Olympic Games
1920
*The 1920 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the VII Olympiad) 14 August‒12 September 1920 *Antwerp*, Belgium Nations: 29 Sports: 22 Athletes: 2,626 Most gold: USA, 41 Biggest total: USA, 95 Hungary, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire were banned from competing in the Games. From the newly created European states, only Estonia and Czechoslovakia took part. Soviet Russia was not invited as part of its political embargo by the West. The 1920 Olympics were the first in which the Olympic Oath was voiced, doves released to symbolize peace, and the Olympic Flag was flown. The Games featured a week of winter sports, with ice hockey making its debut.
1924 (summer)
*The 1924 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the VIII Olympiad) 4 May‒27 July 1924 *Paris*, France Nations: 44 Sports: 17 Athletes: 3,089 Most gold: USA, 45 Biggest total: USA, 99 The Games cost around 10,000,000₣ and resulted in a big financial loss. Germany was not invited. The first Games to use the standard 50 m pool with marked lanes, adopt the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius", and feature an Olympic Village. The last Games under the presidency of Pierre de Coubertin. The associated winter competition held in Chamonix became the first Winter Olympics.
1924 (winter)
*The 1924 Winter Olympics* (The I Olympic Winter Games) 25 January‒5 February 1924 *Chamonix*, France Nations: 16 Sports: 6 Athletes: 258 Most gold: Norway, Finland, 4 Biggest total: Norway, 17 Germany was not invited. The tradition of holding the Winter Olympics in the same year as the Summer Olympics continued until 1992. For the first time in history, the host country failed to win any gold medals. Many sources do not list curling and military patrol, but they were part of the official program. At the closing ceremony, de Coubertin presented a prize for 'alpinisme' (mountaineering) to Charles Granville Bruce, the leader of the expedition that tried to climb Mount Everest in 1922.
1928 (summer)
*The 1928 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the IX Olympiad) 28 July‒12 August 1928 *Amsterdam*, Netherlands Nations: 46 Sports: 14 Athletes: 2,883 Most gold: USA, 22 Biggest total: USA, 56 The Games were the first under the president Henri de Baillet-Latour, the first to light the Olympic Flame (no torch relay yet), the first to feature a standard schedule of 16 days, and the first sponsored by Coca-Cola. Germany returned to the Olympics for the first time since 1912.
1896
*The 1896 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the I Olympiad) 6‒15 April 1896 *Athens*, Greece Nations: 14 Sports: 9 Athletes: 241 Most gold: USA, 11 Biggest total: Greece, 46 Winners were given a silver medal, an olive branch, and a diploma. Runners-up received a copper medal, laurel branch, and diploma. The IOC has retroactively assigned gold, silver and bronze medals to the three best placed athletes in each event. Women were not allowed to compete.
1928 (winter)
*The 1928 Winter Olympics* (The II Olympic Winter Games) 11‒19 February 1928 *St. Moritz*, Switzerland Nations: 25 Sports: 4 Athletes: 464 Most gold: Norway, 6 Biggest total: Norway, 15 Fluctuating weather conditions made these Olympics memorable. The opening ceremony was held in a blizzard. In contrast, warm weather conditions plagued the Olympics later, leading to cancellation of one event with temperature rising to 25°C.
1932 (summer)
*The 1932 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the X Olympiad) 30 July‒14 August 1932 *Los Angeles*, USA Nations: 37 Sports: 14 Athletes: 1,332 Most gold: USA, 41 Biggest total: USA, 103 Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations and athletes were unable to pay for the trip to Los Angeles. Even US President Herbert Hoover skipped the event. The first Games to build an Olympic Village and use the victory podium.
1912
*The 1896 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the V Olympiad) 5 May‒22 July 1912 *Stockholm*, Sweden Nations: 28 Sports: 14 Athletes: 2,406 Most gold: USA, 25 Biggest total: Sweden, 65 It was the last Olympics to issue solid gold medals and, with Japan's debut, the first time an Asian nation participated. Electric timing was introduced in athletics. Swedish NOC disallowed boxing. It was the last Olympics where "private entries" were allowed (i.e. not part of an official national team).
