THE WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES

The Olympic Games, the biggest international sporting events, are held every four years.
The tradition which existed in ancient Greece was revived in the late XIX century by the French philanthropist Pierre de Coubertin.

The Olympic Games are also known as the Summer Olympic Games held every four years since 1896. In 1924 the Olympic Winter Games were established, they were originally held in the same year as the summer.

The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix in France from January 25 to February 4, 1924. They were attended by 258 athletes from 16 countries. The program included competitions in skiing (racing and jumping), speed skating, bobslei, figure skating and ice hockey. Women (13 people) only competed in figure skating: singles and doubles.

The first winner was an American skater Dzhutrou Charlie, who won the race 500 m. Another hero of the Olympics - Norwegian skier Thorleif Haug, who won the two race distances and nordic combined.

First Winter Olympic Games were held outside Europe - in Lake Placid. Travel across the ocean at the time of the Great Depression, most athletes Europeans could not afford . Therefore, the total number of participants was even less than in the first ZOE . More than half of them ( 150 ) were the United States and adjacent Canada, and traditionally strong in winter sports countries sent in Lake Placid small delegations ( for example, from Finland were only 7 athletes ) . Third Winter Olympics (1932). This is largely due to the overall success of the hosts of the Games, received 6 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals and won first place in the unofficial team standings (85 points) .

Despite the protests against the sports community of regular summer and winter Olympic Games in Nazi Germany , the IOC did not revoke its decision. Nevertheless , many famous athletes (including Olympic champions : John Shea, wife Brunet and others) refused to participate in the Games . Fourth Winter Olympics (1936). Olympic Winter Games in 1936 were held in two resort towns of Garmisch and Bavarian Partenkirchen . For the first time the Games were included competitions in alpine ski races ( men and women ) , as well as men's ski relay. Combinators debut was not without scandal. Ski instructor was banned from performing at the Olympics - on the grounds that they are not considered amateurs.

The first postwar Olympic Winter Games took Swiss St. Moritz, the former already host the Olympic Games 20 years earlier. IOC choice was dictated by the fact that the destructive war spared side supports the neutrality of Switzerland . Another legacy of the wartime past - non-participation in the Games athletes of Germany and Japan as countries started World War II . All in all, the Olympics involved nearly 700 athletes from 28 countries. Fifth Winter Olympic Games (1948). The program of the Olympic Winter Games were included two more ski disciplines - downhill and slalom ( men and women ), which allowed the Frenchman Henri Oreille win two "gold" ( in the downhill and Nordic combined ), and "bronze" ( slalom) .

Seventh Winter Olympic Games (1956). In a famous winter sports center Cortina d ' Ampezzo, attended by more than 800 athletes from 32 countries. The main event was the debut of the Games ( Winter Olympics ) athletes from the USSR dramatically changed the balance of power at the Winter Olympics . For athletes of the GDR is also the first World Winter games, but they have played as a team with the FRG. Another two important innovations : the first Olympic athletes were given the oath ( on behalf of all its members said Italian skier Giuliana Chenal - Minutstso , bronze medalist in the future , " combination ") and conducted the first TV broadcast competitions . Soviet athletes were in all kinds of programs, except for figure skating and toboggan . our first "gold" won skier Love Baranova ( Kozyrev ) .
In the team competition USSR national team confidently won 16 medals (7 +3 + 6), 103 points.

Eighth Winter Olympic Games (1960). Competition in Squaw Valley (USA) remember , above all, very colorful and spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, which led the famous producer and director-animator Walt Disney . Another surprise - not so pleasant and presenting long before the start of the Olympics - was the decision not to hold ( the only time in Olympic history ) bobsleigh . Finished slopes at Squaw Valley was not, and since this type of program going to involve representatives of 9 ( out of 30) countries , the organizing committee found it impractical to build the track " for the Olympics ." But the Olympic program was supplemented by two new disciplines (biathlon and speed skating for women) , and the number of participants for the first time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games were representatives from all five continents .

