Query: Which capitals in Europe were host cities of the summer olympic games?

Relevant passages:
1896 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1896 Summer Olympics (Modern Greek: Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 1896, Therinoí Olympiakoí Agó̱nes 1896), officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era. Because Ancient Greece was the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Athens was considered to be an appropriate choice to stage the inaugural modern Games.

1904 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from  August 29 until  September 3, 1904, as part of an extended sports program lasting from July 1 to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

1916 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1916 Summer Olympics (German: Olympische Sommerspiele 1916), officially known as the Games of the VI Olympiad, were scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany, but were eventually cancelled due to the outbreak of World War I. Berlin was selected as the host city during the 14th IOC Session in Stockholm on 4 July 1912, defeating bids from Alexandria, Amsterdam, Brussels, Budapest and Cleveland. After the 1916 Games were cancelled, Berlin would eventually host the 1936 Summer Olympics.

1920 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1920 Summer Olympics (Dutch: Olympische Zomerspelen 1920; French: Les Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; German: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.In March 1912, during the 13th session of the IOC, the bid on the behalf of Belgium to host the 1920 Summer Olympics was made by Baron Édouard de Laveleye, president of the Belgian Olympic Committee and of the Royal Belgian Football Association.

1932 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations and athletes were unable to pay for the trip to Los Angeles. Fewer than half the participants of the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam returned to compete in 1932. Even U.S.

1936 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: Olympische Sommerspiele 1936), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event that was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain, on 26 April 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona (two years before the Nazis came to power).

1940 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1940 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XII Olympiad (第十二回オリンピック競技大会, Dai Jūni-kai Orinpikku Kyōgi Taikai), and originally scheduled to be held from 21 September to 6 October 1940, in Tokyo, Japan, were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II.

1944 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1944 Summer Olympics, which were to be officially known as the Games of the XIII Olympiad, were cancelled due to World War II. They were to have been held in London, England, United Kingdom, which won the bid on the first ballot in a June 1939 IOC election over Rome, Detroit, Lausanne, Athens, Budapest, Helsinki and Montreal.

1948 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin. The 1940 Games had been scheduled for Tokyo, and then for Helsinki; the 1944 Games had been provisionally planned for London.

1952 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1952 Summer Olympics (Finnish: Kesäolympialaiset 1952) (Swedish: Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland, in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier selected to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II. It is the northernmost city at which a summer Olympic Games have been held.

1956 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1956, apart from the equestrian events, which were held five months earlier in Stockholm. The 1956 Games were the first to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere and Oceania, as well as the first to be held outside Europe and North America. Melbourne is the southernmost city to host the games.

1960 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad (Italian: Giochi della XVII Olimpiade), was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had been awarded the organization of the 1908 Summer Olympics, but after the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, was forced to decline and pass the honors to London.

1968 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1968 Summer Olympics (Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico, in October 1968.These were the first Olympic Games to be staged in Latin America and the first to be staged in a Spanish-speaking country. They were also the third Games to be held in autumn, after the 1956 Games in Melbourne and the 1964 Games in Tokyo.

1968 Summer Paralympics <=SEP=> The 1968 Summer Paralympics (Hebrew: המשחקים הפאראלימפיים ה-3‎) were the third Paralympic Games to be held. Organised under the guidance of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), they were known as the 17th International Stoke Mandeville Games at the time. The games were originally planned to be held alongside the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, but in 1966, the Mexican government decided against it due to difficulties.

1976 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially called the Games of the XXI Olympiad (French: Les XXIes olympiques d'été), was an international multi-sport event in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976; the first Olympic Games hosted by Canada. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and Los Angeles. Calgary and Vancouver would later host Winter Olympic Games in Canada.

1980 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (Russian: И́гры XXII Олимпиа́ды, tr. Igry XXII Olimpiady), was an international multi-sport event held in Moscow, Soviet Union, in present day Russia.The 1980 Games were the first to be staged in Eastern Europe, and remain the only Summer Olympics held there.Led by the United States at the insistence of U.S.

1984 Summer Paralympics <=SEP=> The 1984 International Games for the Disabled, canonically the 1984 Summer Paralympics were the seventh Paralympic Games to be held.

1988 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad (Hangul: 서울 하계 올림픽; hanja: 서울 夏季 올림픽; RR: Seoul Hagye Ollimpik), were an international multi-sport event celebrated from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, in which 2 years before, the Asian Games were celebrated, which took place from  20 September – 5 October 1986. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.

