Amulti-sport event is an organizedsporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports among organized teams of athletes from (mostly)nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was theOlympic Games, first held in modern times in1896 inAthens, Greece, and inspired by theAncient Olympic Games, one of a number of such events held in antiquity. Most modern multi-sport events have the same basic structure. Games are held over the course of several days in and around a "host city", which changes for each competition. Countries send national teams to each competition, consisting of individual athletes and teams that compete in a wide variety of sports. Athletes or teams are awardedgold,silver orbronze medals for first, second and third place respectively. Each game is generally held every four years, though some are annual competitions.
TheAncient Olympic Games, first held in 776 BC, was the precursor to theModern Olympic Games, although its first edition only featured a footrace and the number of sporting competitions expanded at later editions.
There were several other "games" held in Europe in theclassical era:
Other multi-sport festivals emerged in theMiddle Ages in Europe, including theCotswold Olimpick Games inEngland in the 1600s, theHighland Games inScotland, and the Olympiade de la République inFrance in the 1800s.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, athletes at multi-sport events were almost exclusively male. As internationalwomen's sport began to develop, events such as theWomen's World Games andOlympics of Grace were held to allow women to engage in sport on the international stage. Though short-lived, events such as these led to greater inclusion of women at multi-sport events over the course of the 20th century.[1]
Although the modern tradition commemorates the1921 revolution, theNaadam festival in Mongolia is a continuation of ancient sporting practises amongst Mongolians.[2] The three events of wrestling, horse racing and archery are thought to date back centuries and represent the three most important pursuits of a strong man in nomadic society.[3] Alongside these sporting events there are other cultural activities such as dances and parades.
Since the establishment of the Olympics, most serial multi-sport events have been organized for specific audiences and participating countries or communities. These affiliations include:
The first modern multi-sportevent organised were the Olympic Games, organised by theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) (est. 1894) for the first time in 1896 inAthens,Greece. After some celebrations (1900, 1904), the Olympics became very popular nowadays. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing.
The Paralympic Games is the largest multi-sport event involving athletes with physical disabilities and is organized by theInternational Paralympic Committee (IPC). Arranged for the first time in 1960 inRome,Italy. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing.
The first Special Olympics International Summer Games were held inChicago, Illinois, in 1968. The most recent[when?] Special Olympics World Winter Games in Schladming, Austria involved 25 sports and approximately 2,277 athletes from 133 countries.[citation needed]
At the beginning of the 20th century, another multi-sport event, theNordic Games were first held. These Games were held inScandinavia, and the sports conducted were winter sports such ascross-country skiing andspeed skating. The Nordic Games were last held in 1926, after which the 1924 Winter Sports Week inChamonix was declared the firstOlympic Winter Games.In the 1920s, all kinds of other multi-sport events were set up. These were usually directed for a selected group of athletes, rather than everybody, which was the case with the Olympic Games. The Soviets organized the firstSpartakiad in 1920, a communist alternative to the 'bourgeois' Olympic Games, and in 1922 the University Olympia was organizedor inItaly, the forerunner of theWorld University Games, meant for students only.Regional games were another kind of multi-sport event that was established, such as theFar Eastern Championship Games (1913), theCentral American and Caribbean Games (1926) or thePan American Games (1951).
The Olympic Games are still the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of worldwide interest and importance (though no longer in participation), but several others also have significance.
Other Games are intended for handicapped or disabled athletes. TheInternational Silent Games,first held inParis in 1924, were the first Games for deaf athletes. TheStoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, incepted in 1948 in England, were the first Games for wheelchair athletes. In 1960, the firstParalympic Games were held, connected with theOlympic Games. TheSpecial Olympics World Games, for athletes with intellectual disabilities, were first held in 1968.