Ninth Winter Olympic Games (1964). The number of Olympians in Innsbruck -1964 the first time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games exceeded 1,000. Significantly expanded and competition program . And the Games organizers are faced with an unexpected problem - the lack of snow and ice , even had to call for help of the Austrian army , to deliver 15,000 cubic meters of snow on the Olympic track. Games became a heroine skater Lydia Skoblikov , won all four distances ( none of the athletes had never managed to get 4 gold medals at one Olympic Winter Games ) .

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Tenth Winter Olympic Games (1968). At the Olympics in Grenoble for the first time the individual commands were athletes of the GDR and the FRG . Increased not only the number of participants of the Games , but also the number of fans : these OWG watched more than 600 million viewers . In the Olympic program , a new discipline : biathlon relay 4 × 10 km . Two further innovations - the introduction of doping control and test for athletes on sexual identity - were dictated by the new realities of this great sport. Best athlete of the Winter Olympic Games and the true national hero of France became the skier Jean-Claude Killy , who won three "gold" and repeated the feat Toni Sailer at the Games in 1956 .

Eleventh Winter Olympic Games (1972). This is the first in the history of the Winter Olympic Games , held in Asia. More intrigue to future competitions gave that hosts first - Japanese never won at the Winter Olympics . Scandalous " theme of the day " at this time was the amateur status of some participants in the Games. A few days before the start of their IOC president Avery Brandidzh threatened to separate from the Olympics -72 a large group of the leading masters of skiing , which , according to the president , could not be attributed to the fans . Ended up that the Games are not only allowed the "hero" Previous Winter Olympics Karl Schranz , who received more than fellow skiers. A number of participants in the hockey tournament was not Canadians expressing thus their opposition to the " amateur status" players from Eastern Europe.

Twelfth Winter Olympic Games (1976). Initially, the capital of American Games was elected Denver . But the residents of the State of Colorado during a special poll voted against hosting the Olympics them , and the city withdrew his candidacy . Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck hosted the second time ( after which the opening ceremony of the Olympic flame lit two ) . The program included ice dancing , and speed skating men added another distance (1000 m) . Of all the participants of the Games skier Rosi Mittermeier (FRG) was , as anyone close to that to win three gold medals . She successfully acted in the downhill and slalom , but in the " giant " conceded Katie Krainer (Canada) only 0.12 seconds. Bobsledder Meinhard Nemer and Bernhard Germeskhauzen (GDR ) also won two "gold" : first as a crew -deuce , and then as part of the Quartet .

Thirteenth Winter Olympic Games (1980). Following Innsbruck Lake Placid hosted the second Winter Olympic Games . Reconstruction of sports facilities in the capital city of Olympics 1980 has not been completed , so the athletes housed in the new building of the prison . Team debut at the Games of the PRC has caused a political scandal . Before Taiwan athletes performed at the Olympics as the Republic of China . In view of the upcoming Olympics in China to participate in the IOC suggested they change their name to Chinese Taipei . Taiwan refused and became the first - and so far only in history - the country boycotted the OWG ( before such a step were only individual athletes or national team in a particular sport ) . Olympic Winter Games were awarded and 80 great sporting achievements . The main champion of the Games - the number and "quality" awards - was an American speed skater Eric Heiden , who won five gold medals ( at all distances from 500 to 10,000 m) . Games debutant Nicholas Zimyatov , contrary to the predictions of the inevitable triumph of the Scandinavians on the track , won three "gold" : the relay and individual races 30 and 50 km . For the fourth consecutive time in the Olympic biathlon relay team won the Soviet Union and its permanent captain Alexander Tikhonov . Irina Rodnina, the third time was the Olympic champion in pairs figure skating ( and the most titled skater in history ) .

Fourteenth Winter Olympics (1984). Selection as the capital of Winter Olympic Games , the Yugoslav city of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo is notable for two reasons. This is the first - and only - where the Winter Olympics took place in the territory of the socialist state , whose members , besides , never occupied at the Winter Olympics prizes. However, this gap Yugoslav athletes managed to fill in Sarajevo : skier Jure Franko won a silver medal in the giant slalom ( symbolic that he carried the flag at the opening ceremony of Yugoslavia ) .