1992 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1992 Summer Olympic Games (Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992; Catalan: Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain in 1992, and  which 10 years before, 1982 FIFA World Cup were celebrated in Spain for 13 June to 11 July 1982.

1996 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 1996 Summer Olympics (French: Les Jeux olympiques d'été de 1996), known officially as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially as the Centennial Olympics, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, from July 19 to August 4, 1996. A record 197 nations, all current IOC member nations, took part in the Games, comprising 10,318 athletes.

2000 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 2000 Summer Olympic Games (French: Les Jeux olympiques d'été de 2000), officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and commonly known as Sydney 2000 or the Millennium Olympic Games/Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

2002 Commonwealth Games <=SEP=> The 2002 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVII Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England, from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The 2002 Games were to be hosted in the United Kingdom to coincide with the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, head of the Commonwealth, and Manchester was selected for the 2002 Games ahead of London.

2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games <=SEP=> The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games were hosted in Ireland, with participants staying in various host towns around the island in the lead up to the games before moving to Dublin for the events. Events were held from 21–29 June 2003 at many venues including Morton Stadium, the Royal Dublin Society, the National Basketball Arena, all in Dublin. Croke Park served as the central stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies, even though no competitions took place there.

2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games <=SEP=> The 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games were held in Shanghai, China.

2008 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (Chinese: 第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会; pinyin: Dì Èrshíjiǔ Jiè Xiàjì Àolínpǐkè Yùndònghuì) and commonly known as Beijing 2008, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from 8 to 24 August 2008. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events (a total of one event more than the schedule of the 2004 Games).

2009 Mediterranean Games <=SEP=> The 2009 Mediterranean Games, officially the XVI Mediterranean Games (Italian: XVI Giochi del Mediterraneo) and commonly known as Pescara 2009, was a multi-sport event held in Pescara, Italy, from 26 June to 5 July 2009. It was governed by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG) (French: Comité international des Jeux méditerranéens). A total of 3,368 athletes (2,183 men and 1,185 women) from 23 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in the Games.

2010 FEI World Equestrian Games <=SEP=> The 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games (officially the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games) were held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. from September 25 to October 10, 2010. This was the sixth edition of the games, which are held every four years and run by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). For the first time, Para-equestrian events were added in the program.

2010 Summer Youth Olympics <=SEP=> The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics (Chinese: 第一屆夏季青年奧林匹克運動會; pinyin: Dì Yī Jiè Xiàjì Qīngnián Àolínpǐkè Yùndònghuì Tamil: 2010 கோடைக்கால இளையோர் ஒலிம்பிக் விளையாட்டுக்கள் 2010 Kōṭaikkāla Iḷaiyōr Olimpik Viḷaiyāṭṭukkaḷ Malay: Sukan Olimpik Belia Musim Panas 2010) were the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), an international multi-sport and cultural event for youths based on the tradition of the Olympic Games.

2010 Summer Youth Olympics torch relay <=SEP=> The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics torch relay was run from 23 July until 14 August 2010, prior to the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics held in Singapore. The torch relay was termed The Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame, or JYOF, by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).

2012 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 2012 Summer Olympics, formally the Games of the XXX Olympiad and commonly known as London 2012, was a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It took place in London, United Kingdom and to a lesser extent across the country from 25 July to 12 August 2012.

2015 European Games <=SEP=> The 2015 European Games, also known as Baku 2015 or Baku 2015 European Games (Azerbaijani: Bakı 2015 Avropa Oyunları), were the inaugural edition of the European Games, an international multi-sport event for athletes representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Europe. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 12 to 28 June 2015, and featured almost 6,000 athletes from 50 countries competing in 20 sports.

2016 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 2016 Summer Olympics (Portuguese: Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are the thirty-first Summer Olympic Games, the world's largest international multi-sport event that is held every four years. The 2016 Summer Olympics are commonly known as Rio 2016, as this competition will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.The host city of Rio de Janeiro was announced at the 121st IOC Session held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 October 2009.

2018 Summer Youth Olympics <=SEP=> The Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games (Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de 2018) is the third edition of the Summer Youth Olympics, a major international sports in which culture and education are also of great importance, are due to be celebrated in the tradition of the Summer Olympic Games on 1-12 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2019 European Games <=SEP=> The 2019 European Games is scheduled to be the second edition of the European Games, a multi-sport event for European athletes, and was proposed to be held in the Netherlands. On 10 June 2015, the Netherlands pulled out of hosting this 2019 Games, citing high cost and insufficient support for the event.

