The Olympic Games have undergone a dramatic transformation since its inception in ancient Greece. At the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, nine sports were featured, which included 43 different events contested by 241 athletes (all men). In contrast, the Paris 2024 Olympics will feature 32 sports with 329 events and a total of 10,500 athletes competing, achieving gender parity between women and men.
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Over the years, the Olympic program has evolved significantly. While some sports like the marathon have become synonymous with the Olympics due to their historical significance, newer sports have been introduced to keep the Games relevant and appealing to younger audiences. For instance, Tokyo 2020 saw the debut of surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. At Paris 2024, breakdancing will make its debut.
Process of Adding Sports
Adding a sport to the Olympic program is a complex process with a long list of criteria. After meeting various eligibility and compliance requirements, a sport can be added traditionally by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or through the proposal of the host country. The decision-making power has shifted to host countries, granting them greater influence over the event’s composition. This change has been driven by the increasing financial burden of hosting the Olympics and the desire to attract younger audiences.
“Twenty years ago, this process was far more ironclad,” said Taylor McKee, assistant professor of sports management at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. “Now it’s like, ‘Look, if they want to break, we’ll find a way. They want cricket, we’ll find a way.’”
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Olympic Agenda 2020
In 2014, the IOC adopted the “Olympic Agenda 2020,” which allowed host countries to recommend sports for their edition of the Games. The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee was the first to utilize this option, successfully adding five new sports: baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing, and surfing.
Looking Ahead to LA 2028
The LA 2028 Organising Committee has already proposed five new sports for the Olympic program, which were approved by the IOC in late 2023. The next edition of the Summer Games will feature flag football and squash for the first time, along with the return of baseball/softball, cricket, and lacrosse.
Historical Perspective
Nearly 50 summer sports have appeared at the Olympic Games since their inception in 1896, including discontinued ones like motorboating and tug-of-war. This year, athletes are competing across 32 sports and 329 events at the Paris Olympics, more than three times the number featured at the first modern Games in Athens.
Attracting a Younger Audience
Breaking is the newest addition to the summer line-up, proposed by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee alongside skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing. The non-traditional sports aim to attract a new, younger audience to the Games.
Olympic Mainstays and Comebacks
Only five sports — aquatics, athletics, cycling, fencing, and gymnastics — have appeared in each of the 30 iterations of the Olympic Games. Others, like croquet and karate, had shorter runs. Some sports, such as archery, golf, rugby, and tennis, were introduced in the early years, and then excluded for over five decades before being reintroduced. All four will be part of the 2024 program.
A New Era of Olympic Competition
The Paris 2024 Games mark a new chapter in the Olympic movement, showcasing the Games’ adaptability and relevance in the 21st century. As the world continues to evolve, so too will the Olympic program, ensuring that the Games remain a platform for athletes to excel and inspire generations to come.
