpine skier Members of the US Air Force skiing (and snowboarding) at Keystone Resorts 14th Annual SnoFest Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis (originally wooden planks, now usually made from fiberglass or related composites), with metal edges, strapped to the feet... Outdoor ice skating in Austria Ice skating is travelling on ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) blade-like devices moulded into special boots (or, more primitively, without boots, tied to regular footwear). ... Cross-country skiing (aka XC skiing) is an adventure and fitness activity as well as a competitive winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily in Europe and Canada. ... Figure skating is an ice skating sporting event where individuals, mixed couples, or groups perform spins, jumps, and other moves on the ice, often to music. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping. ... Ski jumping is a winter sport in which skiers go down a hill with a take-off ramp (the jump), attempting to go as far as possible. ... Speed skating or speedskating is a form of skating in which the competitors attempt to travel a certain distance as quickly as possible on skates. ...

In recent years, the IOC has added several new sports to the programme to attract attention from young spectators. Examples of such sports include snowboarding and beach volleyball. The growth of the Olympics also means that some less popular (modern pentathlon) or expensive (white water canoeing) sports may lose their place on the Olympic programme. The IOC decided to discontinue baseball and softball beginning in 2012. This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... A beach volleyball game in progress Beach volleyball in Vancouver Beach volleyball has evolved from the popular social games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. ... Competitors in the final round of the Mens Modern Pentathlon pull for the finish line at the Goudi Sports Complex on August 26, 2004. ... Canoeing is the recreational or sporting activity of paddling a canoe or kayak. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... Softball is a team sport in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (or rarely, 16 inches) (28 to 30. ...

Rule 48.1 of the Olympic Charter requires that there be a minimum of 15 Olympic sports at each Summer Games. Following its 114th Session (Mexico 2002), the IOC also decided to limit the programme of the Summer Games to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes. The Olympic sports are defined as those governed by the International Federations listed in Rule 46 of the Olympic Charter. A two-thirds vote of the IOC is required to amend the Charter to promote a Recognised Federation to Olympic status and therefore make the sports it governs eligible for inclusion on the Olympic programme. Rule 47 of the Charter requires that only Olympic sports may be included in the programme.

The IOC reviews the Olympic programme at the first Session following each Olympiad. A simple majority is required for an Olympic sport to be included in the Olympic programme. Under the current rules, an Olympic sport not selected for inclusion in a particular Games remains an Olympic sport and may be included again later with a simple majority. At the 117th IOC Session, 26 sports were included in the programme for London 2012. Tight security was highly visible during the 117th IOC Session. ...

Until 1992, the Olympics also often featured demonstration sports. The objective was for these sports to reach a larger audience; the winners of these events are not official Olympic champions. These sports were sometimes sports popular only in the host nation, but internationally known sports have also been demonstrated. Some demonstration sports eventually were included as full-medal events. A demonstration sport is a sport which is played in order to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also on other sporting events. ...

Amateurism and professionalism

Further information: Amateurism

The English public schools of the second half of the 19th century had a major influence on many sports. The schools contributed to the rules and influenced the governing bodies of those sports out of all proportion to their size. They subscribed to the Ancient Greek and Roman belief that sport formed an important part of education, an attitude summed up in the saying: mens sana in corpore sano – a sound mind in a healthy body. In this ethos, taking part has more importance than winning, because society expected gentlemen to become all-rounders and not the best at everything. Class prejudice against "trade" reinforced this attitude. The house of the parents of a typical public school boy would have a tradesman's entrance, because tradesmen did not rank as the social equals of gentlemen. Apart from class considerations there was the typically English concept of "fairness," in which practicing or training was considered as tantamount to cheating; it meant that you considered it more important to win than to take part. Those who practiced a sport professionally were considered to have an unfair advantage over those who practiced it merely as a "hobby." The public schools had a deep involvement in the development many team sports including all British codes of football as well as cricket and hockey. The ethos of English public schools greatly influenced Pierre de Coubertin. The International Olympic Committee invited a representative of the Headmasters' Conference (the association of headmasters of the English public schools) to attend their early meetings. The Headmasters' Conference chose the Reverend Robert Laffan, the headmaster of Cheltenham College, as their representative to the IOC meetings. he was made a Member of the IOC in 1897 and, following the first visit of the IOC to London in 1904, he was central to the founding of the British Olympic Association a year later.^[2][3][4] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Amateur. ... An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school that relies for all or most of its funding on non-governmental sources. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Mens sana in corpore sano is a famous quotation by Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis. ... The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or gens, and man, cognate with the French word gentilhomme, the Spanish gentilhombre, and the Italian gentil uomo or gentiluomo), in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of good family, the Latin generosus (its invariable translation in English... A tradesman is a type of worker found in all cultures throughout the world. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men and women in many countries around the world. ... The Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference (HMC) is an association of the head teachers of 242 leading British independent boys and mixed schools. ... In the UK and elsewhere, a head teacher is the most senior teacher in a school. ... The Reverend is an honorary prefix added to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. ... Cheltenham College is an English public school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. ... The British Olympic Association (BOA) is responsible for the United Kingdoms participation in the Olympic Games. ...