1900
*The 1900 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the II Olympiad) 14 May‒28 October 1900 *Paris*, France Nations: 24 Sports: 19 Athletes: 997 Most gold: France, 26 Biggest total: France, 101 No opening or closing ceremonies. The Games were held as part of the 1900 World's Fair. Most winners received cups or trophies rather than medals. Women participated for the first time. Unique sports: automobile racing, motorcycle racing, ballooning, cricket, croquet, Basque pelota, 200m swimming obstacle race, underwater swimming. The only Olympic Games in history to use live animals (pigeons) as targets during the shooting event.
1904
*The 1904 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the III Olympiad) 29 August‒3 September 1904 *St. Louis*, USA Nations: 12 Sports: 16 Athletes: 651 Most gold: USA, 78 Biggest total: USA, 239 It was the first Olympic Games held outside of Europe. Distance and tension caused by the Russo-Japanese War kept most European athletes away. The nationalities of many medalists are disputed as many competitors were recent immigrants to the United States who had not yet been granted US citizenship.
1906
*The 1906 Intercalated Games * (The 1906 Olympic Games) 22 April‒2 May 1906 *Athens*, Greece Nations: 20 Sports: 13 Athletes: 854 Most gold: France, 15 Biggest total: France, 40 The very successful 1906 games introduced obligatory registration with NOCs for all athletes, separate opening and closing ceremonies with athletes marching into the stadium in national teams and following their national flags. The 1906 medals are not officially recognized by IOC today.
1908
*The 1908 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the IV Olympiad) 27 April‒31 October 1908 *London*, Great Britain Nations: 22 Sports: 22 Athletes: 2,008 Most gold: Great Britain, 56 Biggest total: Great Britain, 146 Originally scheduled to be held in Rome, the Games were re-located on financial grounds to Great Britain after a disastrous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906. Lasting a total of 187 days, or 6 months and 4 days, the Games were the longest in modern Olympics history. They were plagued by controversy.
1916
*The 1916 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the VI Olympiad) *Berlin*, Germany The 1916 Games, scheduled to be held in Berlin, were canceled due to the World War I. A winter sports week with speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey and Nordic skiing was planned; the concept of this week eventually gave rise to the first Winter Olympic Games.
1932 (winter)
*The 1932 Winter Olympics* (The III Olympic Winter Games) 4‒15 February 1932 *Lake Placid*, USA Nations: 17 Sports: 4 Athletes: 252 Most gold: USA, 6 Biggest total: USA, 12 Eddie Eagan became the only Olympian to win gold medals at both the summer and winter games in different sports. He won gold in boxing at Antwerp in 1920 and gold in bobsleigh at Lake Placid. The bobsleigh race was held two days after the closing ceremonies due to unseasonably warm weather in the region the week prior.
1936 (winter)
*The 1932 Winter Olympics* (The IV Olympic Winter Games) 6‒16 February 1936 *Garmisch-Partenkirchen*, Germany Nations: 28 Sports: 4 Athletes: 646 Most gold: Norway, 7 Biggest total: Norway, 15 1936 is the last year in which Summer and Winter Games were both held in the same country (the cancelled 1940 games would have been held in Japan). Alpine skiing made its first appearance in the winter Olympics. These games had the largest and heaviest medals ever awarded to athletes: diameter 100 mm, weight 324 g.
1936 (summer)
*The 1936 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XI Olympiad) 1‒16 August 1936 *Berlin*, Germany Nations: 49 Sports: 19 Athletes: 3,963 Most gold: Germany, 33 Biggest total: Germany, 89 The Games introduced the convention of the torch relay from Greece to the Olympic venue, became the first to be televised, and featured basketball and handball for the first time. Leni Riefenstahl was commissioned to make a $7 million film about the Games titled "Olympia". The Soviet Union and Spain boycotted the Games.
1948 (summer)
*The 1948 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XIV Olympiad) 29 July‒14 August 1948 *London*, United Kingdom Nations: 59 Sports: 17 Athletes: 4,104 Most gold: USA, 38 Biggest total: USA, 84 The event came to be known as the Austerity Games, because of the economic climate and post-war rationing. No new venues were built for the games and athletes were housed in existing accommodation. Germany and Japan were refused permission to participate; the USSR was invited but chose not to send any athletes. London was the first Olympics to have a political defection. Marie Provazníková, the 57-year-old Czechoslovakian President of the International Gymnastics Federation, refused to return home, citing "lack of freedom" after the Czech coup in February led to the country's inclusion in the Soviet Bloc.
