Winter Olympic Games facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Winter Olympic Games
The Olympic flame in Beijing during the 2022 Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympic Games, often called the Winter Olympics, are a huge international sports event. They happen every four years and feature exciting sports played on snow and ice. The very first Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

These modern Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games from Olympia, Greece. A French nobleman, Pierre de Coubertin, brought the Olympics back to life in 1894. This led to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the group that runs the Olympics.

When the Winter Olympics first started, there were five main sports. These included bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing (like cross-country and ski jumping), and skating (figure skating and speed skating). The Games happened every four years until World War II caused them to be paused in 1940 and 1944. They started again in 1948.

For a long time, both the Summer and Winter Olympics happened in the same year. But in 1986, the IOC decided to change this. Now, they take turns every two years. For example, the 1992 Winter Olympics were the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games. After that, the 1994 Winter Olympics happened two years later, and then the regular four-year cycle continued.

Over the years, the Winter Olympics have grown a lot! Many new sports have been added, like alpine skiing, luge, short track speed skating, freestyle skiing, skeleton, and snowboarding. Some sports, like curling and bobsleigh, were removed and then brought back. Others, like military patrol, are no longer part of the Games, but new sports like biathlon are similar.

Television has helped the Games become very popular around the world. It brings in money from broadcasting rights and advertising. This money helps the IOC, but it also means that TV companies and sponsors have some influence. The IOC works hard to keep the Games fair and address challenges, like ensuring athletes compete honestly and dealing with political disagreements between countries.

The Winter Olympics have been held in 13 countries across three continents, all in the Northern Hemisphere. The United States has hosted four times, France three times, and several other countries like Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Japan, Italy, and Canada have hosted twice. Countries like Germany, Yugoslavia, Russia, South Korea, and China have hosted once. The next Games, the 2026 Winter Olympics, will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

Many countries have a long history with the Winter Olympics. Twelve countries, including Austria, Canada, Finland, France, and the United States, have taken part in every single Winter Games. Norway has won the most medals in Winter Olympic history. The United States is the only country to have won a gold medal at every Winter Olympics.

History of the Winter Olympics

How the Winter Games Began

Ulrich Salchow at the 1908 Olympics

Before the Winter Olympics, there were similar events called the Nordic Games. These were held in Sweden starting in 1901. General Viktor Gustaf Balck, who helped create the Olympics, wanted to add winter sports to the main Games.

He succeeded in 1908 when figure skating was included in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Famous skaters like Ulrich Salchow won gold medals. Later, there were plans for a "winter sports week" as part of the 1916 Summer Olympics, but World War I caused those Games to be canceled.

Early Winter Olympics: 1920 to 1936

Sonia Henie's Olympic gold medal, St. Moritz 1928.

After World War I, the 1920 Summer Olympics in Belgium included figure skating and ice hockey. The next year, it was decided that France, which was hosting the 1924 Summer Olympics, would also host a special "International Winter Sports Week." This event took place in Chamonix.

The 1924 Games in Chamonix were a big success! Over 250 athletes from 16 countries competed. Athletes from Finland and Norway won many medals. Charles Jewtraw of the United States won the first gold medal in speed skating. Sonja Henie from Norway became a fan favorite at just 11 years old, even though she finished last in figure skating. She later became a champion.

In 1925, the IOC officially recognized the 1924 Chamonix event as the first Winter Olympics. The 1928 Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Young Sonja Henie, at 15, won gold in ladies' figure skating, becoming the youngest Olympic champion at the time.

The 1932 Winter Olympics were held in Lake Placid, New York, USA. This was the first time the Games were outside Europe. Eddie Eagan of the United States made history by winning gold in bobsleigh, after also winning gold in boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He is the only athlete to win gold in different sports at both Summer and Winter Games.

The 1936 Winter Olympics in Germany introduced alpine skiing. Sadly, the Winter Olympics were then interrupted by World War II, with the 1940 and 1944 Games being canceled.

