The Olympic Games are rightfully considered the most striking world sporting event. They are preparing for their whole lives, and those who are lucky enough to become a winner and climb the podium become not only idols of millions, but also an example to follow, and their achievements and records will forever fit into the history of sports.
Today's modern Olympics are at the peak of their popularity, but
few people know that at the first games in Athens, which took place back in 1896, there were only nine sports - wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, two types of athletics - heavy and light, tennis and shooting. And it was they who were destined to become the very first Olympic Games.
Years passed, not only the number of participants increased, but the games themselves became more and more popular, adding new Olympic sports to their list. And already at the second competition, which took place in Paris at the very beginning of the last century, the number of awards won increased to twenty. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that such exotic species as tug of war, croquet and cricket have been added today.
The process of changing, adding, or eliminating continues uninterrupted. The decision on which Olympic sports should be on the list is made by the IOC. Moreover, it proceeds from several factors: the degree of prevalence and popularity of a particular species in different countries of the planet, what percentage of the television audience it will attract, what will be the interest of advertisers, and so on. A prerequisite is the presence of an international federation.
Olympic sports today include 28 summer and 15 winter disciplines. Gradually, year after year, those competitions were excluded from them, the existence of which today few people know. For example, in 1900, immediately after the Paris Games, awards for the Basque pelota, cricket, golf, croquet are not raffled, after the London of 1908 there are no more races on boats, jeo de pomme, lacrosse, racket, such a sport like rock. Rugby, tug of war, chowgan or polo, etc., later disappeared.
Summer Olympic sports, the number of which for obvious reasons is much larger than winter ones, include team basketball, football, handball, beach and regular volleyball. There are water sports - diving, swimming, including synchronized, rowing - canoeing and kayaking, sailing, rowing slalom. Martial arts are also well represented: two types of wrestling - free-style and Greco-Roman or called classical, judo, boxing, taekwondo. Many awards are also played by cyclists: in road racing, track racing, mountain biking, which is called mountain biking, etc. Gymnastics, archery, pentathlon and equestrian sports are especially popular among spectators. Since 2000, trampoline competitions have also been held.
Winter Olympic sports, as their name implies, include snow or ice. Snow skiing is skiing, cross - country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping of various heights, freestyle, biathlon, snowboarding. The second group includes, of course, figure skating, curling, speed skating, hockey, tobogganing, short track, skeleton and bobsled.
Today, disciplines such as golf, rugby 7, squash, karate, orienteering, roller sports and billiards are expected to be included in the Olympic Games.
Of course, Olympic sports will constantly change, depending on the circumstances, because their main task is to give maximum pleasure to fans who pay no attention to distance or money spent and overwhelm stadiums and venues in order to admire their idols and be proud of their achievements .