In Coubertin's vision, athletes should be gentlemen. Initially, only amateurs were considered such; professional athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. The exception to this were the fencing instructors, who were indeed expected to be gentlemen. This exclusion of professionals has caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon champion, Jim Thorpe, was disqualified when it was discovered that he played semi-professional baseball prior to winning his medals. He was restored as champion on compassionate grounds by the IOC in 1983. Swiss and Austrian skiers boycotted the 1936 Winter Olympics in support of their skiing teachers, who were not allowed to compete because they earned money with their sport and were considered professionals. The pentathlon (as opposed to the modern pentathlon) was an athletics event in the Olympic Games and other Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. ... // The Decathlon Day 1: 100 m long jump shot put High Jump 400 m Day 2: 110m hurdles discus throw pole vault javelin throw 1500 m Decathlon sprouted from the ancient game pentathlon. ... This article is about the athlete. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1936 in the villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. ...

It gradually became clear to many that the amateurism rules had become outdated. Nevertheless, the IOC held to the traditional rules regarding amateurism. In the 1970s, amateurism requirements were dropped from the Olympic Charter, leaving decisions on professional participation to the international federation for each sport. This switch was perhaps best exemplified by the American Dream Team, composed of well-paid NBA stars, which won the Olympic gold medal in basketball in 1992. As of 2004, the only sport in which no professionals compete is boxing (though even this requires a loose definition of amateurism, as some boxers receive cash prizes from their NOCs); in men's football (soccer), the number of players over 23 years of age is limited to three per team. A sport governing body comes in several forms. ... The Dream Team was the unofficial nickname of the United States mens basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left) versus Rafael Ortíz Boxing, also called Western Boxing, prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science (a common nickname among fans), is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Advertisement regulations are still very strict, at least on the actual playing field, although "Official Olympic Sponsors" are common. Athletes are only allowed to have the names of clothing and equipment manufacturers on their outfits. The sizes of these markings are limited.

Doping

One of the main problems facing the Olympics (and international sports in general) is doping, or performance enhancing drugs. In the early 20th century, many Olympic athletes began using drugs to enhance their performance. For example, the winner of the marathon at the 1904 Games, Thomas Hicks, was given strychnine and brandy by his coach, even during the race. Doping drugs on display at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland In sports, doping refers to the use of performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids, particularly those that are forbidden by the organizations that regulate competitions. ... Although marathon sometimes refers to any athletic event requiring great endurance, more specifically it refers to a long-distance track event of 42,195 m (26 miles and 385 yards). ... participants The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. ... This article is about Thomas Hicks, the athlete. ... Strychnine (pronounced (British) or (U.S.)) is a very toxic (LD50 = 1 mg/kg), colourless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as rodents. ... Brandy pot stills at the Van Ryn Brandy Cellar near Stellenbosch, South Africa Brandy (short for brandywine, from Dutch brandewijn—burning wine) is a general term for distilled wine, usually 40–60% ethyl alcohol by volume. ...

As these methods became more extreme, gradually the awareness grew that this was no longer a matter of health through sports. The first and only Olympic death caused by doping occurred in 1960. At the cycling road race in Rome the Danish Knut Enemark Jensen fell from his bicycle and later died. A coronor's inquiry found that he was under the influence of amphetamines.

In the mid-1960s, sports federations put a ban on doping, and the IOC followed suit in 1967.

The first Olympic athlete to test positive for doping use was Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall, a Swedish pentathlete at the 1968 Summer Olympics, who lost his bronze medal for alcohol use. Seventy-three athletes followed him over the next 38 years, several medal winners among them. The most publicised doping-related disqualification was that of Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, who won the 100m at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but tested positive for stanozolol. Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall is a Swedish modern pentathlete who caused the disqualification of the Swedish mens team at the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City for his alcohol use. ... Competitors in the final round of the Mens Modern Pentathlon pull for the finish line at the Goudi Sports Complex on August 26, 2004. ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... Benjamin Sinclair Ben Johnson CM (born December 30, 1961) is a controversial former Canadian athlete, best known for his disqualification for doping use after winning the 100 m final in the 1988 Summer Olympics. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... Stanozolol, sold under the name Winstrol, was developed by Winthrop Laboratories in 1962. ...