Post-War Games: 1948 to 1962

The opening ceremonies of the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo

The Winter Olympics returned in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Switzerland had remained neutral during the war, so its venues were ready. Athletes from Germany and Japan were not invited to these Games.

The Olympic Flame tradition began at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. The flame was lit in a fireplace by a Norwegian skiing pioneer, and the torch relay was done entirely on skis! Norwegian athletes won the most medals.

The 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, were the first Winter Games to be shown on television. The Soviet Union joined the Olympics for the first time and immediately won many medals. They had many athletes who trained full-time, even if they were officially students or workers.

The 1960 Winter Olympics were held in Squaw Valley, USA. This resort was built almost from scratch for the Games. These were the first Winter Games to have a special village for athletes and to use computers to track results. Interestingly, bobsleigh was not included in these Games because not enough countries signed up.

Growing Popularity: 1964 to 1980

The Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, site of the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980

Innsbruck, Austria, hosted the 1964 Winter Olympics. The Olympic torch was lit in Olympia, Greece for the first time for the Winter Games. Even though Innsbruck was a winter sports town, the army had to bring in snow because of warm weather! Luge was added as a new sport.

The 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, were the first to be broadcast in color. French skier Jean-Claude Killy won all the men's alpine skiing events. The Games were spread out to different locations to save costs and improve TV broadcasts.

The 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, were the first to be held outside North America or Europe. There was a debate about whether some alpine skiers were "professionals" because they earned money from their sport. Francisco Fernández Ochoa became the first and only Spaniard to win a Winter Olympic gold medal in slalom.

The 1976 Winter Olympics were originally planned for Denver, USA, but the city decided not to host due to rising costs. So, Innsbruck, Austria, stepped in to host for a second time. Two Olympic cauldrons were lit to mark this special occasion.

In 1980, the Winter Olympics returned to Lake Placid, USA. Cyprus, People's Republic of China, and Costa Rica made their Winter Olympic debuts. American speed skater Eric Heiden won five gold medals, setting records in every event he entered. In a famous moment called the "Miracle on Ice", the American college hockey team beat the strong Soviet team and went on to win gold.

New Eras: 1984 to 1998

Alberto Tomba, winner of five Olympic medals

The 1984 Winter Olympics were held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. The Games were well-organized. Yugoslavia won its first Olympic medal in alpine skiing. British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean amazed everyone with their perfect "Boléro" routine, winning gold.

In 1988, Calgary, Canada, hosted the Games. New events were added, and future Olympic sports like curling and snowboarding were shown as demonstration sports. Speed skating events were held indoors for the first time. East German Christa Luding-Rothenburger won a speed skating gold and later a silver in track cycling at the Summer Olympics, becoming the only athlete to win medals in both Games in the same year. The Jamaican bobsled team and British ski jumper Michael Edwards became famous stories from these Games.

The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, were the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games. Political changes meant that Germany competed as one nation again, and new independent countries like Croatia and Slovenia made their debuts. New Zealand skier Annelise Coberger won the first Winter Olympic medal for a country in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, were the first to be held in a different year from the Summer Games. This change made the Olympics happen every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter. The women's figure skating competition gained a lot of media attention due to an incident involving American skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Both competed, and Oksana Baiul of Ukraine won gold. Norway's Johann Olav Koss won three gold medals in speed skating.

The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, were the first to have over 2,000 athletes. Professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to play in the men's ice hockey tournament for the first time. Women's ice hockey also made its debut. Bjørn Dæhlie of Norway became the most decorated Winter Olympian with eight gold medals. Tara Lipinski of the United States, at 15, became the youngest female gold medalist in an individual event.

Modern Games: 2002 to 2022

The Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City

After a challenging selection process, the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. These Games happened after the September 11 attacks, so security was very high. The opening ceremony honored those affected by the attacks.

