Multi-sport event
Encyclopedia
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
ing event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from (mostly) nation-state
Nation-state
The nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity...
s. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Many regional multi-sport events have since been founded and modeled after the Olympics. Most have the same basic structure. Games are held over the course of several days in and around a "host city," which changes for each competition. Countries send national teams to each competition, consisting of individual athletes and teams that compete in a wide variety of sports. Athletes or teams are awarded gold
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
, silver
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
or bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
s for first, second and third place respectively. The games are generally held every four years, though some are annual competitions.
History
The Tailteann GamesTailteann Games
The Tailteann Games were an ancient sporting event held in Ireland in honour of the goddess Tailtiu. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion....
, held near modern Telltown
Telltown
Telltown is an outdated place name in County Meath, Ireland, for the area between Navan and Kells. It was named for the Irish mythological figure or goddess, Tailtiu...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, was one of the first multi-sport festivals to be recorded, and its history can be traced back to 1829 BC. These games were a thirty-day meeting which included footraces and stone-throwing
Stone put
The stone put is one of the main Scottish heavy athletic events at modern-day Highland games gatherings. Similar to the shot put, the stone put more frequently uses an ordinary stone or rock instead of a steel ball...
events among other events. The Ancient Olympic Games, first held in 776 BC, was the precursor to the Modern Olympic Games, although its first edition only featured a footrace and the number of sporting competitions expanded at later editions.
There were several other "games" held in Europe in the classical era
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
:
- Panhellenic GamesPanhellenic GamesPanhellenic Games is the collective term for four separate sports festivals held in ancient Greece. The four Games were:-Description:The Games took place in a four-year cycle known as the Olympiad, which was one of the ways the Greeks measured time...
:- The Pythian GamesPythian GamesThe Pythian Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, a forerunner of the modern Olympic Games, held every four years at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi....
(founded 527 BC) held in DelphiDelphiDelphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
every four years - The Nemean GamesNemean GamesThe Nemean Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were held at Nemea every two years ....
(founded 516 BC) held in Argolid every two years - The Isthmian GamesIsthmian GamesThe Isthmian Games or Isthmia were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the isthmus of Corinth, where they were held...
(founded 523 BC) held on the Isthmus of CorinthIsthmus of CorinthThe Isthmus of Corinth is the narrow land bridge which connects the Peloponnese peninsula with the rest of the mainland of Greece, near the city of Corinth. The word "isthmus" comes from the Ancient Greek word for "neck" and refers to the narrowness of the land. The Isthmus was known in the ancient...
every two years
- The Pythian Games
- The Roman Games – Arising from Etruscan rather than purely Greek roots, the Roman Games deemphasized footraces and throwing. Instead, the Greek sports of chariot racing and wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat, took center stage.
Other multi-sport festivals emerged in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in Europe, including the Cotswold Olimpick Games in England in the 1600s, the Highland games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and the Olympiade de la République in France in the 1800s.
Audience
Since the establishment of the Olympics, most serial multi-sport events have been organized for specific audiences and participating countries or communities. These affliations include:- regional, such as the East Asian GamesEast Asian GamesThe East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
and the South American GamesSouth American GamesThe South American Games , formerly the Southern Cross Games are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from South America, organized by the South American Sports Organization .The first... - political, such as the SpartakiadSpartakiadSpartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to use to both oppose and supplement the Olympics...
and the GANEFOGANEFOThe Games of the New Emerging Forces were the games set up by Indonesia in late 1962 as a counter to the Olympic Games. Established for the athletes of the so-called "emerging nations" , GANEFO made it clear in its constitution that politics and sport were intertwined; this ran against the... - historic or historicultural roots, such as the Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
(for members of the Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
) and the Jeux de la FrancophonieJeux de la FrancophonieThe Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
(for members of La FrancophonieLa FrancophonieFrancophonie is an international organization of politics and governments with French as the mother or customary language, where a significant proportion of people are francophones , or where there is a notable affiliation with the French language or culture.Formally known as the Organisation...