Despite the testing, many athletes continued to use doping without getting caught. In 1990, documents were revealed that showed many East German female athletes had been unknowingly administered anabolic steroids and other drugs by their coaches and trainers as a government policy. GDR redirects here. ... Chemical structure of the natural anabolic hormone testosterone, 17b-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one. ...

In the late 1990s, the IOC took initiative in a more organised battle against doping, leading to the formation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 1999. The recent 2000 Summer Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics have shown that this battle is not nearly over, as several medalists in weightlifting and cross-country skiing were disqualified due to doping offences. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). ...

Most recently, during the 2006 Winter Olympics, only one athlete failed a drug test and had a medal revoked. The only other case involved 12 members with high levels of haemoglobin and their punishment was a five day suspension for health reasons. Neve and Gliz, the 2006 Olympics mascots, on display in Turin The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. ... 3-dimensional structure of hemoglobin Hemoglobin or haemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red cells of the blood in mammals and other animals. ...

The International Olympic Committee introduced blood testing for the first time during these games.

Olympic champions and medalists

With 10 Olympic titles including those from Intercalated games, Ray Ewry may be considered one of the most successful Olympic athlete in the history of the modern Olympics.

Larissa Latynina won 18 Olympic medals, including 9 gold ones, the highest IOC recognised gold and overall totals in the modern Olympics.

Main article: Olympic medalists

The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive "gold medals". (Though they were solid gold until 1912, they are now made of gilded silver.) The runners-up receive silver medals, and the third-place athletes bronze medals. In some events contested by a single-elimination tournament (most notably boxing), third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the 1896 Olympics only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in 1900. However, the 1904 Olympics also awarded silver trophies for first place, which makes Athens 1906 the first games that awarded the three medals only. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as "victory diplomas;" since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added, presumably to ensure that all losing quarter-finalists in events using single-elimination formats would receive diplomas, thus obviating the need for consolation (or officially, "classification") matches to determine fifth through eighth places (though interestingly these latter are still contested in many elimination events anyway). Certificates were awarded also at the 1896 Olympics, but there they were awarded in addition to the medals to first and second place. Commemorative medals and diplomas — which differ in design from those referred to above — are also made available to participants finishing lower than third and eighth respectively. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals. Ray C. Ewry. ... Ray C. Ewry. ... The 1906 Summer Olympics, also called the 1906 Intercalated Games, were held in Athens, Greece. ... Ray Clarence Ewry at the 1900 Summer Olympics Raymond Clarence Ray Ewry (October 14, 1873 – September 29, 1937) was an American track and field athlete who won 8 gold medals at the Olympic Games and 2 gold medals at the Intercalated Games (1906 in Athens). ... Larisa Latynina. ... Larisa Latynina. ... Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (Russian: Лариса Семёновна Латынина; born December 27, 1934 in Kherson, Ukraine, U.S.S.R.) was a Soviet gymnast. ... Artistic Gymnastics (men) Artistic Gymnastics (women) Athletics (men) Athletics (women) Baseball Basketball Biathlon Boxing Figure skating Sailing Swimming (men) Swimming (women) Tennis See also Olympic Games IOC country codes list of prizes, medals, and awards Art competitions Ice Hockey Categories: | | ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Gilding is the art of spreading gold, either by mechanical or by chemical means, over the surface of a body for the purpose of ornament. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Atomic mass 107. ... Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout or sudden death tournament, is a type of tournament where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event. ... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left) versus Rafael Ortíz Boxing, also called Western Boxing, prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science (a common nickname among fans), is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their... The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were held in 1900 in Paris, France. ... participants The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. ... The 1906 Summer Olympics, also called the 1906 Intercalated Games, were held in Athens, Greece. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ...

Because the Olympics are held only once every four years, the public and athletes often consider them as more important and valuable than world championships and other international tournaments, which are often held annually. Many athletes have become celebrities or heroes in their own country, or even world-wide, after becoming Olympic champions.

The diversity of the sports, and the great differences between the Olympic Games in 1896 and today make it difficult to decide which athlete is the most successful Olympic athlete of all time. This is further complicated since the IOC no longer recognises the Intercalated Games which it originally organised. When measuring by the number of titles won at the Modern Olympic Games, the following athletes may be considered the most successful (2 golds from the Intercalated Games are included in Ray Ewry's scores). The Intercalated Olympic Games were to be a series of International Olympic Games half-way between what we now call Games of the olympiad. ... The Intercalated Olympic Games were to be a series of International Olympic Games half-way between what we now call Games of the olympiad. ...

Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (Russian: Лариса Семёновна Латынина; born December 27, 1934 in Kherson, Ukraine, U.S.S.R.) was a Soviet gymnast. ... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, and forward rolls,and backtucks. ... Paavo Nurmi (June 13, 1897 – October 2, 1973) was a Finnish runner. ... Motto: none Anthem(s): Maamme (Finnish) / VÃ¥rt land (Swedish) Our Land (English) Capital Helsinki Largest city Helsinki Finnish 94. ... A womens 400 metre hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ... Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950) is a Jewish American swimmer. ... Swimming is a technique that humans, and other animals, use to move through water using only movements of the body. ... Frederick Carlton Carl Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is a former American athlete who won 10 Olympic medals (9 golds) during his career (1984 to 1996), and 8 World Championship gold medals, and 1 bronze (1983 to 1993). ... A womens 400 metre hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ... Bjørn Dæhlie (born June 19, 1967) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. ... Motto: Royal Motto: Alt for Norge (All for Norway) 1814 Eidsvoll oath: Enige og tro til Dovre faller (United and faithful until the Mountains of Dovre should crumble) Anthem(s): Ja, vi elsker dette landet Royal anthem: Kongesangen Capital Oslo Largest city Oslo Norwegian¹ (BokmÃ¥l and Nynorsk) Government Constitutional... Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily Northern Europe and Canada. ... Birgit Fischer (born 25 February 1962 in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany) is a kayaker, who has won 8 gold medals over a record 6 different Olympic Games: twice representing East Germany, then four times representing the reunited nation. ... // This article is about flatwater canoe racing. ... Sawao Kato (加藤 沢男 Katō Sawao, born October 11, 1946) is a Japanese gymnast and one of the most successful athletes of all time at the Olympic Games. ... Anthem(s): Kimi Ga Yo (君が代) (English: Imperial Reign) Capital Tokyo Most populous conurbation Tokyo1 Japanese Government Constitutional monarchy  - Emperor HIM Emperor Akihito  - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Formation    - National Foundation Day February 11, 660 BCE2   - Meiji Constitution November 29, 1890   - Current constitution May 3, 1947   - Treaty of San Francisco April 28... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, and forward rolls,and backtucks. ... Jennifer Thompson (born February 26, 1973), a swimmer, is one of the most decorated Olympians in history, winning twelve medals, including eight golds, while representing the United States of America in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics. ... Swimming is a technique that humans, and other animals, use to move through water using only movements of the body. ... Matthew (Matt) Nicholas Biondi (born October 8, 1965) is an American former swimmer. ... Swimming is a technique that humans, and other animals, use to move through water using only movements of the body. ... Ray Clarence Ewry at the 1900 Summer Olympics Raymond Clarence Ray Ewry (October 14, 1873 – September 29, 1937) was an American track and field athlete who won 8 gold medals at the Olympic Games and 2 gold medals at the Intercalated Games (1906 in Athens). ... A womens 400 metre hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ...

Olympic medals by country

Main articles: Total Olympics medal count, Summer Olympics medal count, and Winter Olympics medal count

While a medal count for each country is kept, no "winner" is declared at each Olympics by the IOC. Some media outlets, such as newspapers and even the IOC's own website, keep track of unofficial medal "standings" throughout the Games. The most common practice is to order countries by their number of gold medals, but ordering countries by total number of medals is also done. The total medal count for all Olympic Games, including both Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games, from 1896 to 2006 is tabulated below. ... Totals for all Summer Olympics through 2004. ... The total medal count for all Winter Olympic Games from 1924 to 2006 is tabulated below. ...

Total or all-time medal counts are also formulated by various sources. These tables may be misleading, however, as countries such as the United States have participated regularly and consistently since the beginning of the Olympics, while other countries may not have participated as frequently or their medal count as a nation is split between IOC codes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allocates three-letter country codes to all National Olympic Committees and other groups competing in the Olympic Games. ...

Locations of modern Olympic Games

The tables below gives an overview of all host cities of both the Olympic Summer Games (Games of the Olympiad) and Winter Games. These include Beijing, London and Vancouver which are yet to hold their games.

Click on the Roman numeral to get details of the Games and the corresponding host city selection process. The Summer Games are numbered by Olympiad, so there are gaps for the World Wars; the Winter Games are numbered consecutively. The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ...

The number in parenthesis following the city and the cats came and chased away all of the dogs/country denotes how many times that city/country has hosted the games.

