In order to receive the honorable and prestigious right to host a sports competition, candidate countries undergo a strict, stage-by-stage selection. The country that has the honor of hosting the Olympics is thoroughly preparing for such an event: new stadiums, hotels, and airports are being built. Seven years are given for this.
Those sports that are on the Olympic Games program are at the highest prestigious level. In order to receive such recognition, a sporting area must be spread across all continents and have its own federation. Moreover, the International Olympic Committee has a rule:
One sport - one federation
Rowing
This is a water sport that entered the first Olympics in 1896, immediately after the objection of the Olympic movement. True, for a long time it was considered exclusively male. Women were able to take part in it for the first time only in 1976.
The peculiarity of rowing is that athletes move with their backs in their boats on the water surface. The composition of the teams is different: one, two, four and eight people. The last competition in 2016 brought together 550 athletes.
The first mentions of rowing as a sport date back to the 25th century BC.
Badminton
By historical standards, the sport is quite new. In the middle of the 19th century, the English military brought it from India. At first, a funny game was played without a net, simply throwing a shuttlecock with rackets. Then they decided to divide the field with a grid and improved the rules.
Already in 1934, the World Badminton Federation was created. Quite large competitions began to be held.
It has been included in the Olympic program since 1992. Until then, it remained a demonstrative form. Currently competitions include singles, doubles and mixed.
Basketball
This game received tremendous development in the USA, but did not have its own federation, which means it could not take part in the Olympics. Basketball players from the USA played exhibition games.
Since 1932, basketball has been included in the Olympic program, where athletes from the USA immediately took up the championship. This country is always in the lead, and only sometimes loses first place in international competitions. Women only joined the Olympics in 1976 and are also consistent leaders.
Changes are periodically made to the rules of the game, the last ones were made in 2004. There are ten people on the court at the same time, five from each team. Everyone is trying to throw the ball into the opponents' basket.
Baseball
For a long time, since 1904, baseball players showed their level and skills at demonstration performances. There really was something to show them. Quite complex rules, an interesting platform consisting of numerous zones, professionals from different continents.
But 1992 came, and the athletes were included in official competitions and received their first medals. But something went wrong, in 2005 it was decided to remove baseball from the list of Olympic disciplines. True, they returned it back in 2016.
Boxing
Boxing first appeared at the Olympics in 1904. It was an exclusively male sport for almost a century, until 2012, when women entered the Olympic ring.
This sport can find its origins on different continents, in all periods of human life. There are archaeological finds dating back 7,000 years and more, from which it is clear that this is not an easy fight, but a duel between two athletes. In ancient Rome, fighters used special gloves. True, there was no division into weight categories. And the more powerful fighter had an advantage.
In modern sports, this misunderstanding has long been eliminated.
Struggle
This species has
divided into two disciplines:
➤ freestyle wrestling;
➤
Greco-Roman wrestling.
Hand-to-hand combat, as an applied martial art, has roots in the deep past. Its origins can be sought in primitive communities. In many cases it was about survival. The man realized the advantage of his position. Using previously learned techniques of defense and attack. It is reliably known that back in the 3rd century BC there were Slavic schools of martial arts.
It is not surprising that wrestling immediately became part of the main program from the first Olympic Games. It has been a male species for over a hundred years. In 2004, women's freestyle wrestling was introduced in Athens.
Cycling
Despite its apparent simplicity (race), this particular sport includes
division into four disciplines:
➤ bicycle motocross;
➤ track cycling;
➤ Mountain bike;
➤ road bike.
Road cycling and track cycling were included in the Olympics from the very beginning, and have always been included in the program, except for 1912.
At the end of the last century, skiing gained such a wide range of athletes that in 1996 this sport was included in the Olympics.
And in 2008, it was decided to add a discipline that became known as bicycle motocross.
Water sports
Disciplines:
➤ water polo;
➤ swimming;
➤ diving;
➤
synchronized swimming.
From the very beginning, only swimming in heats for various melts was approved, where 34 sets of awards are played out. But water polo was added to the next Olympics, although this discipline remained a men's discipline until 2000. And diving was added to the next competition in 1904.
With this trio of athletes, the athletes “swimmed” until 1984, when it became clear that the time had come to add beauty to strength and speed. And synchronized swimming “swimmed” into water sports.
Volleyball
It was divided like this:
➤ volleyball;
➤
Beach volleyball.
When volleyball first entered the Olympic Games list in 1964, there was no division. Athletes competed in closed areas separated by a net.