2024 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, are a forthcoming international multi-sport event. Bidding for the games started in 2015, and the host of the Summer Olympic Games will be announced at the 130th International Olympic Committee IOC Session in Lima, Peru in September 2017.

Amsterdam <=SEP=> Amsterdam (English /ˈæmstərdæm/ or /ˌæmstərˈdæm/; Dutch: [ˌʔɑmstərˈdɑm]) is the capital city and most populous city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its status as the Dutch capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands though it is not the seat of the Dutch government, which is The Hague. Amsterdam has a population of 825,080 within the city proper, 1,317,663  in the urban area and 1,590,520 in the metropolitan area. The city region has an approximate population of 2,431,000.

Argentina at the Olympics <=SEP=> Argentina first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900. It has participated at all subsequent Summer Olympics except 1904, 1912 and, owing to its regime’s support for the Moscow boycott, 1980.

Astana <=SEP=> Astana (/əsˈtɑːnə/, US /æsˈtɑːnə/; Kazakh: Астана [astaˈna]) is the capital of Kazakhstan. It is located on the Ishim River in the north portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Region, though administrated separately from the region as the city with special status.

Athens <=SEP=> Athens (/ˈæθɨnz/; Modern Greek: Αθήνα, Athína, [aˈθina]; Ancient Greek: Ἀθῆναι, Athēnai) is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning around 3,400 years, and the earliest human presence around the 11th–7th millennium BC. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state that emerged in conjunction with the seagoing development of the port of Piraeus.

Australia at the Olympics <=SEP=> Australia has sent athletes to almost all editions of the modern Olympic Games.  Australia has competed in every Summer Olympic Games, and every Winter Olympic Games except for the 1948 edition. The Australian Olympic Committee was founded and recognised in 1895. Edwin Flack was the first athlete to represent Australia at the Olympics.

Baku <=SEP=> Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı, IPA: [bɑˈcɯ]) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea.

Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena, a part of the Hellinikon Olympic Complex, in Athens, for the preliminary rounds, with the later stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex.In each of these Olympic basketball tournaments, 12 teams take part. The host nation (Greece in 2004) automatically receives a berth in the tournament.

Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics was held from 28 July to 12 August 2012. The preliminary matches and the women's quarterfinal matches were played in the new Basketball Arena in  Olympic Park which seats up to 12,000 spectators. The men's knockout games and the women's games from semifinals onward were played in the North Greenwich Arena.The US men's and US women's teams both successfully defended their Olympic basketball championships of 2008.

Basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will be held from 6 to 21 August 2016. The preliminary and knockout matches for both men and women will be played inside the first hall of the Olympic Training Center in Olympic Park which seats up to 16,000 spectators.

Beijing <=SEP=> Beijing, formerly Peking, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world.  Its population in 2013 was 21,150,000. The city proper is the 3rd largest in the world. The metropolis, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government, with 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties.

Berlin <=SEP=> Berlin (/bərˈlɪn/, German: [bɛɐ̯ˈliːn]) is the capital of Germany and one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.5 million people, it is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of Rivers Spree and Havel, it is the centre of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has about six million residents from over 180 nations.

Bids for Olympic Games <=SEP=> National Olympic Committees select from within their national territory cities to put forward bids to host an Olympic Games. The staging of the Paralympic Games is automatically included in the bid.

Bids for the 2000 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Five cities made presentations to the IOC Session in Monte Carlo to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. These were awarded to Sydney, Australia, on 23 September 1993.

Bids for the 2008 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Ten cities submitted bids to host the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics that were recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), five of which made the IOC Executive Committee's shortlist. The games were awarded to Beijing, China on July 13, 2001. The other shortlisted cities were Toronto, Paris, Istanbul and Osaka. Beijing won an absolute majority of votes after two rounds of voting, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds of voting.

Bids for the 2010 Winter Olympics <=SEP=> Three cities made the shortlist with their bids to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics (also known as XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games), which were awarded to Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 2, 2003. The other shortlisted cities were Pyeongchang and Salzburg.

Bids for the 2012 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Nine cities submitting bids to host the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Paralympics were recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Committee shortlisted five of them—London, Madrid, Moscow, New York City, and Paris—from which London eventually prevailed; thus becoming the first city to host the Olympic Games for a third time. The bidding process for the 2012 Olympics was considered one of the most hotly contested in the history of the IOC.

Bids for the 2016 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Seven cities submitted bids for 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics on September 13, 2007, aiming to host the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. All of them were recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on September 14, 2007, becoming Applicant cities. Although several cities submitted to be in consideration to host the 2016 Olympics, including New York City and Los Angeles, on June 4, 2008, the IOC Executive Board shortlisted the four strongest bids to become Candidate cities.