German luger Georg Hackl won a silver medal, becoming the first athlete to win medals in the same event at five Olympics. Canada won both the men's and women's ice hockey gold medals. There was a controversy in pairs figure skating where both the Canadian and Russian teams were eventually awarded gold medals after a judging review. Australian Steven Bradbury became the first gold medalist from the Southern Hemisphere in short-track speed skating.

A close-up of the Olympic Flame during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

The Italian city of Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics. South Korean athletes excelled in short-track speed skating. In cross-country skiing, a Norwegian coach famously lent a pole to a Canadian competitor whose pole broke, showing great sportsmanship. Kjetil-Andre Aamodt of Norway became the most decorated ski racer of all time.

The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, Canada. Sadly, a Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, died during a training run on opening day, leading to track changes for safety. Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen won five medals. Canada won its first gold medal at an Olympic Games it hosted, and finished first in gold medals overall. Russia had a disappointing performance at these Games. Asian countries, like South Korea, Japan, and China, showed strong results, winning many medals.

Sochi, Russia, hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. This was Russia's first time hosting a Winter Olympics. A record number of athletes from 88 countries competed. The Games were very expensive, with many new venues built. Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen became the most decorated Winter Olympian with 13 medals. The Netherlands dominated speed skating.

After the Games, there were serious claims of a doping program in Russia. This led to many Russian athletes being disqualified and medals being reallocated. Russia eventually competed as "Olympic Athletes from Russia" in the next Games.

Pyeongchang, South Korea, hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. This was South Korea's first Winter Olympics. Tensions between North and South Korea were high, but North Korea agreed to participate, and both countries marched together in the opening ceremony. New events like big air snowboarding and mixed doubles curling were added. Norway led the medal count with 39 medals, the most ever by a nation in a single Winter Olympics. Marit Bjørgen became the most decorated athlete in Winter Olympics history with 15 medals.

Beijing, China, hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, strict health rules were in place, and public attendance was limited. The Games used renewable energy for the first time. Norwegian skier Therese Johaug won three gold medals. The Netherlands continued to dominate speed skating. Finland won its first ice hockey gold medal. Norway again topped the medal standings with 37 medals and 16 gold medals, setting a new record for gold medals won by a country in a single Winter Olympics.

Future Winter Olympics

Climate change is expected to affect future Winter Olympic venues.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026. Looking ahead, the 2030 Winter Olympics will be hosted by France in the French Alps. The 2034 Winter Olympics was also awarded to the United States, to be hosted in Utah, which previously hosted the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Challenges and Fair Play

Hosting the Games

About eight years before the Winter Olympics, cities can offer to host the Games. The host city is responsible for planning everything, from sports venues to housing and media services. Hosting the Games is very expensive. For example, the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, cost $3.6 billion, and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, cost $12.5 billion.

Because of these high costs, many host cities don't make a profit. There's also a risk of building expensive sports venues that aren't used much after the Games. The Winter Olympics have an extra challenge because alpine events need mountains with specific height differences. This means venues might be far from the main city, or new facilities have to be built in less populated areas.

The IOC tries to help with these concerns. They contribute money to the host city's budget. They also choose host countries that already have the resources and infrastructure to manage the Games well. Every city that wants to host must also have a "legacy plan" to show how the Olympics will benefit the area long-term. Starting with the 2022 Winter Olympics, the IOC allows alpine events to be held further away from the main host city to make it easier to find suitable locations.

Keeping Sports Fair

To ensure fair competition, the IOC started drug testing in 1967. They began by testing athletes randomly at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Testing outside of competitions also became more common to discourage athletes from using substances that give them an unfair advantage.

In 1999, the IOC created the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to lead the fight against doping. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin had a notable incident where police investigated an Austrian ski team for blood doping, which is a method to improve oxygen flow.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, there were serious claims of a doping program. This led to many Russian athletes being disqualified and some medals being taken away. As a result, Russia competed as "Olympic Athletes from Russia" at the 2018 Games. The IOC and WADA continue to work hard to keep sports fair for all athletes.

