Claim: The Olympic Games has 33 different sports, including tennis and figure skating.

Olympic sports are sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games . The 2016 Summer Olympics included 28 sports , with five additional sports due to be added to the 2020 Summer Olympics . The 2014 Winter Olympics included seven sports . The number and kinds of events may change slightly from one Olympiad to another . Each Olympic sport is represented by an international governing body , namely an International Federation -LRB- IF -RRB- . The International Olympic Committee -LRB- IOC -RRB- establishes a hierarchy of sports , disciplines , and events . According to this hierarchy , the Olympic sports can be subdivided into multiple disciplines , which are often assumed to be distinct sports . Examples include swimming and water polo -LRB- disciplines of aquatics , represented by the International Swimming Federation -RRB- , or figure skating and speed skating -LRB- disciplines of skating , represented by the International Skating Union -RRB- . In their turn , disciplines can be subdivided into events , for which medals are actually awarded . A sport or discipline is included in the Olympic program if the IOC determines it is widely practiced around the world , that is , the number of countries that compete in a given sport is the indicator of the sport 's prevalence . The IOC 's requirements reflect participation in the Olympic Games as well -- more stringent toward men -LRB- as they are represented in higher numbers -RRB- and summer sports -LRB- as more nations compete in the Summer Olympics -RRB- .   Previous Olympic Games included sports which are no longer present on the current program , like polo and tug of war . These sports , known as `` discontinued sports '' , were later removed either because of lack of interest or absence of an appropriate governing body . Archery and tennis are examples of sports that were competed at the early Games and were later dropped by the IOC , but managed to return to the Olympic program -LRB- in 1972 and 1988 , respectively -RRB- . Demonstration sports have often been included in the Olympic Games , usually to promote a local sport from the host country or to gauge interest and support for the sport . Some such sports , like baseball and curling , were added to the official Olympic program -LRB- in 1992 and 1998 , respectively -RRB- . Baseball , however , was discontinued after the 2008 Summer Olympics .