What Sports Are Included In The Winter Olympics

2024 Author: Xavier Leapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:45

On the eve of the main Olympics in the world, many are wondering what sports are included in the Winter Olympics.

How sports are included in the Olympic program

The entire organization and solution of problems related to the Olympic Games is handled by the IOC - the International Olympic Committee, located in the city of Zurich. It is on this organization that the possibility of a new sport entering the list of the Olympic Games depends to a large extent. It is the IOC that must analyze all the criteria and issue its verdict. For a sport to be listed, it must meet the following conditions:

1. The presence of the International Sports Federation of this sport recognized by the Olympic Committee.
2. The said federation must recognize and comply with the World Anti-Doping Code.
3. The Olympic Charter must be recognized and implemented by the Sports Federation at all times.
4. For the requested sport, competitions of various levels, including world ones, must be held.
5. The sport must be popular.

One of the following organizations can request deposit:

1. IOC.
2. International Sports Federation for the requested sport.
3. National Sports Federation, only through an International level federation.

In addition, additional factors are taken into account. For example, popularity among young people, entertainment, commercial component and more.

What sports are included in the Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympic Games include 15 disciplines. In total, the competitions are held in 7 sports.

Biathlon

This sport consists of a combination of both cross-country skiing and accurate gun shooting. In addition to skis and poles, a small-bore rifle is included as additional equipment. For the first time biathlon appeared at the Winter Olympics in 1924, but on an ongoing basis this type of competition began to be present at the Olympics only since 1992. In total, 10 sets of awards are played in the following types:

1. Individual race.
2. Sprint.
3. Mass start.
4. Pursuit.
5. Relay race.

Both women and men take part in biathlon.

Bobsled

Descent on special sleds (sleds) on an ice chute first appeared at the Olympics in 1924. And since then bobsleigh competitions have been held at every Winter Olympics. The only exception was in 1960. Women's teams appeared at the games only in Salt Lake City in 2002. There are the following types of competitions for which Olympic awards are played:

1. Women's deuces.
2. Men's deuces.
3. Men's fours.

1928 also included a competition between men's teams of 5 athletes.

Skiing

Alpine skiing made his debut only at 4 Winter Olympic Games in 1936. Not only the appearance of this discipline was remarkable that year, but also the fact that both male and female athletes immediately became participants. This happens quite rarely at the Olympic Games.

Alpine skiing includes 5 types:

1. Downhill.
2. Supergiant.
3. Slalom.
4. Ski combination.
5. Giant slalom.

It is worth noting that in the period 1948-1980. athletes participating in the Winter Olympics were simultaneously considered participants in the World Championship. As a result, the champions received two awards at once.

Curling

Demonstration curling competitions were at the Olympic Games in 1924, but the first medals were received only in 1998. But in 2006, the IOC decided that in the 1924 Olympics, curling should be considered a full-fledged game. As a result, representatives of Great Britain and Ireland became the first Olympic champions in this sport.

Skating

Speed skating has officially become an Olympic sport since 1924. Competitions for women at the Olympics did not appear until 1960. At the 2018 Winter Olympics.in speed skating, 14 sets of awards are played in the following 7 types:

• 500 m;
• 1000 m;
• 1500 m;
• 5000 m;
• 10000m;
• Team pursuit;
• Mass start.

Ski nordic

Nordic combination is also called Nordic Combined. The competition consists of a combination of skiing and ski jumping. This event has been an Olympic event since 1924. Nordic Combined is the only event in the Winter Olympics where women are not participating.

Ski race

Ski racing has been an Olympic sport since the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix. Women began to take part since 1952. In total, 6 sets of medals are played for men and women in the following types:

1. Relay race.
2. Time-trial competition.
3. Mass start.
4. The Pursuit Race.
5. Sprint.

Ski jumping

This discipline of skiing became Olympic from the very first Games in 1924. Until 1956, the acceleration was carried out from a distance of about 70 m. At that time, ski jumping at this distance was classified as "big". In 1960, a springboard with a length of 80 m was used. And at the games of 1964, for the first time, 2 sets of medals were played.

For quite a long time, only men could participate in jumping at the Olympic Games. Women first received admission only in 2014.

Luge

For the first time luge appeared at the Olympic Games in 1964. For 50 years, no changes were made to the program. But at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, another event was added - the team relay. Its meaning is that men, women and couples representing one country will start one after another in turn. There are 4 sets of Olympic medals in total.

Skeleton

He made his debut downhill on a special sleigh at the Winter Olympics in 1924. The next time athletes were able to represent their countries in 1948, and then only at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In the same year, women made their debut at the Olympics.

Snowboarding

For the first time, athletes on snowboards took part in the Winter Olympic Games in 1998. The list of types of competitions has changed many times. The presence of the halfpipe has always remained unchanged. In 1998, the only time was a giant slalom competition. In the following years it was replaced by the parallel giant slalom. Since 2006, athletes have been taking part in the boardercross discipline. And since 2014, slopestyle and parallel slalom disciplines have been introduced. Both men and women participate separately in the competition.

Figure skating

For the first time figure skating was included in the program of the 1908 Summer Olympic Games, which took place in October. The next time skaters also took part in the Summer Olympic Games in 1920. Then, in 1924, with the appearance of the first Winter Olympic Games of our time, skaters began to take part in every Olympiad. Due to the high popularity, the IOC has introduced special quotas for participants:

• 24 dance couples.
• 30 male singles.
• 30 women singles.
• 20 sports couples.

Most places are determined by the results of the World Championship.

In total, 5 sets of awards are played during the Olympic Games.

Freestyle

This is another kind of skiing. He made his debut at the Olympic Games in 1988. The discipline was officially introduced to the 1992 Winter Olympics. Athletes take part in the following disciplines:

1. Male and female moguls.
2. Male and female acrobatics.
3. Ski cross for men and women.
4. Male and female halfpipe.
5. Male and female slopestyle

Hockey

Hockey became an Olympic sport in 1920 at the Summer Olympics. After 4 years, this sport began to be listed in the disciplines of the winter games. Women's teams were able to take part only in 1998.

It should be noted that in the period 1920-1968. within the framework of the Olympic Games, a world championship was held between the teams.

Short track

In the form of a demonstration competition, short track speed skating made its debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics. As a full-fledged competition, athletes took part in the next Winter Olympics. This discipline of speed skating was so named because of the lap length of the track. It is only 111, 12 meters long. Among men and women, medals are raffled for the following types of short track:

1. Relay 3000 m.
2. 500 m.
3. 1000 m.
4. 1500 m.