Locations of modern Summer Olympic Games

	Games of the Olympiad (Olympic Summer Games)
Year	Games	Host City	Country
1896	I	Athens (1)	Greece (1)
1900	II	Paris (1)	France (1)
1904	III	St. Louis, Missouri (1)	United States (1)
1906	Intercalated	Athens	Greece
1908	IV	London, England (1)	United Kingdom (1)
1912	V	Stockholm (1)	Sweden (1)
1916	VI (cancelled (WWI))	Berlin	Germany
1920	VII	Antwerp (1)	Belgium (1)
1924	VIII	Paris (2)	France (2)
1928	IX	Amsterdam (1)	Netherlands (1)
1932	X	Los Angeles, California (1)	United States (2)
1936	XI	Berlin (1)	Germany (1)
1940	XII (cancelled (WWII))	Tokyo→Helsinki	Japan→ Finland
1944	XIII (cancelled (WWII))	London, England	United Kingdom
1948	XIV	London, England (2)	United Kingdom (2)
1952	XV	Helsinki (1)	Finland (1)
1956	XVI	Melbourne (1) + Stockholm (2)(1)	Australia (1) + Sweden (2)
1960	XVII	Rome (1)	Italy (1)
1964	XVIII	Tokyo (1)	Japan (1)
1968	XIX	Mexico City (1)	Mexico (1)
1972	XX	Munich, Bavaria (1)	West Germany (2)
1976	XXI	Montreal, Quebec (1)	Canada (1)
1980	XXII	Moscow, Central Federal District (1)	Soviet Union (1)
1984	XXIII	Los Angeles, California (2)	United States (3)
1988	XXIV	Seoul, Sudogwon (1)	South Korea (1)
1992	XXV	Barcelona, Catalonia (1)	Spain (1)
1996	XXVI	Atlanta, Georgia (1)	United States (4)
2000	XXVII	Sydney, New South Wales (1)	Australia (2)
2004	XXVIII	Athens, Attica (2)	Greece (2)
2008	XXIX	Beijing (1) + Hong Kong (1) (2)	China (1)
2012	XXX	London, England (3)	United Kingdom (3)

¹ Equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden.

² Equestrian events will be held in Hong Kong.

Countries that have hosted or have been chosen to host Olympic Games: The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece_(1828-1978). ... The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were held in 1900 in Paris, France. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... participants The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. ... Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: Country United States State Missouri County Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area    - City 66. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links US_flag_45_stars. ... The 1906 Summer Olympics, also called the 1906 Intercalated Games, were held in Athens, Greece. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece_(1828-1978). ... The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IV Olympiad, were held in 1908 in London, England. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were held in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. ...   (IPA: ; UN/LOCODE: SE STO) is the capital of Sweden, and consequently the site of its Government and Parliament as well as the residence of the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... The Games of the VI Olympiad were to have been held in 1916 in Berlin, Germany. ... WWI may be an acronym for: World War I World Wrestling Industry This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Berlin is the capital city and a state of Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... The Games of the IX Olympiad were held in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 743,905 (1 April 2006) Demonym Amsterdammer Coordinates Website www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, were held in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, were held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. ... Berlin is the capital city and a state of Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... The Games of the XII Olympiad originally programmed to celebrated between September 21 to October 6, 1940 were cancelled due to World War II. Originally slated to be held in Tokyo, Japan, but the Games were given back to the IOC, because the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... Tokyo , literally Eastern capital)   is the capital and one of the forty-seven prefectures of Japan. ... Founded 1550 Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Area[1] - Of which land - Rank 185. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland_(bordered). ... The Games of the XIII Olympiad were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in London, United Kingdom. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Games of the XIV Olympiad were held in 1948 at Wembley Stadium in London, England. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were held in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. ... Founded 1550 Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Area[1] - Of which land - Rank 185. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland_(bordered). ... The Games of the XVI Olympiad were held in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, although the equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations. ... Melbournes Yarra River is popular area for walking, jogging, cycling and relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced either or [1]) is the second most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ...   (IPA: ; UN/LOCODE: SE STO) is the capital of Sweden, and consequently the site of its Government and Parliament as well as the residence of the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, were held in 1960 in Rome, Italy. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 8th century BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, were held in 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. ... Tokyo , literally Eastern capital)   is the capital and one of the forty-seven prefectures of Japan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... (Spanish: Ciudad de México, México D.F. or simply México, pronounced IPA: ) is the capital city of the nation of Mexico. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mexico. ... The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ... Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich (German: München, (pronounced listen) is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern). ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were held in 1976 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Motto: Concordia Salus Coordinates: Country Canada Province Quebec Founded 1642 Established 1832 City Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area    - City 366. ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor Linné) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... Badge, released in the USSR The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... Central Federal District (Russian: Центра́льный федера́льный о́круг; tr. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Music sample: Olympic Fanfare and Theme ( file info) — composed by John Williams for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Problems listening to the file? See media help. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... Seoul (Sŏul[1] 서울)   is the capital and largest city of South Korea (Republic of Korea). ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Korea_(bordered). ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal Postal code 08001-08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Anthem: Els Segadors Capital Barcelona Official language(s) Catalan, Spanish; In Aran Valley, also Aranese Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 6th  32,114 km²  6. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Participants The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games held in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... Emblems: Floral - Waratah (Telopea speciosissima); Bird - Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas); Animal - Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus); Fish - Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Const. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Greece and the birthplace of democracy. ... Attica (in Greek: Αττική, Attike; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a periphery (subdivision) in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece. ... The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 through August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p. ... Beijing [English Pronunciation] (Chinese: 北京 [Chinese Pronunciation]; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ), a city in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ... Olympic Flags at Dorney Lake. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... A young rider at a horse show in Australia. ...   (IPA: ; UN/LOCODE: SE STO) is the capital of Sweden, and consequently the site of its Government and Parliament as well as the residence of the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf. ...