The need for division arose in 1996, when the International Beach Volleyball Council became part of the International Volleyball Federation, and entered the greatest games.
Handball
This is a tactical team game with a ball. When it first appeared in the Olympic Games in 1936, teams consisted of eleven players. Ten field players and a goalkeeper. We played 11x11. But by the next time the decision was made to reduce the number of players in the team.
In the modern version, they began to play 7x7. And in 1976, women's teams joined the game.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is very popular and varied.
Divided into the following disciplines:
➤ trampolining;
➤ gymnastics;
➤
gymnastics.
Artistic gymnastics for men was included in the first games. In 1928, disciplines for women appeared. This type gives out 14 sets of awards.
Since 1984, rhythmic gymnastics “broke into the Olympics.” This is a purely female, very beautiful sport with or without objects.
In 2000, trampolining appeared. Discipline was immediately introduced for men and women. Two sets of awards are up for grabs.
Golf
This sport has stood the true test of time. Having existed only at the second and third Olympics, golf was excluded from the competition program. It is unknown what scared the organizers away from this game.
More than 100 years later they tried to return it - it didn’t work out, they didn’t vote.
And now golf is back! In 2016, 112 years later, the Olympic medals were played in Rio de Janeiro. Set for women, set for men.
Kayaking and canoeing
It is surprising that rowing was not included in the Olympic revival list from the very beginning. Men managed to compete only in 1936, women waited another 12 years. In this event, a large number of awards are awarded, depending on the distance, ranging from two hundred meters to 10 kilometers. Kayakers represent singles, doubles and fours. Konoe - singles and doubles.
In 1972, the discipline of rowing slalom was added to this event.
Now the sport has the following division:
➤ kayaking and canoeing;
➤
rowing slalom.
Judo
Men began competing in this discipline for the first time in 1964, but after four years the decision was made to withdraw the sport. In 1972, everything got better and to this day athletes of all weight categories compete for a large number of awards. Since 1992, women have joined the men.
This is a sport in which the founders of judo, the Japanese, always lead, and by a wide margin. Some trainers seriously believe that it is a matter of genetic muscle memory.
Horseback Riding
This beautiful view unites
several disciplines:
➤ dressage;
➤ show jumping;
➤
triathlon.
Throughout the history of equestrian sport since 1900, changes, amendments, additions have been made to the competition process, and even twice this type was taken out of the Olympics.
The first type, dressage, or as it is also called training, provides the opportunity to demonstrate all the talents of the horse. The second involves numerous overcoming obstacles. Equestrian eventing covers a range of skills. This is a very beautiful, spectacular and soulful sport, where man and animal are at the same time.
Athletics
It’s not for nothing that athletics is called the queen of sports. It brings together a large number of disciplines. Historical roots go back to the distant past, and some scientists are confident that they established the Birthday of Athletics. They believe it is 776 BC. The path to athletics was paved by ancient Greek runners, throwers, and jumpers.
One way or another, this sport is always included in the program. Since the revival of the Olympic Games. At first only men competed, but already in 1928 women's disciplines were introduced. 47 sets of medals are being played.
Table tennis
This game is played by singles and couples. In everyday life you can often hear that table tennis is also called ping pong.
The Olympic Games were already in full swing across the planet when ping-pong was just being improved, until the middle of the last century. The game quickly spread throughout the planet and was so loved that in 1988 it was included in the Olympic Games.
Softball
Team game - version of baseball. More popular among women, as the lighter version of baseball is less traumatic. It was included in the Olympics in 1996. But something went wrong. Ten years later, the International Olympic Committee decided to exclude this game. Not everyone shared this opinion. The elimination occurred by a margin of one vote. This is exactly the case when one vote decided everything. We can only hope that softball will return.
Sailing
Such competitions award as many as ten sets of medals. They take place on yachts of various types. It is interesting that from the very beginning women competed alongside men on equal terms and only in 1988 were some disciplines separated. The geographical location of the country is not always conducive to the development of this species. It is more common in countries with a mild climate and access to the sea.
Rugby
Despite the fact that rugby is a fairly popular game, and at the time of the resumption of the big games it was quite popular, it did not work out with the Olympics from the very beginning. Few applications were submitted for all competitions. Twice the competition took place, in general, between two teams, which immediately, before the start of the match, made them winners. After 1924, it was customary to remove rugby from the world's biggest competition.
But 92 years have passed and at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro the return of this popular game took place. Twelve countries volunteered to take part, with both men and women participating.