1948 (winter)
*The 1948 Winter Olympics* (The V Olympic Winter Games) 30 January‒8 February 1948 *St. Moritz*, Switzerland Nations: 28 Sports: 4 Athletes: 669 Most gold: Norway, Sweden, 4 Biggest total: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, 10 The first Games since World War II were given the name "The Games of Renewal." Japan and Germany were not invited and the Soviet Union did not send athletes. The impact of World War II was still being felt in 1948. The lack of financial resources and human energy made the organization of the Games challenging. Many athletes arrived with little or no equipment. In one notable case, Norwegian skiers had to borrow skis from the American team in order to compete. There were also few spectators in St. Moritz.
1952 (summer)
*The 1952 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XV Olympiad) 19 July‒3 August 1952 *Helsinki*, Finland Nations: 69 Sports: 17 Athletes: 4,955 Most gold: USA, 40 Biggest total: USA, 76 Helsinki had been earlier selected to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II. It is the northernmost city at which a summer Olympic Games have been held. The Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, and Israel made their Olympic debuts in Helsinki. Japan and Germany were both reinstated. Due to the division of Germany, a separate Saarland team took part in the Games.
1952 (winter)
*The 1952 Winter Olympics* (The VI Olympic Winter Games) 14‒25 February 1952 *Oslo*, Norway Nations: 30 Sports: 4 Athletes: 694 Most gold: Norway, 7 Biggest total: Norway, 16 Japan and Germany made their returns to winter Olympic competition. The Games closed with a presentation of the so-called "Oslo flag" that has been displayed in the host city during each subsequent Winter Games.
1956 (summer)
*The 1956 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XVI Olympiad) 22 November‒8 December 1956 *Melbourne*, Australia Nations: 72 Sports: 17 Athletes: 3,314 Most gold: Soviet Union, 37 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 98 The 1956 Games were the first to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere and Oceania, as well as the first to be held outside Europe and North America. Melbourne is the southernmost city to host the games. Equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations and took place five months earlier in Stockholm. Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon did not compete in Melbourne due to the Suez Crisis, while Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland boycotted the Games in protest at the Soviet invasion of Hungary. The People's Republic of China chose to stay away because the Republic of China had been allowed to compete. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. Local fans rooted for Hungarian athletes. The water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union became known as Blood In The Water, with a riot almost breaking out during the game. Hungary beat the Soviet team and went on to win gold. However, the event is known as the "Friendly Games". A young Melburnian John Ian Wing proposed that during the closing ceremony athletes mingled with one another as they paraded into the arena, instead of marching as teams. This has been an Olympic tradition ever since.
1956 (winter)
*The 1956 Winter Olympics* (The VII Olympic Winter Games) 26 January‒5 February 1956 *Cortina d'Ampezzo*, Italy Nations: 32 Sports: 4 Athletes: 821 Most gold: Soviet Union, 7 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 16 The Games had a large share of private financing and relied heavily on corporate sponsorship. Politics didn't impact the Games. The Soviet Union made its Winter Olympics debut and won more medals than any nation. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. Many venues were within walking distance of each other. The Italian army transported large amounts of snow to cover the courses. The Cortina Games were the first Winter Olympics televised to a multi-national audience; in fact, Europe became a Cold War propaganda battlefield as countries relayed television signals across the Iron Curtain.
1960 (summer)
*The 1960 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XVII Olympiad) 25 August‒11 September 1960 *Rome*, Italy Nations: 83 Sports: 17 Athletes: 5,338 Most gold: Soviet Union, 43 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 103 South Africa appeared in the Olympic arena for the last time under its apartheid regime until 1992. Singapore competed for the first time under its own flag. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the marathon bare-footed and became the first black African Olympic champion. Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, won boxing's light-heavyweight gold medal.