United States (8), France (5), Canada (3), Germany (3), United Kingdom (3), Italy (3), Japan (3), Sweden (2), Switzerland (2), Austria (2), Norway (2), Australia (2), Greece (2), Belgium (1), Netherlands (1), Finland (1), Mexico (1), Russia/USSR (1), Yugoslavia (1), South Korea (1), Spain (1), People's Republic of China (1)

Countries that have hosted or have been chosen to host Summer Olympics:

United States (4), United Kingdom (3), France (2), Germany (2), Sweden (2), Australia (2), Greece (2), Italy (1), Canada (1), Japan (1), Belgium (1), Netherlands (1), Finland (1), Mexico (1), Russia/USSR (1), South Korea (1), Spain (1), People's Republic of China (1)

Locations of modern Winter Olympic Games

	Olympic Winter Games
Year	Games	Host City	Country
1924	I	Chamonix (1)	France (1)
1928	II	St Moritz (1)	Switzerland (1)
1932	III	Lake Placid, New York (1)	United States (1)
1936	IV	Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1)	Germany (1)
1940	V (cancelled (WWII))	Garmisch-Partenkirchen	Germany
1944	V (cancelled (WWII))	Cortina d'Ampezzo	Italy
1948	V	St Moritz (2)	Switzerland (2)
1952	VI	Oslo (1)	Norway (1)
1956	VII	Cortina d'Ampezzo (1)	Italy (1)
1960	VIII	Squaw Valley, California (1)	United States (2)
1964	IX	Innsbruck (1)	Austria (1)
1968	X	Grenoble (1)	France (2)
1972	XI	Sapporo (1)	Japan (1)
1976	XII	Innsbruck (2)	Austria (2)
1980	XIII	Lake Placid, New York (2)	United States (3)
1984	XIV	Sarajevo (1)	Yugoslavia (1)
1988	XV	Calgary, Alberta (1)	Canada (1)
1992	XVI	Albertville (1)	France (3)
1994	XVII	Lillehammer (1)	Norway (2)
1998	XVIII	Nagano (1)	Japan (2)
2002	XIX	Salt Lake City, Utah (1)	United States (4)
2006	XX	Turin (1)	Italy (2)
2010	XXI	Vancouver, British Columbia (1)	Canada (2)