Fifteenth Winter Olympic Games (1988). The Canadian city of Calgary with the seventh attempt got the right to host the OWG. Markedly increase competition program not fit into the old time frame, so these games lasted for 16 days - from 13 to 28 February. Increased and the number of participating countries. However, this circumstance is virtually no impact on the final results of the Olympics. But the expansion of the program, including at skaters (which for the first time at these Games competed in the indoor Sports Palace - in "Calgary Olympic Oval").

Sixteenth Winter Olympic Games (1992). It was already the third game in the French Alps . However, we can assume the capital Albertville Games very conditional . There has been played less than a third of all sets of medals (18 of 57), competition in other types of programs were held in resort locations in the neighborhood. Serious political changes in Europe also affected the composition of the participants . The Germans were a team. Former Soviet Republics participated in the Games as a unified CIS team ( under the Olympic flag ) , and Latvia , Lithuania and Estonia - separately. " Solo " performed at the Winter Olympics and the former Yugoslav republics of Croatia and Slovenia . Noticeably refreshed and competition program - at the expense of short-track , freestyle skiing and women's biathlon.

Seventeenth Winter Olympic Games (1994). By decision of the IOC since 1994 OWG 's mid- four Olympic cycle , two years after the Summer Olympics . By the level of organization of the competitions in Lillehammer (Norway) are considered the best in the history of the Winter Olympic Games , also received high praise their sports and " humanities " component . In Games involving more than 1700 athletes from 67 countries. First separate team made ​​the Russian national team , as well as Ukraine , Belarus, Kazakhstan , Czech Republic , Slovakia. Russian team won the most gold medals (11) and ranked second in the unofficial team standings , just slightly behind the hosts of the Games.

Eighteenth Winter Olympic Games (1998). At the Games in Nagano, Japan was overcome by a kind of threshold number of participants of the Winter Olympic Games - more than 2,000 athletes (from 72 countries). In the official program included snowboarding and women's hockey, as well as "back" curling after years of absence. First to participate in a hockey tournament were made by professionals. Contrary to predictions that were considered clear favorites the United States and Canada did not reach the finals.

Nineteenth Winter Olympic Games (2002) in Salt Lake City not only set a record number of participants ( athletes and countries) and act sets Awards (by the way , for the first time in the history of each sport was developed your design medals) , but also on the part of scandals . Shortly before the opening of the Games , it became known that the representatives of the Organizing Committee bribed several members of the IOC to provide Salt Lake City more votes. And in the course of the Games , a number of conflicts related to doping and judicial arbitrariness. The loudest scandal happened in pairs figure skaters , where the original victory was awarded to Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze . But then the French judge accused of bias, after which the IOC and ISU took an unprecedented decision to recognize the winners of both the Russian and the " wronged " Canadian couple Jamie Salé - David Pelletier , who is also awarded gold medals.

The Russian national team at the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin took fourth place in the team standings , winning 22 medals : eight gold , six silver and eight bronze . First place in the medals table 2006 Olympics Germans took 11 gold, 12 silver and six bronze medals (total 29). Turin Olympics in Russia expected with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the Russian sports officials Winter Sports Federation announced its intention to win 25 medals , seven of them - gold . On the other hand , many fans , mindful of the failure in Salt Lake City, not in a hurry to believe in such optimistic prognozy.V end performance of Russians in Turin can be considered successful : in line 25 awards local athletes did not submit , but the " gold " was won even more than planned. Not all victories such competition like the Olympics , it is possible to predict , as well as guessing who the favorites will fail . Russian Olympians their performances only confirmed this mysl.Sbornoy Russian figure skating could not set an absolute record , winning all the "gold" the Turin Games. Nevertheless , the performance of Russian figure skaters in Turin can be considered successful : their account three wins and one " bronze".