) - ethnocultural or ethnoreligious, such as the Pan-Armenian GamesPan-Armenian GamesThe Pan-Armenian Games are a multi-sport event, held between competitors from the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. They consist of various competitions in individual and team sports among the Armenian athletes...
(for ethnic communities of Armenians both in Armenia and in other countries) and the Maccabiah GamesMaccabiah GamesThe Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
(for communities of Jews of both ethnic and religious origins) - religious, such as the Islamic Solidarity GamesIslamic Solidarity GamesThe Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games involve the elite athletes of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference...
and the previously mentioned Maccabiah Games - occupational, such as the Military World GamesMilitary World GamesThe Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council . The Games have been held since 1995, although championships for separate sports had been held for some years. A winter edition of the games has been recently created...
, the World Police and Fire GamesWorld Police and Fire GamesThisWorld Police and Fire Games are a biennial athletic event open to active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout the world...
and the UniversiadeUniversiadeThe Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"... - physical disabilities, such as the Paralympics, the DeaflympicsDeaflympicsThe Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
and the Special Olympics World GamesSpecial Olympics World GamesThe Special Olympics World Games are an international sporting competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, organized by Special Olympics.... - human age, such as the World Masters GamesWorld Masters GamesThe World Masters Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years which, in terms of competitor numbers, has developed into the largest of its kind....
, Commonwealth Youth GamesCommonwealth Youth GamesThe Commonwealth Youth Games are a small-scale version of the Commonwealth Games, designed for the youth of the 71 Commonwealth countries.-History:...
and the Senior OlympicsSenior OlympicsThe National Senior Games or "Senior Olympics" is a sports competition for seniors from the United States. It is a multi-sport event specifically devoted to adults aged 50+ . It is composed of regional competitions held yearly in all American states... - gender and sexual orientation, such as the Women's Islamic GamesWomen's Islamic GamesThe Women's Islamic Games is an international multi-sport event started in 1993. The event is organised by the Islamic Federation of Women's Sport ....
and the Gay GamesGay GamesThe Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
Olympic Games
The first modern multi-sport event organised were the Olympic Games, organised by the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) (est. 1894) for the first time in 1896 in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. After some badly organized celebrations (1900, 1904), the Olympics became very popular. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing.
Paralympic Games
The Paralmypics Games is the largest multi-sport event involving athletes with physical disabilities, and is organised by the International Paralympic CommitteeInternational Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
(IPC). Arranged for the first time in 1960 in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing.
Other events
At the beginning of the 20th century, another multi-sport event, the Nordic GamesNordic Games
The Nordic Games was the first international multi-sport event that focused primarily on winter sports, and was held at varying intervals between 1901 and 1926. It was organized by Sweden’s Central Association for the Promotion of Sports, and more specifically by Viktor Balck, a member of that...
were first held. These Games were held in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and the sports conducted were winter sports such as cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
. The Nordic Games were last held in 1926, after which the 1924 Winter Sports Week in Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
was declared the first Olympic Winter Games.
In the 1920s, all kinds of other multi-sport events were set up. These were usually directed for a selected group of athletes, rather than everybody, which was — basically — the case with the Olympic Games. The Soviets organised the first Spartakiad
Spartakiad
Spartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to use to both oppose and supplement the Olympics...
in 1920, a communist alternative to the 'bourgeois' Olympic Games, and in 1922 the University Olympia was organised in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the forerunner of the World University Games, meant for students only. Regional Games were another kind of multi-sport event that was established, such as the Far Eastern Championship Games
Far Eastern Championship Games
The Far Eastern Championship Games was a small Asian multi-sport competition considered to be a precursor to the Asian Games....
or the Central American and Caribbean Games
Central American and Caribbean Games
The Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics...
.
List of major international competitions
The Olympic Games are still the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of worldwide interest and importance (though no longer in participation), but several others also have significance.Worldwide events
Multi-sports events for non-Olympic sports- World GamesWorld GamesThe World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
, held first in 1981, stage many sports (though not all) that are not Olympic sports. The World Games is therefore sometimes also unofficially called Olympics for non-Olympic sports. (They cannot be called "Olympic" games without infringing on the Olympic committees' trademarks.) - World Mind Sports GamesWorld Mind Sports GamesThe first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...