Political Rivalries

The Winter Olympics sometimes reflected political tensions between countries, especially during the Cold War when the Soviet Union first joined in 1956. Countries wanted to show their strength and success through their athletes. The Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries had "full-time amateur athletes" who were paid by the state to train, which gave them an advantage over self-funded athletes from Western countries.

The relationship between East and West Germany was also complicated. After World War II, Germany was not allowed to compete in 1948. Later, East and West Germany were asked to compete as one team. This uneasy arrangement lasted until the 1968 Grenoble Games, when the IOC allowed them to compete as separate teams.

Boycotts and Disagreements

The Winter Games have only had one national team boycott. This happened when Taiwan decided not to participate in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Before these Games, the IOC allowed China to compete for the first time since 1952 as the "People's Republic of China."

Taiwan had been competing as the "Republic of China." The IOC asked Taiwan to change its name to "Chinese Taipei" and use a different flag and anthem. Taiwan disagreed and, after appeals, chose to leave the Games in protest. Taiwan returned to the Olympics in 1984 as Chinese Taipei, using a special flag and anthem for their National Olympic Committee. This agreement is still in place today.

Winter Olympic Sports

The Olympic Charter states that winter sports must be "practised on snow or ice." Since 1992, many new sports have been added, like short-track speed skating, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing. These new events have made the Winter Olympics popular in more parts of the world, not just Europe and North America. While countries like Norway and Germany are still strong in traditional winter sports, nations like South Korea, Australia, and Canada are finding success in these newer events. This means more countries are winning medals, and more people around the globe are watching the Winter Olympics.

Current Sports

Demonstration Sports

Sometimes, host countries show off popular local sports that aren't official Olympic events. These are called demonstration sports, and no medals are given for them. This practice stopped after 1992.

• Military patrol, which is like an early version of biathlon, was a medal sport in 1924 and a demonstration sport later.
• Bandy, a popular sport in Nordic countries and Russia, was demonstrated in Oslo.
• Ice stock sport, similar to curling, was demonstrated in 1936 and 1964.
• Ski ballet was shown in 1988 and 1992.
• Skijöring, which involves skiing behind dogs, was a demonstration sport in 1928.
• A sled-dog race was held in Lake Placid in 1932.
• Speed skiing was demonstrated in 1992.
• Winter pentathlon, a mix of cross-country skiing, shooting, downhill skiing, fencing, and horse riding, was a demonstration event in 1948.

All-Time Medal Standings

This table shows which countries have won the most medals in the Winter Olympic Games. The data comes from the IOC.

     Former nation

No.	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Games
1	Norway	148	134	123	405	24
2	United States	114	121	95	330	24
3	Germany	105	97	65	267	13
4	Soviet Union	78	57	59	194	9
5	Canada	77	72	76	225	24
6	Austria	71	88	91	250	24
7	Sweden	65	51	60	176	24
8	Switzerland	63	47	58	168	24
9	Netherlands	53	49	45	147	22
10	Russia	47	39	35	121	6
11	Finland	45	65	65	175	24
12	Italy	42	43	56	141	24
13	France	41	42	55	138	24
14	East Germany	39	36	35	110	6
15	South Korea	33	30	16	79	19
16	China	22	32	23	77	12
17	Japan	17	29	30	76	23
18	Great Britain	12	5	17	34	24
19	West Germany	11	15	13	39	6
20	Czech Republic	10	11	13	34	7

Top Medal-Winning Nations by Year

Winter Olympics medal table leaders by year

1924:  Norway 1928:  Norway 1932:  United States 1936:  Norway 1948:  Norway and  Sweden 1952:  Norway 1956:  Soviet Union 1960:  Soviet Union 1964:  Soviet Union 1968:  Norway 1972:  Soviet Union 1976:  Soviet Union 1980:  Soviet Union 1984:  East Germany 1988:  Soviet Union 1992:  Germany 1994:  Russia 1998:  Germany 2002:  Norway 2006:  Germany 2010:  Canada 2014:  Norway 2018:  Norway 2022:  Norway