Note that the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been hosted by the same country in the same year only three times—in the years 1924 (France), 1932 (United States), and 1936 (Germany). The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. ... Panorama of Chamonix valley Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a town and commune in eastern France, in the Haute-Savoie département, at the foot of Mont Blanc. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... The II Olympic Winter Games were held in 1928 in Sankt-Moritz, Switzerland. ... St. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Switzerland. ... The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. ... Lake Placid is a village of 2,638 in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, near the center of the Town of North Elba and named after an adjacent lake. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1936 in the villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. ... Garmisch-Partenkirchen (29,875 inhabitants; 01-01-2004) is a market town, and the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region of Bavaria, Germany, near the border with Austria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... The anticipated V Olympic Winter Games were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in Sapporo, Japan. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... Garmisch-Partenkirchen (29,875 inhabitants; 01-01-2004) is a market town, and the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region of Bavaria, Germany, near the border with Austria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... The anticipated V Olympic Winter Games were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... Cortina dAmpezzo (population circa 8,000) is a town in the province of Veneto, northern Italy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The V Olympic Winter Games were held in St. ... St. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Switzerland. ... The VI Olympic Winter Games were held in 1952 in Oslo, Norway. ... County Oslo NO-03 District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... The VII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1956 in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. ... Cortina dAmpezzo (population circa 8,000) is a town in the province of Veneto, northern Italy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The VIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1960 in Squaw Valley, USA. Alexander Cushing, the creator of the resort, campaigned vigorously to win the Games. ... For other places with the same name, see Squaw Valley Lake Tahoe from Squaw Valley The Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest and most high-concept ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria. ... Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ... The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1968 Grenoble, France and opened on February 6. ... Grenoble (Arpitan: Grasanòbol) is a city and commune in south-east France, situated at the foot of the Alps, at the confluence of the Drac into the Isère River. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sapporo scene Sapporo White Illumination Sapporo (札幌市; -shi) is the fifth-largest city in Japan and it is the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. ... Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ... The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. ... Lake Placid is a village of 2,638 in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, near the center of the Town of North Elba and named after an adjacent lake. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1984 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. ... Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) Coordinates: Country Bosnia and Herzegovina Entity Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Canton Sarajevo Canton Mayor Semiha Borovac Area    - City 142 km²  (54. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all South Slavic languages, Југославија in Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic) is a term used for the three separate political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. ... Motto: Fortis et liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English (see below) Flower   Wild rose Tree Lodgepole Pine Bird Great Horned Owl Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1992 in Albertville, France. ... Albertville is a town and commune in southeast France, in the Savoie département, in the French Alps. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... The XVII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... The XVIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. ... Categories: Host cities of the Winter Olympic Games | Cities in Nagano Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Neve and Gliz, the 2006 Olympics mascots, on display in Turin The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. ... Country Italy Region Piedmont Province Turin (TO) Mayor Sergio Chiamparino (The Union) Elevation 240 m Area 130 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 902,255  - Density 6928/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Torinesi Dialing code 011 Postal code 10100 Patron St. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games, are the next Winter Olympics, scheduled to be celebrated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2010. ... Vancouver (pronounced: ) is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English de facto (none stated in law) Flower Pacific dogwood Tree Western Redcedar Bird Stellers Jay Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ...

Countries that have hosted or have been chosen to host Winter Olympics:

United States (4), France (3), Canada (2), Italy (2), Japan (2), Switzerland (2), Austria (2), Norway (2), Germany (1), Yugoslavia (1)

Notes

1. ^ Destroying Papua's Ancient Rainforests to Raise the Olympic Torch, Rainforest Portal. Retrieved on May 15, 2006.
2. ^ Steve Baily A Noble Ally and Olympic Disciple: The Reverend Robert S. de Courcy Laffan, Coubertin's 'man' in England (PDF) Steve Bailey is Director of Sports, Winchester College, Winchester, England
3. ^ Steve Baily The Reverend Robert S. de Courcy Laffan: Baron Pierre de Coubertin and the Olympic Movement
4. ^ Victorian and Edwardian Sporting Values Produced in Poland by British Council © 2003.

References

• Buchanan, Ian & Mallon, Bill (2001). Historical dictionary of the Olympic movement. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-4054-5.
• Wallechinsky, David (2000). The complete book of the Summer Olympics – Sydney 2000 edition. New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 1-58567-033-2.
• Wallechinsky, David (2002). The complete book of the Winter Olympics – Salt Lake City 2002. New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 1-58567-195-9.
• Kamper, Erich & Mallon, Bill (1992). The Golden Book of the Olympic Games. Milan, Italy: Vallardi & Associati. ISBN 88-85202-35-7.
• Simson, Vyv & Jennings, Andrew (1992). Dishonored Games: Corruption, Money, and Greed at the Olympics. New Tork: S.P.I. Books. ISBN 1-56171-199-3
• The Economics of staging the Olympics. A comparison of the Games 1972-2008. Edward Elgar Publishing, Glos 2005, ISBN 1-84376-893-3

See also

• Bids for Olympic Games
• Bids for Olympic Games (ballots)
• Politics in the Olympics
• Olympic films

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Olympic Games

Olympics Portal

Official websites

• Official website of the Olympic Movement
• Official website of the 2012 Olympics in London
• Official website of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
• Official website of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing
• Official website of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
• The official website of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
• Official website of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City
• News from all the Olympic sports