, first held in 2008 for games of skill (e.g. chess, go, etc.) - The X GamesX GamesThe X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
and Winter X Games, which highlight extreme action sports.
By occupation
- World University GamesUniversiadeThe Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
(also called Universiade), held first in 1923, for students at universities worldwide - Military World GamesMilitary World GamesThe Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council . The Games have been held since 1995, although championships for separate sports had been held for some years. A winter edition of the games has been recently created...
, held first in 1995, for military athletes from over 100 countries - World Police and Fire GamesWorld Police and Fire GamesThisWorld Police and Fire Games are a biennial athletic event open to active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout the world...
, begun in 1985, for law enforcement officers and firefighters worldwide; third only to the World Masters Games and Summer Olympics in number of participants.
By organisation and language
- Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, held first in 1930 (although similar games in 1911) for all nations from the Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states... - Commonwealth Youth GamesCommonwealth Youth GamesThe Commonwealth Youth Games are a small-scale version of the Commonwealth Games, designed for the youth of the 71 Commonwealth countries.-History:...
, began in 2000. - Francophone GamesJeux de la FrancophonieThe Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
, held first in 1989, for nations that speak FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... - Lusophony GamesLusophony GamesThe Lusophony Games is a multinational multi-sport event organized by the ACOLOP, which involves athletes coming from Lusophone countries, namely those belonging to the CPLP , but also others where there are significant Portuguese communities or that have a common past with Portugal.Participating...
, begun in 2006, for PortuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
-speaking countries. - Pan Arab GamesPan Arab GamesThe Arab Games are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from the Arab World. They are organized by the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees. The first Games took place in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt. Intended to be held every four years since, political turmoil as well as financial...
, held first in 1953, for Arabic-speaking nations. - Islamic Solidarity GamesIslamic Solidarity GamesThe Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games involve the elite athletes of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference...
, first held in 2005, for all nations from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation - Women's Islamic GamesWomen's Islamic GamesThe Women's Islamic Games is an international multi-sport event started in 1993. The event is organised by the Islamic Federation of Women's Sport ....
, began in 1993.
By political and historical allegiance
- Bolivarian GamesBolivarian GamesThe Bolivarian Games are a regional multi-sport event held in honor of Simón Bolívar, and organized by the Bolivarian Sports Organization...
, began in 1938, for countries liberated by Simón BolívarSimón BolívarSimón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader... - Games of the Small States of EuropeGames of the Small States of EuropeThe Games of the Small States of Europe is a biennial, multi-sport event, launched by the Republic of San Marino, organized by and featuring the National Olympic Committees of eight European small states since 1985...
held first in 1985, for eight small states in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... - Island GamesIsland GamesThe Island Games are an international multi-sports event organized by the International Island Games Association.- History :The Island Games began in 1985 as the Inter-Island Games, as part of the Isle of Man International Year of Sport, and were intended to be a one-off sporting celebration only...
, first held in 1985, for teams from several islands and other small territories. - Goodwill GamesGoodwill GamesThe Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, held first in 1986, held as an alternative after the boycotted Olympics of 1980 and 1984. (Final edition was held in 2001) - SpartakiadSpartakiadSpartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to use to both oppose and supplement the Olympics...
, a defunct event involving athletes from the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... - Games of the New Emerging Forces, held first in 1963 in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the so-called "emerging nations" (mainly newly independent socialist states).
By national origin and national descent
- *Pan-Armenian GamesPan-Armenian GamesThe Pan-Armenian Games are a multi-sport event, held between competitors from the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. They consist of various competitions in individual and team sports among the Armenian athletes...
, began in 1999.
By ethnicity
- Maccabiah GamesMaccabiah GamesThe Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
, first held in 1932, for Jewish athletes worldwide.