Boston bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The Boston 2024 Partnership was a privately backed controversial bid to bring the 2024 Summer Olympics to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. The official proposal was submitted on December 1, 2014. On January 8, 2015, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) chose Boston to compete with candidates around the world, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will select the host city in 2017.Boston beat out Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC for the official US bid.

Brazil at the Olympics <=SEP=> Brazil first participated at the Olympic Games in 1920, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the 1928 Games.  Brazil has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games since 1992, though to this date no Brazilian athlete has won a medal in winter sports.Brazilian athletes have won a total of 108 medals, with volleyball, sailing and judo as the top medal-producing sports. 2012 was the year with more medals, 17, and 2004 had the most golds with 5.

Bulgaria at the Olympics <=SEP=> Bulgaria first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games, with a single gymnast.  However, since Charles Champaud was a Swiss national living in Sofia, some sources credit his appearance to Switzerland instead.The Bulgarian Olympic Committee was created in 1923 and first sent a team to the Summer Olympic Games in 1924.

Canada at the Olympics <=SEP=> Canada has sent athletes to every Winter Olympic Games and almost every Summer Olympic Games since its debut at the 1900 games with the exception of the 1980 Summer Olympics, which it boycotted. Canada has won at least one medal at every Olympics in which it has competed.

Canada at the Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Canada has competed at 23 Summer Olympic Games, missing only the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics and the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics.  The nation made its debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics.  Canada competes under the IOC country code CAN.Canada has hosted the Summer Olympic Games once, in 1976 in Montreal, and the Winter Olympic Games twice, in Calgary, Alberta in 1988 and Vancouver, British Columbia in 2010.

Cardiff <=SEP=> Cardiff (/ˈkɑrdɪf/; Welsh: Caerdydd  [kairˈdiːð, kaˑɨrˈdɨːð]) is the capital and largest city in Wales and the tenth largest city in the United Kingdom.  The city is the country's chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales.

Cost of the Olympic Games <=SEP=> The Cost of the Olympic Games is a unique megaproject of the host city and country to build the infrastructure and venues to host either the summer or winter games.  In modern times, budgets allotted to the hosting the Olympic games have reached into millions and billions of US dollars and often produces profits and losses of the host city.The table below is listing the not so hard costs of the Games.

Cuba at the Olympics <=SEP=> Cuba first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, and has sent athletes to compete in 19 of 27 Summer Olympic Games overall. Cuban athletes have won a total of 208 medals at the Summer Olympics. Cuban athletes have never participated in the Winter Olympic Games. Cuba is the most successful Olympic team (by total medals won) among those nations who never won medals at Winter Olympics. Cuba has yet to have hosted the Olympic Games.

Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Equestrian competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 21 at the Hong Kong Sports Institute and Sheung Yue River in Hong Kong. It was the second time the equestrian events were hosted by a member of the IOC other than the member hosting the main games. Unlike 1956, however, the equestrian events were part of the main games, and were held within the same period.

European Capital of Culture <=SEP=> The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension.Preparing a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for the city to generate considerable cultural, social and economic benefits and it can help foster urban regeneration, change the city's image and raise its visibility and profile on an international scale.In 1985, former actress Melina Mercouri, then Greece’s Minister of Culture, and her French counterpart Jack Lang came up with the idea of designating an annual Capital of Culture to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the richness and diversity of European cultures and raising awareness of their common history and values.The Commission of the European Union manages the title and each year the Council of Ministers of the European Union formally designates European Capitals of Culture: more than 40 cities have been designated so far.An international panel of cultural experts is in charge of assessing the proposals of cities for the title according to criteria specified by the European Union.A 2004 study conducted for the European Commission, know as the "Palmer report", demonstrated that the choice of European Capital of Culture served as a catalyst for the cultural development and the transformation of the city. @en <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Capital_of_Culture?oldid=682078964> .
<http://dbpedia.org/resource/Focke-Wulf_Ta_154> <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#comment> The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito was a fast twin-engined German night fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank and produced by Focke-Wulf during late World War II. Only a few were produced and proved to have less impressive performance than the prototypes.

Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The association football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics was held from 25 July to 11 August, and was the only sport to begin before the official opening day of the Olympic Games, two days before the opening ceremony. It was also the only sport to be held at multiple venues outside London (the host city of the Olympics), with Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Coventry and Cardiff all hosting matches. The finals were played at Wembley Stadium.