Modern pentathlon
Pentathlon is another name for this versatile sport.
The sequence of disciplines may be different, but usually they adhere to the following:
➤ fencing;
➤ swimming;
➤ show jumping;
➤
running (athletics) plus pistol shooting.
Men began competing in this event in 1912. Hungary and Sweden have done very well. Women only joined in 2000.
Shooting
A fairly extensive sport in which athletes compete with precision, with different weapons, at different distances from the target and in different positions. 15 sets of medals are up for grabs.
Included in the Olympics from the very beginning, but was withdrawn from the competition several times. Until 1968, only men competed, then women joined, and immediately covered all disciplines.
Archery
The fate of this sport at the Olympics is not easy. It all started well; since 1900, men and women have successfully competed in different disciplines. Then archery was withdrawn from the competition. In 1920, there was an attempt to bring back archery, but something went wrong, and for the next 52 years this sport was bypassed.
In 1972, the International Archery Federation secured its participation, and it was right. Since then, archers from dozens of countries have been demonstrating their skills. South Korea and the USA are especially successful in archery.
Tennis
The history of tennis cannot be called simple. The first Olympic tournament in 1896 was only for men. Four years later, women took to the big courts. Everything was fine until 1924, when there was a conflict between the IOC and the tennis federation. The actions of officials led to the fact that tennis was excluded for a long 54 years. There were weak attempts to return everything back. In 1968 and 1984, exhibition tournaments were held as part of the Olympics. And only in 1988, justice, so to speak, triumphed.
Triathlon
Triathlon is a multi-event event. In 2000, he literally “entered”, “ran in” and “floated” into the program of the Olympic Games. The multi-sport race appealed to ambitious athletes. Despite the fact that the sport is completely new, more than fifty countries send their athletes to competitions.
Hardy boys and girls must swim 1500 meters, run 10 kilometers, and cycle 40 kilometers.
Taekwondo
At first, taekwondo was a demonstration sport and athletes could show their skills at several Olympics before they began to be awarded medals in 2000. It's surprising that this hasn't been done before. After all, 88 countries immediately actively participated in the competitive process. Korean martial art has literally fascinated fighters on all continents.
Taekwondo has its own belt system, which speaks volumes about the level of its owner.
Weightlifting
The ultimate goal is to lift the barbell above your head. Today there are two exercises: the clean and jerk and the snatch. There was once a third exercise - the bench press, but it was removed.
At the first Olympics there were no weight categories; this misunderstanding was eliminated later.
For a long time, this species was represented only by men, which, in general, is quite logical. But the girls did not stand aside either, and in 2000 they were included in the competitive process.
Fencing
This sport gained popularity from the first Olympics, and never questioned its participation in the highest competitions. Already in 1924, women's disciplines appeared. Epee, rapier, saber - these are the weapons of fencers from 98 countries who, over the years, wanted to show their skills. The leaders in fencing have been the Italians and the French for many years. True, at the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the Russians pushed everyone aside, winning 7 medals of various types, and took first place in the overall standings.
Football
Football appeared at the Olympics in 1900. Millions of people around the world are ardent fans and fans of this team game.
Football actually took shape at the beginning of the last century. In 1960, the competition format was changed. From this point on, the football teams were divided into four groups.
Until 1996, this sport was only for men. But now women's football teams are also competing for medals.
Field hockey
The history of this sport at the Olympics began funny. In 1908, as soon as the event was included in the Olympic list, Great Britain entered one team from each part of its kingdom into competition. And despite the fact that Germany sent its champions, and France assembled a team of three clubs, the first four places went to Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland).
In 1912 and 1924, field hockey was not included in the program. All other years, athletes could participate in this event and compete for medals. The first women's tournament took place in 1980.
The list of Summer Olympic Games includes 41 disciplines in 28 sports.
BMX
This is a sport in which athletes compete by performing various extreme stunts on special bicycles. The following disciplines exist:
- Racing - races that are distinguished by their entertainment. No more than 8 athletes can take part in each race. The track consists of an embankment with turns, jumps, waves and other obstacles.
- Flatland - tricks are performed on a flat surface.
- Vert - stunts are performed on a steep ramp.
- Dirt - participants perform extreme stunts on a special track with quite significant hills.
- Street - competitions take place on a special site, equipped to resemble a regular street, with all the attendant obstacles in the form of curbs, stairs, railings and other things.
Rowing
Competitions taking place on the water. They differ in the number of athletes in teams:
- One athlete.
