After the success of the first Olympic Games in Athens, the Olympic Committee, headed by Pierre de Coubertin, decided to make the competition regular. The next meeting of athletes from different countries took place in 1900 in Paris.
It was decided to hold the second Olympic Games simultaneously with the World Exhibition in Paris in order to attract more spectators to them. However, these competitions were very different from the modern ones. The Games have been held for several months, and historians are still debating what is the exact list of winners and competitions for this Olympics. The organizational level of these games also cannot be compared with the later times. There were still no special settlements for foreign athletes, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the games.
Athletes from 24 countries went to the competition. 12 states were represented at the Games for the first time, including the Russian Empire. But there were no athletes from Africa and Asian countries at the competition. The exception was an athlete from India, then part of the British Empire.
Championships were held in 20 sports disciplines. Among them were those who were subsequently excluded from competition within the framework of the games, such as the Basque pelota.
For the first time, women took part in the games, which was a bold decision for that time on the part of the organizers. In particular, a separate women's golf tournament was held. In cricket, they played on a par with men, and in tennis, both single women and mixed doubles competed.
The first place in the number of medals was taken by France, the host of sports competitions. The most successful were French rowers, marksmen and fencers. The second was the team of the United States, already at that time gaining the status of a sports power. Athletes from this country received the largest number of medals. Golfers, both men and women, also performed successfully.
Athletes from the Russian Empire were represented in only two disciplines, fencing and equestrian sports, and were unable to win medals.
