The Olympic sports comprise all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The current Olympic program consists of 35 sports with 53 disciplines and more than 400 events ¡ª the Summer Olympics include 28 sports with 38 disciplines, and the Winter Olympics include 7 sports with 15 disciplines.[1] Each Olympic sport is represented by a single international governing body, namely an International Federation (IF).[2]
PCGA-BP2NX The International Olympic Committee (IOC) establishes a hierarchy of sports, disciplines, and events.[2] According to this hierarchy, the Olympic sports can be subdivided into multiple disciplines, which are often assumed to be distinct sports. Examples include swimming and water polo (disciplines of Aquatics, represented by the International Swimming Federation),[3] or figure skating and speed skating (disciplines of Skating, represented by the International Skating Union).[4] In their turn, disciplines can be subdivided into events, for which medals are actually awarded.[2] A sport or discipline is included in the Olympic program if the IOC determines that it is widely practiced around the world, that is, the number of countries that compete in a given sport is the indicator of the sport's prevalence. The IOC's requirements reflect participation in the Olympic Games as well ¡ª more stringent toward men (as they are represented in higher numbers) and Summer sports (as more nations compete in the Summer Olympics). To be able to be competed at the Olympics, for instance, an event must be practiced in at least 50 and 35 countries, on three continents, by men and women, respectively.[2]
PCGA-BP2EA Previous Olympic Games included sports which are no longer present on the current program, like polo and tug of war.[5] These sports, known as "discontinued sports", were later removed either because of lack of interest or absence of an appropriate governing body.[2] Archery and tennis are examples of sports that were competed at the early Games, were eventually dropped by the IOC, but managed to return to the Olympic program (in 1972 and 1988, 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.[6] Such sports, like baseball and curling, were successfully included in the official Olympic program (in 1992 and 1998, respectively).