- Two athletes.
- Four athletes.
- Eight athletes.
There is also a difference in the type of rowing: using one or two oars.
Badminton
In this sport, 5 sets of Olympic medals are played in the following types:
- Single among men.
- Men's doubles.
- Singles among women.
- Women's doubles.
- Mixed couples.
Basketball
During the game, 5 players from each team participate on the field. The goal of each athlete is to hit the basket more times than the opponent. Both men's and women's teams participate in the main Olympics in the world.
Boxing
Boxers took part in the games for the first time in 1902. Female athletes were able to compete for the first time only in 2012. In total, 13 Olympic medals apply to this sport. Athletes are divided into categories by weight. There are 3 categories for female athletes, while men are divided into 10.
Cycling track race
There are 10 disciplines in total:
- The Australian Pursuit is a competition where competitors must start from different places on the track at the same time. Those who are overtaken during the race are eliminated from the track. The winner is the one who remains last on the cycle track.
- Git is an individual type of competition, the meaning of which is to overcome the track as quickly as possible.
- The points race is also an individual event. The length of the track for men is 40 km, and for women - 25 km. Every 10 laps, the first one gets 5 points, the second - 3, the third - 2, the fourth - 1. The winner is the one who scores the maximum number of points over the entire distance.
- A race with an unknown finish - its peculiarity is that the athletes do not know what the distance will be. The final round is announced by an authorized person only during the competition.
- Pursuit race - cyclists must start from different sides of the track. The goal of the competition is to show the fastest time or overtake your opponent.
- Keirin is a race in which athletes are required to cover a certain distance at a given speed. And then just speed up and perform the final sprint.
- Madison is a group race of two or three athletes per team.
- Omnimum is one discipline that immediately includes 6 other track cycling disciplines.
- Scratch is a race of 15 km for men and 10 km for women. If an athlete is one lap behind the others, he is eliminated from the race. The winner is the one who came to the finish line as a leader or overtook all competitors by a lap.
- A sprint is a short race. The competition takes place over just a few laps.
Water polo
Athletes in the men's category first took part in 1900 and have competed at every Olympic Games since then. Women made their debut only in 2000 in Sydney.
Volleyball
The athletes made their volleyball debut at the games in 1964. Both men's and women's teams took part immediately. Beach view appeared in 1992 as a demonstration option and remained on the list in subsequent years.
Freestyle wrestling
Participants first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1906. But then all the athletes were US citizens. This was due to the fact that no one except them knew about this type of competition.
Dressage
This sport is also called training. And this is one of 4 competitions, the purpose of which is to demonstrate the abilities of the horse and rider. Only listed horse breeds can participate in dressage. Grades are given based on a whole set of criteria.
Handball
This group sport is considered similar to football. The difference in the game is that the ball must be thrown into the goal using your hands. Handball was first listed in 1936. There are both men's and women's teams.
Golf
The men's Olympic event, introduced in 1900. But after the 1904 Olympics, golf was excluded from the list. It was brought back only in 2016.
Mountain bike
An extreme discipline included in the list at 29 Olympic Games. There are 10 types of main bike competition in total:
- Straight.
- Bike trial.
- Parallel slalom.
- Dirt jumping.
- Freeride.
- Slopestyle.
- Uphill.
- Cross country.
- North Shore.
- Downhill.
Kayaking and canoeing
Rowing appeared in Olympic competitions in 1865. The first demonstration race was carried out in 1924, but the sport was added to the list only in 1936.
Rowing slalom
This is a competition for extreme sports enthusiasts. Its appearance as an independent species is dated September 11, 1932. Inclusion in the list of Olympic Games occurred in 1972.
Greco-Roman wrestling
One of the oldest disciplines at the Olympic Games. Greco-Roman wrestling was added to the list back in 704 BC.
Judo
This discipline first appeared at a competition in Tokyo in 1964. The Games in Mexico City in 1968 are the only time when judokas did not come to the Olympics. Women first appeared at the main competitions in 1992.
Show jumping
A type of competition where a horse and rider take part. The point is to overcome obstacles. Show jumping was added to the Summer Olympics in 1900.
Equestrian eventing
It consists of three disciplines: obstacle passing, dressage riding and cross-country. The debut of this sport at the Olympic Games dates back to 1912.
Athletics
This is the queen of sports. At the Olympics, as many as 47 sets of awards are awarded. Athletics was included in the modern Olympic Games in 1896. It includes not only various types of running, but also walking, long and high jumps, all-around, cross-country and other technical events.