Number of times a country led the medal count:

Rank	Country	Number of games
1	Norway	10 times
2	Soviet Union	7 times
3	Germany	3 times
4	United States	1 time
	Sweden
	East Germany
	Canada
	Russia

List of Winter Olympic Host Cities

A map of Winter Olympics locations. Countries that have hosted one Winter Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

Year	No.	Host City	Dates	Sports (Disciplines)	Competitors			Events	Nations	Top Nation
					Total	Men	Women
Amateur Era
1924	I	Chamonix	25 January – 5 February 1924	6 (9)	258	247	11	16	16	Norway
1928	II	St. Moritz	11–19 February 1928	4 (8)	464	438	26	14	25	Norway
1932	III	Lake Placid	4–15 February 1932	4 (7)	252	231	21	14	17	United States
1936	IV	Garmisch-Partenkirchen	6–16 February 1936	4 (8)	646	566	80	17	28	Norway
1940		Awarded to Japan (Sapporo); cancelled due to World War II
1944		Awarded to Italy (Cortina d'Ampezzo); cancelled due to World War II
1948	V	St. Moritz	30 January – 8 February 1948	4 (9)	669	592	77	22	28	Norway  Sweden
1952	VI	Oslo	14–25 February 1952	4 (8)	694	585	109	22	30	Norway
1956	VII	Cortina d'Ampezzo	26 January – 5 February 1956	4 (8)	821	687	134	24	32	Soviet Union
1960	VIII	Squaw Valley	18–28 February 1960	4 (8)	665	521	144	27	30	Soviet Union
1964	IX	Innsbruck	29 January – 9 February 1964	6 (10)	1,091	892	199	34	36	Soviet Union
1968	X	Grenoble	6–18 February 1968	6 (10)	1,158	947	211	35	37	Norway
1972	XI	Sapporo	3–13 February 1972	6 (10)	1,006	801	205	35	35	Soviet Union
1976	XII	Innsbruck	4–15 February 1976	6 (10)	1,123	892	231	37	37	Soviet Union
1980	XIII	Lake Placid	13–24 February 1980	6 (10)	1,072	840	232	38	37	Soviet Union
1984	XIV	Sarajevo	8–19 February 1984	6 (10)	1,272	998	274	39	49	East Germany
1988	XV	Calgary	13–28 February 1988	6 (10)	1,423	1,122	301	46	57	Soviet Union
1992	XVI	Albertville	8–23 February 1992	6 (12)	1,801	1,313	488	57	64	Germany
1994	XVII	Lillehammer	12–27 February 1994	6 (12)	1,737	1,215	522	61	67	Russia
1998	XVIII	Nagano	7–22 February 1998	7 (14)	2,176	1,389	787	68	72	Germany
2002	XIX	Salt Lake City	8–24 February 2002	7 (15)	2,399	1,513	886	78	78	Norway
2006	XX	Turin	10–26 February 2006	7 (15)	2,508	1,548	960	84	80	Germany
2010	XXI	Vancouver	12–28 February 2010	7 (15)	2,566	1,522	1,044	86	82	Canada
2014	XXII	Sochi	7–23 February 2014	7 (15)	2,873	1,714	1,159	98	88	Norway
2018	XXIII	Pyeongchang	9–25 February 2018	7 (15)	2,922	1,680	1,242	102	92+1	Norway
2022'	XXIV	Beijing	4–20 February 2022	7 (15)	2,861	1,573	1,288	109	91	Norway
2026	XXV	Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo	6–22 February 2026	8 (16)	2,871	1,533	1,338	116	TBA	TBA
2030	XXVI	French Alps	1–17 February 2030	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
2034	XXVII	Utah	10–26 February 2034	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA

See also

In Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno para niños