1960 (winter)
*The 1960 Winter Olympics* (The VIII Olympic Winter Games) 18‒28 February 1960 *Squaw Valley*, USA Nations: 30 Sports: 4 Athletes: 665 Most gold: Soviet Union, 7 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 21 Squaw Valley was a struggling ski resort with minimal facilities, which made its selection to host the 1960 Winter Olympics a scandal. Several design innovations and new technologies were used: artificial ice, quartz clocks provided by Longines, IBM computer to tabulate and print results. Under international pressure the United States allowed Communist countries to participate. China boycotted the Games and North Korea was not recognized as a separate country by IOC. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. Walt Disney produced opening and closing ceremonies. Biathlon was added to the program.
1964 (summer)
*The 1964 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XVIII Olympiad) 10‒24 October 1964 *Tokyo*, Japan Nations: 93 Sports: 19 Athletes: 5,151 Most gold: USA, 36 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 96 The first Olympics held in Asia and the first to be telecast worldwide, partially in color. The first Japanese "bullet train" was launched before the Games. Judo added to the program. The last Summer Olympics to use a cinder running track for athletic events and the first to use fiberglass poles for pole vaulting. North Korea withdrew just before the start, Indonesia was banned. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. The removal of Nikita Khrushchev and the first nuclear test in China happened during the Tokyo Games.
1964 (winter)
*The 1964 Winter Olympics* (The IX Olympic Winter Games) 29 January‒9 February 1964 *Innsbruck*, Austria Nations: 36 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,091 Most gold: Soviet Union, 11 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 25 To deal with a lack of snow, the Austrian army carried 40,000 cubic meters of snow to the Alpine skiing courses. The Games were affected by deaths of Australian alpine skier Ross Milne and British luge slider Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski as well as the entire US figure skating team and family members three years earlier. East Germany and West Germany competed as a united team. For the first time the closing ceremony was held at a different place than the opening ceremony.
1968 (summer)
*The 1968 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XIX Olympiad) 12‒27 October 1968 *Mexico City*, Mexico Nations: 112 Sports: 18 Athletes: 5,516 Most gold: USA, 45 Biggest total: USA, 107 The first Olympics to be staged in Latin America (and in a Spanish-speaking country). China and North Korea boycotted the Games. For the first time, East and West Germany competed as separate teams. The 1968 torch relay recreated the route taken by Christopher Columbus to the New World, journeying from Greece through Italy and Spain to San Salvador Island, Bahamas, and then on to Mexico. The first Games to use a synthetic all-weather track for track and field events. The high elevation (2,240 m) above sea level influenced events and performances. Doping tests were introduced and caused the first disqualification: Swedish pentathlete Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall drank several beers just before competing.
1968 (winter)
*The 1968 Winter Olympics* (The X Olympic Winter Games) 6‒18 February 1968 *Grenoble*, France Nations: 37 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,158 Most gold: Norway, 6 Biggest total: Norway, 14 The people behind the Grenoble bid never hid their primary goal of using the Olympic Games to receive larger grants to quickly develop the region's dated infrastructure and support the local economy. Grenoble 1968 is the first Olympiad to adopt a mascot, although unofficially; Schuss, the mascot, is a styled skier. Doping control tests and sex tests for women were introduced. For the first time in the history of Olympics: East and West Germany competed as separate teams; the winners' medals in every sport had their specific designs and hung on ribbons (before 1968 chains had been used); the Games were transmitted in color.
1972 (summer)
*The 1972 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XX Olympiad) 26 August‒10 September 1972 *Munich*, Germany Nations: 121 Sports: 21 Athletes: 7,134 Most gold: Soviet Union, 55 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 99 The sporting nature of the event was overshadowed by the killing of eleven Israeli athletes and coaches and a West German police officer. Five Black September Palestinian terrorists died. The West German government intended to present a new, democratic and optimistic Germany to the world. The official motto was "Die Heiteren Spiele" ("The cheerful Games"), the logo was a blue solar image ("Bright Sun"), the mascot was the dachshund Waldi (the first officially named Olympic mascot). Handball and archery returned as Olympic sports. In the final of the men's basketball, the United States lost to the Soviet Union after the final three seconds of the game were replayed twice and the Soviet team was able to regain the lead and claim a 51-50 victory. The US team refused to accept silver medals.