Table tennis
It was introduced into the list of games in 1988. During the Olympics, 4 sets of awards are awarded.
Sailing
The inclusion of sailing in the list of Olympic Games dates back to 1900. Initially there were mixed teams. There are currently 10 sets of awards up for grabs: 1 for mixed, 4 for women and 5 for men.
Swimming
It first appeared as a games discipline in Athens in 1896. During the competition, 34 sets of medals are awarded.
Diving
It was first included in the program in 1904. The essence of the competition is the technically correct performance of acrobatic tricks after a springboard jump. In addition, judges evaluate the smoothness of entry into the water.
Jumping on a trampoline
It wasn't until the 2000 Games in Sydney that trampolining became an official Olympic sport.
Rugby
Rugby appeared in competitions in Paris in 1900. It is interesting that until 1924 only 3 teams took part, which later all became prize-winners. After the 1924 games, rugby was dropped and only appeared in 2016.
Synchronized swimming
This discipline first appeared in 1984. Synchronized swimming as a form of the Olympic Games has one peculiarity. Only women are officially allowed to participate. Although international competitions have categories for both women and men.
Modern pentathlon
It was first included in 1912. Women's discipline appeared only in 2000. This is an individual competition that includes shooting and running (they have been combined since 2009), fencing, show jumping and swimming.
Gymnastics
Currently, 14 sets of medals are being played out. Among men, this discipline appeared in the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Women began to take part in 1928.
Sports shooting
Appeared at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens. Until 1968, only men could take part. And since 1984, a division was made into men's and women's competitions in some disciplines. In 1996, the remaining disciplines were also divided. 15 sets of medals are awarded in the competition.
Archery
Archery officially became an Olympic discipline in 1900. But until 1972 it was considered optional.
Tennis
The sport appeared at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens. After 1924, tennis was canceled and only reintroduced in 1988.
Triathlon
This is an individual sport consisting of a gradual passage of three stages:
- Swimming.
- Cycling race.
Triathlon as a full-fledged discipline was first included in the Summer Olympic Games in 2000.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo came to the Olympic Games from Korea. Its peculiarity lies in allowing the use of legs for throws and strikes at the enemy. Both male and female athletes are officially admitted. As part of the demonstration, taekwondo athletes made their Olympic debut in 1988. But athletes were officially admitted only in Sydney in 2000. There are 8 sets of awards in total, dividing athletes by weight and gender.
Weightlifting
The sport has been listed since the first Summer Olympics of the modern era. Men later did not compete in the 1900, 1908 and 1912 Olympics. Women have been able to compete for medals only since 2000. Among male athletes, 8 sets of awards are played out, and among women, 7. The division occurs into categories depending on the weight of the participants.
Fencing
Fighting with bladed weapons appeared at the first games in Athens. The appearance of women at the Olympics dates back to 1924. A total of 10 awards are up for grabs. 5 sets each for men and women. The Olympic Games include the following fencing categories:
- Sword.
- Saber among women's teams.
- Rapier.
- Rapier among men's teams.
- Saber
- Epee among mixed teams.
Football
For the first time this sport, which can now be confidently called one of the most popular in the world, started at the Olympic Games in France in 1900. Then football was present at all Olympics except 1932. Since 1996, a separate category of football has appeared - women's. Previously, only men's teams could compete.
Field hockey
This sport differs from regular hockey in many ways: the presence of grass instead of ice, the lack of equipment, the replacement of the puck with a hard ball. The first summer variation of hockey appeared at the Olympic Games in 1908. At that time, only men could take part. Women's teams were present in Moscow for the first time in 1980.
Gymnastics
This elegant and purely female competition appeared in the competition in 1984. Awards are awarded in the all-around category in both individual and group play. Female athletes perform, as a rule, using one or two objects. Previously, it was allowed to perform dance and acrobatic stunts without additional objects. But now this type of performance is practically not observed at the Olympic Games.
Road cycling
Cyclists of this discipline first appeared at the 1896 Olympic Games. Women were able to take part only in 1984. In total, 2 sets of awards are awarded for men and women. Races are divided into group and separate.
A sports discipline is a type of individual competition, an exercise or a set of exercises for a certain sport (in some cases, different sports). The list of disciplines in a particular sport is approved by the relevant sports federations.
Examples of sports disciplines
– as a separate exercise: individual championship in each exercise in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, men's and women's 100-meter run in athletics, mixed pairs competition in tennis, etc.
