London Hosts Once More The Olympic Games

or the third time London hosts the Olympic Games. They were preceded by the Olympic events of 1908 and 1948. The differences and the evolvement is apparent by the competing nations and the female athletes. In 1908 there were 22 competing nations and a total of 37 female athletes. In 1948 the nations came up to 59 and the female athletes to 390. In 2012 we are expecting to have over 200 nations and the women – despite the restrictions – to be up to 4.500. The feminist orientation of the Olympic Movement is quite obvious.

It is interesting to observe the basic facts that define the 26 Olympic Games that have taken place in 22 cities of 18 countries until today.

I. ATHENS 1896
25 March – 4 April (old calendar)
Nations 14
Sports 9
Events 43
Athletes 241
Women 0
II. PARIS 1900
14 May – 28 October
Nations 24
Sports 18
Events 95
Athletes 997
Men 975
Women 22
III. ST. LOUIS 1904
1 July – 23 November
Nations 12
Sports 17
Events 91
Athletes 651
Men 645
Women 6
IV. LONDON 1908
27 April – 31 October
Nations 22
Sports 22
Events 110
Athletes 2.008
Men 1.971
Women 37
V. STOCKHOLM 1912
5 May – 27 July
Nations 28
Sports 14
Events 102
Athletes 2.407
Men 2.359
Women 48
VI. BERLIN 1916
Not held because of the war.
VII. ANTWERP 1920
3 July – 12 September
Nations 29
Sports 22
Events 154
Athletes 2.626
Men 2.561
Women 65
VIII. PARIS 1924
4 May – 27 July
Nations 44
Sports 17
Events 126
Athletes 3.089
Men 2.954
Women 135
IX. AMSTERDAM 1928
17 May – 12 August
Nations 46
Sports 14
Events 109
Athletes 2.883
Men 2.606
Women 277
X. LOS ANGELES 1932
30 July – 14 August
Nations 37
Sports 14
Events 117
Athletes 1.332
Men 1.206
Women 126
XI. BERLIN 1936
1 August – 16 August
Nations 49
Sports 19
Events 129
Athletes 3.963
Men 3.632
Women 331
XII. TOKYO 1940
Not held because of the war.
XIII. LONDON 1944
Not held because of the war.
XIV. LONDON 1948
29 July – 14 August
Nations 59
Sports 17
Events 136
Athletes 4.104
Men 3.714
Women 390
XV. HELSINKI 1952
19 July – 3 August
Nations 69
Sports 17
Events 149
Athletes 4.955
Men 4.436
Women 519
XVI. MELBOURNE 1956
22 November – 8 December
Nations 72
Sports 17
Events 145
Athletes 3.314
Men 2.938
Women 376
XVII. ROME 1960
25 August – 11 September
Nations 83
Sports 17
Events 150
Athletes 5.338
Men 4.727
Women 611
XVIII. TOKYO 1964
10 October – 24 October
Nations 93
Sports 19
Events 163
Athletes 5.151
Men 4.473
Women 678
XIX. MEXICO 1968
12 October – 27 October
Nations 112
Sports 20
Events 172
Athletes 5.516
Men 4.735
Women 781
XX. MUNICH 1972
26 August – 11 September
Nations 121
Sports 23
Events 195
Athletes 7.134
Men 6.075
Women 1.059
XXI. MONTREAL 1976
17 July – 1 August
Nations 92
Sports 21
Events 198
Athletes 6.084
Men 4.824
Women 1.260
XXII. MOSCOW 1980
19 July – 3 August
Nations 80
Sports 21
Events 203
Athletes 5.179
Men 4.064
Women 1.115
XXIII. LOS ANGELES 1984
28 July – 12 August
Nations 140
Sports 23
Events 221
Athletes 6.829
Men 5.263
Women 1.566
XXIV. SEOUL 1988
17 September – 2 October
Nations 159
Sports 25
Events 237
Athletes 8.391
Men 6.197
Women 2.194
XXV. BARCELONA 1992
25 July – 8 August
Nations 169
Sports 28
Events 257
Athletes 9.356
Men 6.652
Women 2.704
XXVI. ATLANTA 1996
19 July – 4 August
Nations 197
Sports 26
Events 271
Athletes 10.318
Men 6.806
Women 3.512
XXVII. SYDNEY 2000
13 September – 1 October
Nations 199
Sports 28
Events 300
Athletes 10.651
Men 6.582
Women 4.069
XXVIII. ATHENS 2004
13 August – 29 August
Nations 201
Sports 28
Events 301
Athletes 10.625
Men 6.296
Women 4.329
XXIX. BEIJING 2008
8 August – 24 August
Nations 204
Sports 28
Events 302
Athletes 11.196
Men 6.450
Women 4.746