1972 (winter)
*The 1972 Winter Olympics* (The XI Olympic Winter Games) 3‒13 February 1972 *Sapporo*, Japan Nations: 35 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,006 Most gold: Soviet Union, 8 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 16 The Games helped develop the Sapporo region and proved profitable in part due to a record broadcasting rights fee. The last Olympics where a skier won gold using all-wooden skis, as wood was substituted by fiberglass synthetics. Three days before the Games, Austrian skier Karl Schranz who received money from ski manufacturers was banned as an example. Canada refused to send an ice hockey team in a protest against Communist nations using professional players.
1976 (summer)
*The 1976 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXI Olympiad) 17 July‒1 August 1976 *Montreal*, Canada Nations: 92 Sports: 21 Athletes: 6,084 Most gold: Soviet Union, 49 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 125 The Olympics proved a financial disaster for Montreal as it faced debts for 30 years after the event. Twenty-nine countries, mostly African, boycotted the Games when IOC refused to ban New Zealand, after the NZ national rugby team had toured South Africa despite a UN embargo. The Israeli team attended the opening ceremony wearing black ribbons in commemoration of the 1972 Munich massacre. After a rainstorm doused the Olympic Flame during the Games, an official relit the flame using his cigarette lighter. Organizers quickly doused it again and relit it using a backup of the original flame. The 14 years old Romanian Nadia Comăneci became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics (recording seven 10.00 scores). East Germany surpassed all expectations finishing second. However, the achievement was later undermined by the expose of a systematic doping scheme run by the East German sporting authorities.
1976 (winter)
*The 1976 Winter Olympics* (The XII Olympic Winter Games) 4‒15 February 1976 *Innsbruck*, Austria Nations: 37 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,123 Most gold: Soviet Union, 13 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 27 Innsbruck was given the Games after Denver, the original host city, withdrew in 1972. First Games under the presidency of Michael Morris. Sports technology (perforated skis, hooded suits, streamlined helmets) featured prominently. A second cauldron for the Olympic flame was built to represent the 1976 Games and was lit together with the 1964 cauldron. The USSR won its fourth straight ice hockey gold medal after Canada again refused to send a team.
1980 (summer)
*The 1980 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXII Olympiad) 19 July‒3 August 1980 *Moscow*, Soviet Union Nations: 80 Sports: 21 Athletes: 5,179 Most gold: Soviet Union, 80 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 195 The first and only Games to be staged in Eastern Europe. Following the US initiative, 65 countries boycotted the Games because of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, though some athletes chose to compete under the Olympic Flag.
1980 (winter)
*The 1980 Winter Olympics* (The XIII Olympic Winter Games) 14‒23 February 1980 *Lake Placid*, USA Nations: 37 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,072 Most gold: Soviet Union, 10 Biggest total: East Germany, 23 Lake Placid 1980 marked the first use of artificial snow in Olympic competition. The mascot of the Games was Roni, a raccoon. The US men's ice hockey team, composed mostly of collegiate players, won gold by defeating the Soviet team in a match known as the Miracle on Ice. Although they did not get any medals, China entered the Olympics Games for the first time since 1952.
1984 (summer)
*The 1984 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXIII Olympiad) 28 July‒12 August 1984 *Los Angeles*, USA Nations: 140 Sports: 21 Athletes: 6,829 Most gold: USA, 83 Biggest total: USA, 174 In response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, 14 Eastern Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union, Cuba, and East Germany, boycotted the Games; only Romania and Yugoslavia took part. Iran and Libya also passed. The 1984 Summer Olympics are often considered the most financially successful Games. First Summer Olympics under Juan Antonio Samaranch. The official mascot was Sam the Olympic Eagle. John Williams composed the Grammy-winning theme. The torch relay from New York City to Los Angeles was carried on foot all the way. The opening ceremony featured a Jet Pack and the closing ceremony featured a UFO model and an alien saluting humanity's efforts. China returned for their first Summer Games since Helsinki 1952 and won 15 gold medals. Eleven athletes failed drug tests.
1984 (winter)
*The 1984 Winter Olympics* (The XIV Olympic Winter Games) 8‒19 February 1984 *Sarajevo*, Yugoslavia Nations: 49 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,272 Most gold: East Germany, 9 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 25 First Games under Juan Antonio Samaranch. The Olympic flag was raised upside down during the opening ceremony. The mascot was Vučko, a little wolf, now a symbol of Sarajevo. Lamine Guèye of Senegal was the first Black African skier to compete in the Winter Olympics. The closing ceremony was held indoors.