Other
- Gay GamesGay GamesThe Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
and World OutGamesWorld OutgamesThe World Outgames are a sporting and cultural event hosted by the gay community. With over 12,000 participants, the 1st World Outgames, held in 2006, was the largest international event to be held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since the 1976 Summer Olympiad. These first Outgames were not as...
held first in 1982 and 2006, for the worldwide gay communityGay communityThe gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
. - World Masters GamesWorld Masters GamesThe World Masters Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years which, in terms of competitor numbers, has developed into the largest of its kind....
, first held in 1985, for mature athletes. Most participants of any multi-sport event, with approximately twice as many competitors as the Summer Olympics. - European Masters GamesEuropean Masters GamesThe European Masters Games is a multi-sport event, consisting of summer sports, that is held every four years. The age categories vary depending on the sport but the competition is generally for people 30-35 years or older. The first games were held in 2008 in Malmö, Sweden. The European Masters...
, first held in 2008, for mature athletes (generally for 30-35 years or older, dependent on sport).
Regional events
- All-Africa GamesAll-Africa GamesThe All-Africa Games, sometimes called the African Games or the Pan African Games, are a regional multi-sport event held every four years, organized by the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa...
, held first in 1965, for all AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n nations - Afro-Asian GamesAfro-Asian GamesThe Afro-Asian Games are a series of inter-continental multi-sport competitions, held between athletes from Asia and Africa. These Games are one-of-a-kind, since no other sporting competition brings athletes from these two continents together for one event, excluding the Olympic Games. These Games...
, first held in 2003 in India. - Australasian Police and Emergency Services GamesAustralasian Police and Emergency Services GamesThe Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games is a bi-annual, week long event with 40 sports. It is next due to be held in Lower Hutt, New Zealand in 2012....
, both by regional and by occupations. - Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, held first in 1951, for all nations of the AmericasAmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily... - Central American and Caribbean GamesCentral American and Caribbean GamesThe Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics...
, held first in 1926, every 4 years for nations in the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and/or borderind the Caribbean seaCaribbean SeaThe Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles.... - Central American GamesCentral American GamesThe Central American Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics. The Games are for countries in Central America.-Editions:- References :*...
, held first in 1973 for countries in the Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent... - Caribbean Games, proposed to be held first in June 2009 for countries in the Caribbean seaCaribbean SeaThe Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, suspended by the swine flu fears, was scheduled in Netherlands Antiles in May 2011. Now rescheduled for 2013 - South American GamesSouth American GamesThe South American Games , formerly the Southern Cross Games are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from South America, organized by the South American Sports Organization .The first...
, began in 1978. - Arafura GamesArafura GamesThe Arafura Games is a Multi-sport event held every 2 years in the Australian city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. It is an international event which draws its competitors from around the world. First held in 1991, the most recent Games, held in 2009, involved over 30 nations and over 3,000...
, held first in 1991 and hosted in the OceaniaOceaniaOceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
region. - Asian GamesAsian GamesThe Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
, held first in 1951, for all AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n nations - Southeast Asian GamesSoutheast Asian GamesThe Southeast Asian Games , is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia...
, held first in 1959, for nations in Southeast AsiaSoutheast AsiaSoutheast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic... - East Asian GamesEast Asian GamesThe East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
, for nations in East AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms... - West Asian GamesWest Asian GamesWest Asian Games are a bi-annual multi-sport event held among the athletes from West Asia.At present, WAG are joined by thirteen members namely Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.The West Asian Games were first...
, for nations in West Asia - Central Asian GamesCentral Asian GamesThe Central Asian Games, inaugurated in 1995, is a multi-sport event held biennially among athletes from the five Central Asian republics formerly members of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics....
, for nations in Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north... - South Asian Games, for nations in South AsiaSouth AsiaSouth Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
- European Youth Olympic FestivalEuropean Youth Olympic FestivalEuropean Youth Olympic Festival, known by its initials EYOF, is a biennial multi-sport event for youth athletes from the 48 member countries of the association of European Olympic Committees. EYOF has a summer edition, held for the first time in Brussels in 1991, and a winter edition, which began...