– as a group of exercises: track and field decathlon, all-around in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, triathlon in equestrian sports, etc.
– as a group of exercises from different sports: individual and team championships in modern pentathlon, competitions in triathlon.
Olympic disciplines
Olympic discipline is a sports discipline in an Olympic sport included in the program of the Olympic Games. The number of disciplines (types of competitions) at certain games is equal to the number of awarded sets being played out.
As part of the modern Olympic Games, since 1896, taking into account the program of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, 5,740 competitions have been/will be held in 896 unique disciplines (types of competition) in 60 sports.
The uniqueness of a discipline (type of competition) is determined by one or more key parameters. For example, 67 kg as a designation of a weight category, 100 meters as a distance length, a gymnastic beam as an object that defines a gymnastic exercise, etc. However, the parameters are subject to change. Thus, throughout the history of the modern Olympic Games, a number of disciplines have undergone transformation, replacement or exclusion. The women's 80m hurdles was changed to the 100m hurdles. The women's 3x7.5 km biathlon relay included in the 1992 Winter Games program was replaced in 1994, first by the 4x7.5 km relay, and then in 2006 by the 4x6 km relay. Many changes have occurred in the definitions of weight categories in boxing, wrestling, and weightlifting. Therefore, for the purposes of statistics and clarity, out of 896 unique disciplines, 371 disciplines are grouped into 128. Such groupings are mentioned on the pages describing the corresponding discipline (type of competition).
Statistics on Olympic disciplines (types of competitions)
– by gender: men's - 586, women's - 226, open - 84. Open are disciplines in which both men and women can take part in the competition for awards. For example, all types of competitions in equestrian sports, all types of shooting competitions until the 1984 Olympic Games, some types of regattas in sailing, etc.
– by time (season) of the competition: summer - 757, winter - 139. Winter types of competitions such as single and pair figure skating and men's hockey were first presented in the programs of the Summer Olympic Games of 1908 and 1920, respectively.
– by quantitative composition to determine the winners: personal (individual) – 666, team – 230.
Below is a list of Olympic sports. Follow the links - go to the list of disciplines (types of competitions) for the selected sport and then to information on the corresponding discipline: statistics on participants, medal standings, lists of winners, go to the results.
While the 2016 Summer Olympics are in full swing, we offer you another post dedicated to this wonderful international sporting event. More than 11,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are taking part in 28 Olympic disciplines this year in Rio de Janeiro!
While the Olympics (summer or winter) are always the most important sporting event of a given year, the number of athletes, participating countries and sports included in the competition may vary. For various reasons, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) excludes some sports, replacing them with others.
Known as canceled sports, they were usually excluded from the Olympic Games due to lack of interest in them or the absence of an appropriate governing body. Some sports (such as tennis or archery) were once excluded by the Committee, but later managed to return to the Olympic program. However, some sports have been banned for years and the IOC is unlikely to ever bring them back. In general, they didn’t take root.
To honor those sports that used to be part of the Olympic Games but were then excluded, a list of these 25 Olympic sports has been compiled.
From tug of war and ski ballet to lacrosse and rope climbing, here are 25 sports that you won't believe were once included in the official Olympic program.
25. Tug of War
The sport, which is now widely practiced as a popular sport at children's summer camps, was once a common sport that was part of the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1920. Over the past five Olympics, the British have won the largest number of medals in tug-of-war competitions.
24. Ski ballet
Also known as acroski, ski ballet was a freestyle skiing discipline from the late 1960s until 2000. Ski ballet was a demonstration sport at the Winter Olympics in 1988 and 1992, but then its popularity waned and it was eventually excluded from the Olympics.
23. Military patrol competitions, or patrol race
Military Patrol Competition is a winter team sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing, mountain skiing, and rifle target shooting. Having similar rules to modern biathlon (considered the forerunner of biathlon), the sport was part of the Winter Olympics in 1924, 1928, 1936 and 1948 for the last time.
22. Swimming with obstacles
The steeplechase competition was held only once, at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, and featured 12 swimmers from 5 countries. There were three obstacles over the 200-meter distance: first, athletes had to climb over the first two (a pole and a row of boats), and then swim under the third obstacle (another row of boats).
21. Bendy (bandy)
Although bandy is the second most popular winter sport (based on the number of athletes participating), it has only been included in the official Winter Olympics program once (in 1952 in Oslo). Then only 3 teams took part in the competition: the national team of Finland, Norway and Sweden, which won the tournament.