1988 (summer)
*The 1988 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXIV Olympiad) 17 September‒2 October 1988 *Seoul*, South Korea Nations: 159 Sports: 23 Athletes: 8,391 Most gold: Soviet Union, 55 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 132 Last Olympic Games for the Soviet Union and East Germany, as both ceased to exist shortly. The mascot was Hodori, a friendly Amur tiger. The official song "Hand in Hand" by Giorgio Moroder became a worldwide hit. Tennis and table tennis introduced. Live doves were released during the opening ceremony, but many died from the flame of the Olympic cauldron. Protests caused the practice discontinue after the 1992 Barcelona Games, with balloon doves released in 1994 Lillehammer and paper doves used in 1996 Atlanta. In the run-up to the Games, the South Korean government ordered Seoul's "vagrants" to be cleared from the street; thousands of people, many of them children, were sent to a "welfare facility" called "Brothers Home," where they were subject to vicious, often fatal beatings and routine rape.
1988 (winter)
*The 1988 Winter Olympics* (The XV Olympic Winter Games) 13‒28 February 1988 *Calgari*, Canada Nations: 57 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,423 Most gold: Soviet Union, 11 Biggest total: Soviet Union, 29 The most expensive Games in history became a major economic boon for Calgary which had fallen into its worst recession in 40 years. The mascots were Hidy and Howdy, two smiling cowboy-themed polar bears. Strong chinook winds caused multiple delays during the Games. British ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards and the Jamaican bobsleigh team became popular figures.
1992 (summer)
*The 1992 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXV Olympiad) 25 July‒9 August 1992 *Barcelona*, Spain Nations: 169 Sports: 25 Athletes: 9,356 Most gold: Unified Team, 45 Biggest total: Unified Team, 112 The official mascot was Cobi, a Catalan sheepdog in cubist style. The official song was "Barcelona" by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé. First Games without boycotts since 1972. South Africa was allowed to compete. Germany sent a single team and 12 former Soviet republics formed Unified Team. Baseball and badminton introduced. The Dream Team dominated basketball. Starting 1994, IOC decided to hold the games in alternating even-numbered years; the 1992 Summer Olympics were the last to be staged same year as Winter Olympics.
1992 (winter)
*The 1992 Winter Olympics* (The XVI Olympic Winter Games) 8‒23 February 1992 *Albertville*, France Nations: 64 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,801 Most gold: Germany, 10 Biggest total: Germany, 26 Last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as Summer Olympics. Unified Team represented non-Baltic former Soviet republics. Germany participated as a single team. The mascot named Magique, a little imp in the shape of a star and a cube, was dressed in the colors of the French flag.
1994
*The 1994 Winter Olympics* (The XVII Olympic Winter Games) 12‒27 February 1994 *Lillehammer*, Norway Nations: 67 Sports: 6 Athletes: 1,737 Most gold: Russia, 11 Biggest total: Norway, 26 First Games to be held in a different year from Summer Olympics and first to have the Olympic truce in effect. Lillehammer is the northernmost city to ever host Winter Games. At the opening ceremony the Olympic Flame was skied down a ski-jump before lighting the cauldron. At the closing ceremony all spectators were handed a flashlight with the inscription "Remember Sarajevo" (the host of the 1984 Winter Olympics was involved in the Bosnian War at the time).
1996
*The 1996 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXVI Olympiad) 19 July‒4 August 1996 *Atlanta*, USA Nations: 197 Sports: 26 Athletes: 10,318 Most gold: USA, 44 Biggest total: USA, 101 Unofficially known as the Centennial Olympic Games. First Games to be staged in a different year from Winter Olympics. The mascot was an abstract animated character named Izzy. Hong Kong won its first and only medal in history (gold in sailing), as next year its sovereignty was transferred to China. Atlanta Games were criticized for commercialism and questionable logistics. The Centennial Olympic Park bombing on July 27 killed two and injured 111 spectators.
