Olympic sports

The current program of the Olympic Games includes 35 different sports, 53 disciplines and more than 400 events. The Summer Olympic Games includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines and the Winter Olympic Games includes 7 sports with 15 disciplines.

Several sports have multiple disciplines that are governed by the same international sports federation, but are often considered different sports by the public. Examples include swimming and water polo (both are disciplines of aquatics), or figure skating and speed skating (both are disciplines of skating).

Early Olympic Games featured several sports no longer on the Olympic program, such as polo and tug of war. Archery and tennis are examples of sports that were competed at early Games, were dropped from the Games, and then were subsequently returned to the official program (in 1972 and 1992, respectively).

Demonstration sports have often been included in the Olympic Games, usually to promote a local sport from the host country or to gauge interest and support for the sport. Several of these sports, such as baseball and curling, were subsequently added to the official program (in 1992 and 1998 respectively).

Summer Olympic Games

Current program

The following sports (or multiple disciplines of the same sport) are currently on the program of the Summer Olympic Games, listed according to the name of the sport or discipline as used by the International Olympic Committee.

X = sport or discipline competed at the specified Games
(d) = demonstration sport

Sport or Discipline	96	00	04	06	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12
Aquatics – Diving			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Aquatics – Swimming	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Aquatics – Synchronized Swimming																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Aquatics – Water Polo		X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Archery		X	X		X		X											X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Athletics	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Badminton																		(d)				(d)	X	X	X	X	X	X
Baseball						(d)					(d)			(d)		(d)					(d)	(d)	X	X	X	X	X
Basketball			(d)								X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Boxing			X		X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Canoeing/Kayaking – Flatwater								(d)			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Canoeing/Kayaking – Slalom																		X					X	X	X	X	X	X
Cycling – BMX																											X	X
Cycling – Mountain biking																								X	X	X	X	X
Cycling – Road	X					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Cycling – Track	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Equestrian		X				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Fencing	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Football		X	X	(d)	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Gymnastics – Artistic	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Gymnastics – Rhythmic																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Gymnastics – Trampoline																									X	X	X	X
Handball											X							X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Hockey					X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Judo																X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Modern Pentathlon						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Rowing		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Sailing		X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Shooting	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Softball																								X	X	X	X
Table tennis																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Taekwondo																						(d)	(d)		X	X	X	X
Tennis	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X									(d)				(d)	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Triathlon																									X	X	X	X
Volleyball																X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Volleyball – Beach volleyball																								X	X	X	X	X
Weightlifting	X		X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Wrestling	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Past sports

The following sports and disciplines have previously been part of the Summer Olympic Games program, but are no longer on the current program:

X = sport or discipline competed at the specified Games
(d) = demonstration sport

Sport or Discipline	96	00	04	06	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04
Basque Pelota		X						(d)									(d)						(d)
Cricket		X
Croquet		X
Skating – Figure skating					X		X	included in the Winter Olympic Games program
Golf		X	X
Ice hockey							X	included in the Winter Olympic Games program
Jeu de Paume		(d)			X
Lacrosse			X		X				(d)	(d)		(d)
Polo		X			X		X	X			X
Rackets					X
Roque			X
Rugby		X			X		X	X
Tug of war		X	X		X	X	X
Water motorsports		(d)			X

Demonstration sports

Main article: Demonstration sport

The following sports have been demonstrated in Summer Olympic Games for the years shown, but have never been included on the official Olympic program:

American football (1904 and 1932) Australian rules football (1956) Ballooning (1900) Bowling (1988) Bowls (1900) Budo (1964) Field handball (1952) Finnish baseball (1952) Glima (1912) Gliding (1936) Kaatsen (1928)

Korfball (1920 and 1928) La canne (1924) Lifesaving (1900) Longue paume (1900) Motorsport (1900) Palla (1960) Roller hockey (1992) Sambo (1980) Savate (1924) Weight training with dumbbells (1904) Water skiing (1972)

Winter Olympic Games

Current program

The following sports are currently on the program of the Winter Olympic Games, listed according to the name of the sport as used by the International Olympic Committee. Three sports have multiple disciplines, and these are shown in this table.

Note that figure skating was part of the program for the 1908 Summer Olympic Games and the 1920 Summer Olympic Games before there was a separate Winter Olympic Games. Ice hockey was also competed in the 1920 Summer Olympic Games.

X = sport or discipline competed at the specified Games
(d) = demonstration sport

Winter sport competed at Summer Olympic Games are also shown on this table.

Sport or Discipline	08	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	94	98	02	06	10
Biathlon			X	(d)		(d)	(d)			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Bobsleigh			X	X	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Bobsleigh – Skeleton				X			X														X	X	X
Curling			X		(d)												(d)	(d)		X	X	X	X
Ice hockey		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Luge											X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skating – Figure skating	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skating – Short track speed skating																	(d)	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skating – Speed skating			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Alpine skiing						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Cross country skiing			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Freestyle skiing																	(d)	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Nordic combined			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Ski jumping			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Skiing – Snowboarding																				X	X	X	X

Demonstration sports

Main article: Demonstration sport

The following sports have been demonstrated in Winter Olympic Games for the years shown, but have never been included on the official Olympic program:

• Bandy (1952)
• Ice stock sport (1936, 1964)
• Military patrol (1928, 1936 and 1948) – also competed in 1924 (medals awarded) and now considered an event in biathlon for those Games
• Skijöring (1928)
• Sled-dog racing (1932)
• Speed skiing (1992)
• Winter pentathlon (1948)
• Ski ballet – demonstration event in the sport of Freestyle skiing (1988 and 1992)

Recognized sports

The following sports and disciplines are not part of the current Olympic program, but are recognized by the IOC. Their respective International Sport Federations are responsible for ensuring that the sport's activities follow the Olympic Charter.

A recognized sport may be added to the Olympic program in future Games, by recommendation of the IOC Olympic Programme Commission and a vote by IOC members. The IOC voted on July 11, 2005 [1] to remove baseball and softball from the Olympic program for 2012 (reaffirmed by vote on February 9, 2006 [2]) but also rejected their replacement with karate and squash (selected from a list that also included golf, roller sports and rugby sevens).

See also: World Games

Air sports Bandy Billiard sports Boules Bowling Bridge Chess DanceSport Golf Karate

Korfball Lifesaving Motorcycle racing Mountaineering and Climbing Netball Orienteering Pelote Basque Polo Powerboating Powerlifting

Racquetball Roller sports Rugby Squash Sumo Surfing Tug of war Underwater sports Water skiing Wushu

References

• Olympic Official Reports
• International Olympic Committee - Sports
• IOC Olympic Programme Commission
• International Sports Federations

1. The 1906 Summer Olympics or 1906 Intercalated Games were discounted ex post facto by the IOC. All medals awarded during these games have not since been counted officially on total medal counts.
2. These games were cancelled due to the World Wars. The 1916 Summer Olympics were cancelled due to the onset of WWI; both the Summer and Winter Olympics of 1940 and 1944 were cancelled due to WWII.