20. Speed competition (alpine skiing)
As one of the fastest and most dangerous non-motorized land sports, speed competition was included in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. This discipline was excluded from the official program of the Olympic Games after the death of one of the athletes during training. The current world speed record is 255 km/h (254.958 km/h to be exact).
19. Jumping into water at a distance ("plunging")
Distance diving is a sports competition that was most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it was even included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games in 1904. By 1920, the sport began to lose its popularity and gradually disappeared from competitive swimming in the United States and England. Soon the discipline was excluded from the Olympic Games.
18. Exercises with clubs (club swinging)
As a type of juggling, mace exercise is an artistic competition that was held as part of rhythmic gymnastics at the 1904 Summer Olympics. This was the only time that clubs were included in the Olympic program. Three athletes from one country (USA) took part in the competition, and the winner was Edward Hennig.
17. Jeu de paume
Meaning "playing with the palm" in French, jeu de paume was born in France over 250 years ago. An indoor precursor to modern tennis, the sport was the official sport of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
16. Powerboating
The first speed competitions on motor boats were held in 1903 in the waters of the English Channel, and this sport was even included in the summer program of 1908. Unfortunately, most of the races had to be canceled due to bad weather conditions, and the sport was later excluded from the Olympic Games.
15. Skijoring
Skijoring is a winter sport in which the skier controls a dog (or dogs) that pulls him along the ski course. The athlete can also move behind a horse or car.
Skijoring with a horse is said to have originally been a way of winter travel, but today it is mainly a competitive sport. It appeared in the Winter Olympics in 1928, but has since been excluded from the official Olympic program.
14. Roque, or rocky (roque)
An American version of croquet played on a hard, level surface, roque was included in the official program of the 1904 Summer Olympics. At that time, this sport was practically unknown to the rest of the world, and only Americans (only 4 athletes) took part in the competition.
13. Basque pelota
Basque pelota is a sport that is the prototype of squash. It was played in France, Spain and some Latin American countries such as Cuba and Argentina. It was an official discipline at the Summer Olympics in Paris in 1900. In addition, Basque pelota was a demonstration sport at the Olympics in 1924 (men's), 1968 (men's), and 1992 (men's and women's).
12. Croquet
Croquet is a sport in which participants, using special hammers on a long handle, move balls through embedded hoops placed on the playing court, which act as a kind of goal.
There are several variations of croquet that are played nowadays. They differ in the scoring system, the order of shots and the location of the “gates”. Croquet was included in the program of the 1900 Summer Olympics.
11. Shooting live pigeons
In the 1900 Summer Olympics, athletes took part in shooting competitions, the goal of which was to kill as many live pigeons as possible. Almost 400 poor birds were killed during the competition. This was the first and last time in the history of the Olympic Games that animals were killed on purpose.
10. Standing high jump
The standing high jump is an athletics event that was included in the official program of the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1912. Standing high jumps are performed in the same way as high jumps, the only difference being that the athlete does not run up: he must stand still and then jump up with both feet.
9. Singles synchronized swimming
Perhaps the very mutually exclusive name of this sport - single synchronized swimming - was the reason for its exclusion from the official program of the Olympic Games. In fact, this unusual swimming discipline appeared at the Olympics only once - at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
8. Throwing weights
Competitions in weight throwing weighing 25.4 kg were held twice: in 1904 and 1920. It was part of the athletics program. Weight throwing is a very popular sport in Scotland, where competitors are only allowed to use one hand, but at the Olympics athletes were able to use both hands.
7. Lacrosse
A contact team game between two teams, played with a long-handled stick and a small rubber ball. Lacrosse is a hard contact sport that may have dated back to 1100 AD. among the indigenous peoples of North America.
This discipline was included in the official program of the Olympic Games in 1904 and 1908, and in addition, lacrosse was a demonstration sport during the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.
6. Baseball
Widely recognized as the national sport of the United States, baseball made its unofficial debut at the Summer Olympics in 1904, becoming an official discipline years later at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
This competition was last held at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, when the South Korean team was the gold medalist. However, this year it became known that baseball will again be included in the official program of the Olympic Games, which will be held in Tokyo in 2020.
5. Polo
is a team sport played on horseback in which the goal is to score as many goals as possible against the opponent's goal. Popular in many parts of the world, the game is an active sport in 77 countries, but its tenure as an official discipline at the Olympic Games was limited to the period from 1900 to 1939.