1998
*The 1998 Winter Olympics* (The XVIII Olympic Winter Games) 7‒22 February 1998 *Nagano*, Japan Nations: 73 Sports: 7 Athletes: 2,176 Most gold: Germany, 12 Biggest total: Germany, 29 Snowy owls Sukki, Nokki, Lekki, and Tsukki, known as the Snowlets, were the mascots representing respectively fire, air, earth, and water as well as the four major islands of Japan. Professional ice hockey players were able to compete for the first time due to a three-week suspension of the NHL season.
2000
*The 2000 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXVII Olympiad) 15 September‒1 October 2000 *Sydney*, Australia Nations: 199 Sports: 28 Athletes: 10,651 Most gold: USA, 37 Biggest total: USA, 93 The scandal-free Sydney Games received universal acclaim, with organisation, volunteers, sportsmanship, and Australian public praised in media. The only missing IOC member was Afghanistan banned due to the extremist rule of the Taliban. The official mascots were Syd the platypus, Millie the echidna, and Olly the kookaburra. The official logo, known as the "Millennium Man", combined the image of Sydney Opera House with a figure of a torchbearer in motion formed by boomerangs. Final Olympics under Juan Antonio Samaranch.
2002
*The 2002 Winter Olympics* (The XIX Olympic Winter Games) 8‒24 February 2002 *Salt Lake City*, USA Nations: 78 Sports: 7 Athletes: 2,399 Most gold: Norway, 13 Biggest total: Germany, 36 First Olympics under Jacques Rogge. The Salt Lake Games featured a bribery scandal, local opposition during the bid, multiple doping disqualifications, and refereeing controversies. But in terms of sports and business, it was a very successful Olympiad; records were set in broadcasting and marketing programs. The Games raised more money with fewer sponsors than any prior Olympics. The Games emphasized the rise of extreme sports, such as snowboarding, moguls, and aerials. There was a Canadian dollar underneath the ice in support of the Canadian ice hockey team, reportedly placed there at the request of Wayne Gretzky; Canada defeated USA to claim first gold in 50 years. Australian skater Steven Bradbury finished second in semifinal because three of his competitors crashed into each other; in the final, he won the first ever gold for Australia after all four competitors crashed out. The mascots represented three indigenous animals and named after Utah's vital natural resources: the snowshoe hare Powder, the coyote Copper, and the American black bear Coal. The Olympic Cauldron was made of glass and designed to look like an icicle. The closing ceremony included the final live performance of KISS.
2004
*The 2004 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad) 13‒29 August 2004 *Athens*, Greece Nations: 201 Sports: 28 Athletes: 10,625 Most gold: USA, 36 Biggest total: USA, 101 Motto: "Welcome Home". Athens significantly improved infrastructure, but the cost of the Games contributed to the Greek government-debt crisis. The medal obverse design used since 1928 Games was changed: the Panathenaic Stadium replaced the Roman Colosseum (which was a long-lasting mistake). The two official mascots were sister and brother Athena and Phevos inspired by the ancient daidala (dolls with religious connotations). The shot put event was held in ancient Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic Games (the very first time women athletes competed there). In 2012 IOC stripped medals from four athletes caught doping in Athens.
2006
*The 2006 Winter Olympics* (The XX Olympic Winter Games) 10‒26 February 2006 *Turin*, Italy Nations: 80 Sports: 7 Athletes: 2,508 Most gold: Germany, 11 Biggest total: Germany, 29 Mascots: Neve, a female snowball, and Gliz, a male ice cube. Motto: "Passion lives here". Six Austrian athletes were banned for life from the Olympics after a doping scandal. Some events reported low spectator attendance.
2008
*The 2008 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXIX Olympiad) 8‒24 August 2008 *Beijing*, China Nations: 204 Sports: 28 Athletes: 10,942 Most gold: China, 48 Biggest total: USA, 111 Protests by critics of China's human rights record, particularly in Tibet, marred the Olympic torch relay. During the problematic journey, the flame was taken to the top of Mount Everest. Georgia considered withdrawing from the Games because of the 2008 South Ossetia war. In 2015 Beijing was awarded the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games. Beijing's transportation infrastructure was greatly expanded. To improve air quality, the city placed restrictions on businesses and limited the use of vehicles. Logo: 'Dancing Beijing', a stylized calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning 'capital'). Motto: "One World, One Dream" (同一个世界 同一个梦想). Mascots: five Fuwa ('good-luck dolls', also known as 'Friendlies'), each representing an Olympic color and a symbol of Chinese culture. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture, and the triple eight for the date coincided with another for time (08:08:08 pm). The four-hour opening ceremony was directed by filmmaker Zhang Yimou. The last Olympic Torch relay runner was suspended into the air by wires and completed a lap of the stadium at roof height. In swimming, 65 Olympic records including 25 world records were broken due to the use of LZR Racer, a swimming suit developed by NASA. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals. A big wushu competition was run in parallel to the Games.