Other links

• Podiums first used in modern Olympics
• Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol
• The Olympics. A kid's guide to the Summer and Winter Olympic games.
• Origin Of The Olympic Games
• Candidate Cities for future Olympic Games
• The Cultural Coalition for the Amsterdam Olympic Area (on ErasmusPC)
• Olympic Traditions FAQs from the U.S. Olympic Committee
• Olympic Pins Features pins from many Olympic Games
• Olympic Games Coca-Cola Cans from all over the world

Winchester College is a boys public school in the city of Winchester in Hampshire, in the south of England. ... Winchester is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40,000 within a 3 mile radius of its centre. ... The British Council is a partly UK Government-funded cultural relations organisation and a registered charity in the United Kingdom. ... Bids for Summer Olympics The ballots (Summer Olympics) Bids for Winter Olympics The ballots (Winter Olympics ... Following are all results of the ballots during the decisions about the host for Summer and Winter Olympics. ... The Olympic Games were created by Baron Pierre de Coubertin for two reasons: 1) A way for the countries of the globe to become more connected; and 2)it was a reason for men to become more vigoureux or vigorous. ... During their history, the Olympic Games have inspired several filmmakers. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Image File history File links Portal. ...

Olympic Games Sports Medalists NOCs Symbols Medal counts This article gives lists of Olympic medalists for those Olympic Games sports where such lists have been created in Wikipedia. ... The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allocates three-letter country codes to all National Olympic Committees and other groups competing in the Olympic Games. ...		Summer Games 1896, 1900, 1904, 19061, 1908, 1912, (1916)2, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940)2, (1944)2, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 Poster for the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. ... The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were held in 1900 in Paris, France. ... participants The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. ... The 1906 Summer Olympics, also called the 1906 Intercalated Games, were held in Athens, Greece. ... The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IV Olympiad, were held in 1908 in London, England. ... The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were held in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. ... The Games of the VI Olympiad were to have been held in 1916 in Berlin, Germany. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ... The Games of the IX Olympiad were held in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, were held in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. ... The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, were held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. ... The Games of the XII Olympiad originally programmed to celebrated between September 21 to October 6, 1940 were cancelled due to World War II. Originally slated to be held in Tokyo, Japan, but the Games were given back to the IOC, because the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in... The Games of the XIII Olympiad were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in London, United Kingdom. ... The Games of the XIV Olympiad were held in 1948 at Wembley Stadium in London, England. ... The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were held in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. ... The Games of the XVI Olympiad were held in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, although the equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations. ... The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, were held in 1960 in Rome, Italy. ... The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, were held in 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ... The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were held in 1976 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Badge, released in the USSR The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. ... Music sample: Olympic Fanfare and Theme ( file info) — composed by John Williams for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Problems listening to the file? See media help. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Participants The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games held in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 through August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p. ... Olympic Flags at Dorney Lake. ... The host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics will be announced in Copenhagen in 2009. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...
		Winter Games 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940)2, (1944)2, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 An athlete carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games or the Olympic Winter Games, are a winter multi-sport event held every four years. ... The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. ... The II Olympic Winter Games were held in 1928 in Sankt-Moritz, Switzerland. ... The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. ... The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1936 in the villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. ... The anticipated V Olympic Winter Games were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in Sapporo, Japan. ... The anticipated V Olympic Winter Games were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. ... The V Olympic Winter Games were held in St. ... The VI Olympic Winter Games were held in 1952 in Oslo, Norway. ... The VII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1956 in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. ... The VIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1960 in Squaw Valley, USA. Alexander Cushing, the creator of the resort, campaigned vigorously to win the Games. ... The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria. ... The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1968 Grenoble, France and opened on February 6. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. ... The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. ... The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1984 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1992 in Albertville, France. ... The XVII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. ... The XVIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. ... The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were held in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. ... Neve and Gliz, the 2006 Olympics mascots, on display in Turin The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. ... The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games, are the next Winter Olympics, scheduled to be celebrated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2010. ... The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXII Olympic Winter Games, will be celebrated in 2014, and are an international winter sports athletic event that has yet to be organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). ... The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, will be celebrated in 2018, and are an international winter sports athletic event that has yet to be organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). ... The 2022 Winter Olympics, formally called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games is an event that the International Olympic Committee has yet to organize. ...
		Athens 2004 — Torino 2006 — Beijing 2008 — Vancouver 2010 — London 2012

   

The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Neve and Gliz, the 2006 Olympics mascots, on display in Turin The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. ... The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 through August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p. ... The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games, are the next Winter Olympics, scheduled to be celebrated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2010. ... Olympic Flags at Dorney Lake. ... Image File history File links LinkFA-star. ...