Claim: Every two years the Olympics occur.

The modern Olympic Games or Olympics -LRB- Jeux olympiques -RRB- are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions . The Olympic Games are considered the world 's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating . The Olympic Games are held every four years , with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart .   Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games , which were held in Olympia , Greece , from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD . Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee -LRB- IOC -RRB- in 1894 , leading to the first modern Games in Athens in 1896 . The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement , with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority .   The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games . Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for ice and winter sports , the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability , and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes . The IOC has had to adapt to a variety of economic , political , and technological advancements . As a result , the Olympics has shifted away from pure amateurism , as envisioned by Coubertin , to allowing participation of professional athletes . The growing importance of mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercialisation of the Games . World wars led to the cancellation of the 1916 , 1940 , and 1944 Games . Large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Games .   The Olympic Movement consists of international sports federations -LRB- IFs -RRB- , National Olympic Committees -LRB- NOCs -RRB- , and organising committees for each specific Olympic Games . As the decision-making body , the IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for each Games , and organises and funds the Games according to the Olympic Charter . The IOC also determines the Olympic programme , consisting of the sports to be contested at the Games . There are several Olympic rituals and symbols , such as the Olympic flag and torch , as well as the opening and closing ceremonies . Over 13,000 athletes compete at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events . The first , second , and third-place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals : gold , silver , and bronze , respectively .   The Games have grown so much that nearly every nation is now represented . This growth has created numerous challenges and controversies , including boycotts , doping , bribery , and a terrorist attack in 1972 . Every two years the Olympics and its media exposure provide unknown athletes with the chance to attain national and sometimes international fame . The Games also constitute an opportunity for the host city and country to showcase themselves to the world .