Description

The modern Olympic Games, known in French as Jeux olympiques, stand as the premier international sporting events that host competitions in both summer and winter sports. Thousands of athletes from across the globe participate in a diverse range of contests, making the Olympic Games the foremost sports competition worldwide. With over 200 teams representing sovereign states and territories, the Games typically serve as a substitute for any World Championships in the year of their occurrence (although each class typically maintains its own records). Held every four years since 1896, the Olympic Games have alternated between the Summer and Winter Olympics every two years since 1994 within the four-year cycle.