4. Shooting a “running deer” with double shots
The 1908 Olympics featured a men's shooting competition known as the Running Deer Double Shot. In this competition, deer silhouette targets made 10 "runs" over 23 meters, and shooters had to fire two shots during each run. American Walter Winans won the gold medal in this discipline.
3. Shooting with a dueling pistol
Later standardized by the International Olympic Committee, dueling pistol shooting was part of the official program of the 1912 Summer Olympics. 42 shooters from 10 countries took part in the competition, and the winner was the American Alfred Lane.
2. Rope climbing
Today, rock climbing is widely practiced at the World Police and Fire Games, but the sport was once an official part of Olympic gymnastics. The discipline made its debut at the Olympics in 1896, and rope climbing was part of the Olympic program until the sport was dropped after the 1932 Olympics.
1. Tandem bicycle racing
Tandem bicycles are now mainly used in competitions such as the Paralympics, which involve blind and visually impaired cyclists riding in pairs with a sighted rider sitting in front. Tandem bicycle racing was an Olympic sport in the 1908 Summer Olympics and again from 1920 to 1972.
Aikido, chess, bandy, kickboxing, rugby, mountaineering, combat sambo, water skiing, sumo. What does this list of sports have in common? All of them belong to non-Olympic sports. Perhaps if they were included in the Olympic Games, the Olympics would become even more popular.
Have you ever wondered why non-Olympic sports are not included in the Olympics?
Non-Olympic sports - rugby
The Olympic Games have team sports such as football, basketball or hockey. Rugby is also a team sport, but for some reason it is classified as a non-Olympic sports discipline. And this is not at all due to the fact that rugby is not as popular in the world as football.
In England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and South Africa, this sport attracts full stadiums. So why is it not an Olympic sport? The fact is that the duration of the Summer Olympics is no more than 15 days.
It takes many more days to play out a rugby championship. This is mainly due to the fact that rugby is considered a contact sport, therefore, players expend a lot of energy and need time to rest.
Rugby is a game in which you can’t skimp, the athletes give it their all. Consequently, it takes them many more days to recover after a match than football players.
Rugby is the national sport of England. Previously, we talked about national sports in more detail.
Non-Olympic sports - bandy
Bandy, or bandy as this sport is commonly called, is played by two teams of 10 players. Athletes move on ice on skates.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has long recognized bandy as an Olympic sport, and was even going to include this discipline in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but at the last moment they decided to change their decision.
Non-Olympic sports - chess
The list of non-Olympic sports can be continued with chess. They have long outgrown the status of ordinary board games. Every year, championships are held in this sport and sports categories are assigned. So why is chess still not included in the Olympic program?
As for the Winter Olympics, the IOC noted that their program includes only those sports that are held on ice or snow.
Increasingly Popular Non-Olympic Sports
In addition to the sports that we wrote about above, the Olympic sports program also does not include:
- Acrobatic rock and roll;
- American football;
- Armwrestling;
- Body-building;
- Bowling;
- Billiard sport;
- Weight-lifting;
- Gorodkov sports;
- Jujutsu;
- Kyokushin karate;
- JKS Karate;
- Skittles;
- Kickboxing WAKO;
- Kickboxing WPKA;
- Cossack duel;
- Powerlifting;
- Paintball;
- Polyathlon;
- Hand-to-hand combat;
- Fishing sport;
- Rock climbing;
- Sports aerobics;
- Sports acrobatics;
- Orienteering;
- Dance Sport;
- Speleology;
- Sports tourism;
- Sports bridge;
- Crossbow shooting;
- Ski-l;
- Thai boxing Muay Thai;
- Taekwondo (ITF);
- Universal fight;
- Fitness;
- Futsal;
- Checkers;
- Free fight;
- Tug of war;
- Pankration;
- Aesthetic gymnastics;
- Cheerleading;
- Belt wrestling;
- Squash;
- Bogatyr all-around;
- Beach handball;
- Beach Soccer;
- Streetball;
- Dance sport;
- Wakeboarding;
- Sporting;
- Mini golf;
- Jumping on an acrobatic track;
- Horting;
- Jetski;
- Aeromodelling sport;
- Automotive sports;
- Automotive sports;
- Karting;
- Airplane sports;
- Marine all-around;
- Motorcycle sport;
- Parachuting;
- Underwater sports;
- Radiosport;
- Sports with dogs.
Who knows, perhaps in the near future the Olympic Committee will consider options with non-Olympic sports and include them in the main program.