2010
*The 2010 Winter Olympics* (The XXI Olympic Winter Games) 12‒28 February 2010 *Vancouver*, Canada Nations: 82 Sports: 7 Athletes: 2,566 Most gold: Canada, 14 Biggest total: USA, 37 First Games to hold an opening ceremony indoors and host the Pride House for LGBT athletes. Logo: Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq (Ilanaaq is the Inuktitut word for 'friend'). Mascots inspired by traditional First Nations creatures included Miga, a mythical sea bear, and Quatchi, a sasquatch, with a sidekick Mukmuk, a Vancouver Island marmot. The festive atmosphere of the Vancouver Games was highly praised. The cauldron lighting ceremony was stalled due to mechanical problems. Some indigenous groups protested against the Games on their traditional territory. Hours before the opening ceremony, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed during a training run.
2012
*The 2012 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXX Olympiad) 27 July‒12 August 2012 *London*, United Kingdom Nations: 204 Sports: 26 Athletes: 10,768 Most gold: USA, 46 Biggest total: USA, 103 Final Olympics under Jacques Rogge and third in London. At USD 15 billion, it is the most expensive Olympics ever. The Games received widespread acclaim for their organisation. The opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle was highly praised. Massive construction for the Games included a 200-hectare Olympic Park on a former industrial site. Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, winning his 22nd medal. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei entered female athletes for the first time.
2014
*The 2014 Winter Olympics* (The XXII Olympic Winter Games) 7‒23 February 2014 *Sochi*, Russia Nations: 88 Sports: 7 Athletes: 2,873 Most gold: Russia, 13 Biggest total: Russia, 33 Severe cost overruns made Sochi 2014 the most expensive Olympics in history; originally budgeted at USD 12 billion, various factors caused the budget to expand to USD 51 billion. Logo consisted only of typefaces with no drawn elements. Slogan was "Hot. Cool. Yours." For the first time in Olympic history, a public vote was held to decide the mascots: a polar bear, a snow hare, and a snow leopard. The Olympic torch relay reached the North Pole, Mount Elbrus, and a space station for first time. In 2016 former director of Russia's anti-doping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov claimed that FSB and corrupt officials conspired to use banned substances during the Games and tampered with over 100 urine samples. IOC initiated an investigation, and the Russian team potentially could be stripped of up to 12 Olympic medals.
2016
*The 2016 Summer Olympics* (The Games of the XXXI Olympiad) 5‒21 August 2016 *Rio de Janeiro*, Brazil Nations: 207 Sports: 28 Athletes: 11, 237 Most gold: USA, 46 Biggest total: USA, 121 First Summer Olympic Games under the IOC presidency of Thomas Bach and the first hosted in South America. The lead-up to these Games was marked by controversies, including the instability of Brazil's federal government, the country's economic crisis, health and safety concerns surrounding the Zika virus and pollution in the Guanabara Bay, and a doping scandal, which affected the participation of Russian athletes in the Games.
2018
*The 2018 Winter Olympics* (The XXIII Olympic Winter Games) 9‒25 February 2018 *Pyeongchang*, South Korea Nations: 143 (estimated) Sports: 7 The emblem for the Games is a stylized representation of the hangul letters ㅍ 'p' and ㅊ 'ch', being the initial sounds of 평창 Pyeongchang. Additionally the left symbol is said to represent the Korean philosophical triad of heaven, earth and humanity (Korean: 천지인 cheon-ji-in), and the right symbol to represent a crystal of ice. Official mascots are Soohorang (수호랑), a white tiger, and Bandabi (반다비), an Asiatic black bear. Russia's status remains unclear due to the state-sponsored doping program scandal.