(EYOF), for youth athletes from Europe, began in 1991 (summer) and 1993 (winter). - Mediterranean GamesMediterranean GamesThe Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first...
, held first in 1951, for all nations bordering the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... - South Pacific GamesSouth Pacific GamesThe Pacific Games is a multi-sport event, much like the Olympics , with participation exclusively from countries around the South Pacific. It is held every four years and began in 1963, hosted by Suva, Fiji.- Concept :The idea of holding the South Pacific Games originated with Dr A.H...
, held first in 1963 for countries around the South PacificAustralasiaAustralasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes... - Arctic Winter GamesArctic Winter GamesThe Arctic Winter Games is an international biennial celebration of circumpolar sports and culture.-Background:The Arctic Winter Games were founded in 1969 under the leadership of Governor Walter J. Hickel of Alaska, Stuart M. Hodgson, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, and Yukon...
, held first in 1970, an international biennial celebration of circumpolar north and artic sports and culture - Indian Ocean Island GamesIndian Ocean Island GamesThe Indian Ocean Island Games is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Indian Ocean islands. The Games was adopted by the International Olympic Committee in 1976 and currently gather the islands of Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, Réunion and the...
, held first in 1979, for all islands in the Indian OceanIndian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
National events
- National Games of the People's Republic of ChinaNational Games of the People's Republic of ChinaThe National Games of the People's Republic of China , sometimes known as the All China Games , is the premier sports event in China at national level. It is usually held once every four years, most recently in October 2009, when the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China took place...
, perhaps the oldest national games with a history dating back to 1910 - Korean National Sports FestivalKorean National Sports FestivalThe Korean National Sports Festival is an annual sports competition held in South Korea.For a full week each October, about 20,000 athletes representing 16 cities and provinces throughout the country compete in about 40 separate sports. The site rotates among the major cities, including Seoul,...
, held first in 1920, for provinces in South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... - National Sports Festival of JapanNational Sports Festival of Japanis the national premier sports event of Japan. The abbreviated name is Kokutai . The 65th National Sports Festival of Japan was held in October 2010 in Chiba Prefecture.- Emperor's Cup and Empress Cup Champions :...
- National Games of IndiaNational Games of IndiaThe National Games of India is a sporting event held in India. It comprises various disciplines in which sportsmen from the different states of India participate against each other. It was in 1924, in erstwhile Punjab, that the Indian chapter of the Olympic movement was born. The founder was G.D....
, started in 1924 as "Indian Olympics Games." - Palarong PambansaPalarong PambansaThe Palarong Pambansa is an annual multi-sport event involving participants from the different regions of the Philippines....
in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Pekan Olahraga NasionalPekan Olahraga NasionalThe Pekan Olahraga Nasional is a multi-sport event held every four years in Indonesia...
in IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... - Canada GamesCanada GamesThe Canada Games is a high-level multi-sport event with a National Artists Program held every two years in Canada, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. Athletes are strictly amateur only, and represent their province or territory.The Games were first held in 1967...
- SUKMA GamesSukma GamesSukma Games is a sporting event in Malaysia held once every two years. Sukma is an acronym for Sukan Malaysia; literally Malaysian Games. The first Games was held in 1986 in Kuala Lumpur...
in Malaysia - State Games of AmericaState Games of AmericaThe State Games of America is a biennial amateur multi-sport event held in North America. It is organized by the National Congress of State Games. Athletes qualify for the Games by earning a medal in their respective State Games in the previous two years...
in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - AAU Junior Olympic Games in the United States, held first in 1967
Disability
Other Games are intended for handicapped or disabled athletes. The International Silent GamesDeaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
, held in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1924, were the first Games for deaf athletes. The Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, incepted in 1948 in England, were the first Games for wheelchair athletes. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
were held, connected with the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. The Special Olympics World Games
Special Olympics World Games
The Special Olympics World Games are an international sporting competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, organized by Special Olympics....
, for athletes with intellectual disabilities, were first held in 1968.