The modern Olympic Games first took place in the summer of 1896 in Athens, Greece, as a direct result of the efforts of Pierre de Coubertin. The first Winter Olympic Games were contested in 1924 as a result of the increase in popularity of sports featuring snow and ice.
First Summer Olympics
The International Olympic Committee organized the original Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Most of the events during these Olympics took place in the ancient Panathenaic Stadium, which the organizers had restored for this event. These games brought athletes from 14 different countries. Women were allowed to compete in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Summer Olympic Events
Because these Olympics took place during the summer months, organizers could stage only certain events. These original events included artistic gymnastics, track and field, cycling, fencing, shooting, swimming, tennis, weightlifting and Greco-Roman wrestling. The Summer Olympics have added 19 sports since that time, including rowing, baseball, basketball, boxing, kayak, soccer, handball, field hockey, table tennis, volleyball and equestrian.
Overlapping Sports
As the interest in winter sports began to grow, some were included in Summer Olympics. The first time that a winter sport gained inclusion in the Olympics occurred in 1908 in London, where figure skating was contested. The 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, included an ice hockey tournament.
First Winter Olympics
The first official Winter Olympic Games took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France. These Games included only six sports: Bobsled, curling, skiing, a military patrol race, ice hockey, and figure and speed skating. Biathlon and luge remain the only additions to the Winter Games since that time, although a total of 84 events take place over the two weeks of competition because each sport features multiple events.
Timing
From 1924 until 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympics occurred during the same calendar year. During the 1980s, however, the organizers realized that the Summer Olympics continued to overshadow the Winter Olympics and, therefore, they split the two events up by two years. Starting in 1994, the Games ceased their tradition of sharing a calendar year, which led to increased television coverage for the Winter Olympics.
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