Glasgow bid for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics <=SEP=> Glasgow 2018 was a bid by the city of Glasgow and the British Olympic Association to host the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.

Guyana at the 1968 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> Guyana competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico.  The Games were hosted from October 13 through October 20, with 1,028 participants (785 men and 243 women) representing 92 countries.They fielded five competitors, all men.

Helsinki <=SEP=> Helsinki (/ˈhɛlsɪŋki/; Finnish pronunciation: [ˈhelsiŋki]; Swedish: Helsingfors) is the capital and largest city of Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. Helsinki has a population of 626,305, an urban population of 1.2 million (31 December 2013), and a metropolitan population of 1.4 million, making it the most populous municipality and urban area in Finland.

Istanbul <=SEP=> Istanbul (/ˌɪstænˈbʊl/; Turkish: İstanbul [isˈtanbuɫ]), once known as Constantinople, is the most populous city in Turkey, and the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosphorus strait between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.

Laura Hodges <=SEP=> Laura (née Summerton) Hodges (born 13 December 1983) is an Australian female professional basketball player, having played in Australia's Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), Europe, and the WNBA. She currently plays for the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL.She has been a member of Australia women's national basketball team, winning a pair of silver medals with the team at the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and a bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Lauren Jackson <=SEP=> Lauren Elizabeth Jackson AO (born 11 May 1981) is an Australian professional basketball player. The daughter of two national basketball team players, Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1997, when she was 16. In 1998, she led the AIS side that won the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) championship.

Lausanne <=SEP=> Lausanne (/loʊˈzæn/, French: [lozan], Italian: Losanna, Romansh: Losanna) is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and the capital of the canton of Vaud.  The city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman, or simply Le Léman). It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west.

List of Olympic Games host cities <=SEP=> Since the Modern Olympics began in 1896, there have been 27  Summer Olympic Games held in 22 different cities and 22 Winter Olympic Games held in 19 different cities. In addition, three summer and two winter editions of the Games were scheduled to take place but were later cancelled due to war: Berlin (summer) in 1916, Tokyo (summer) and Sapporo (winter) in 1940, and London (summer) and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy (winter) in 1944.

List of Olympic venues in athletics <=SEP=> For the Summer Olympics, there are 60 venues that have been or will be used for athletics. These venues have been the main stadium that has also served as host for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics.

List of Olympic venues in gymnastics <=SEP=> For the Summer Olympics, there are 34 venues that have been or will be used for gymnastics. Before World War II, the competitions were held outdoor. Since then with the exception of 1960, gymnastics have taken place indoors.

List of Paralympic Games host cities <=SEP=> Since the Paralympic Games began in 1960, there have been 14 Summer Paralympic Games held in 14 separate cities and 11 Winter Paralympic Games held in 10 separate cities. Three cities have been chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to host upcoming Games; Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Paralympics, PyeongChang for the 2018 Winter Paralympics, Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Paralympics and Beijing for the 2022 Winter Paralympics.

List of Summer Olympics venues: M–N <=SEP=> For the Summer Olympics, there were a total of 45 venues starting with the letter 'M' and 19 venues starting with the letter 'N'.

List of bids for the Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The Summer Olympics are the world's largest multi-sport event, and are organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) every four years. Selection of the host city is done at an IOC Session four to seven years prior to the tournament, in which the IOC members vote between candidate cities which have submitted bids. As of the selection of the 2016 Olympics, 28 games have been held in 22 cities in 19 countries.

List of bids for the Winter Olympics <=SEP=> The Winter Olympics are a multi-sport event in winter sports organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) every four years. Selection of the host city is done at an IOC Session four to seven years prior to the tournament, in which the IOC members vote between candidate cities which have submitted bids. As of the selection of the 2018 Olympics, 23 games have been held in 20 cities in 11 countries. Bids have been made by 56 cities in 23 countries.The bid process consists of two rounds.

List of bids for the Youth Olympics <=SEP=> The Youth Olympics are a multi-sport event organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) every two years, alternating between Summer Youth Olympics and Winter Youth Olympics. Selection  of the host city is done by postal voting by the members of the IOC four to five years prior to the tournament, in which the IOC members vote between candidate cities which have submitted bids.

List of people who have opened the Olympic Games <=SEP=> The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event featuring both summer and winter sports, held every two years with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. During Olympic Games opening ceremonies, the sitting president of the International Olympic Committee will make a speech before inviting a representative from the host country to officially declare that particular Games open.

London <=SEP=> London /ˈlʌndən/ is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its 1.12-square-mile (2.9 km2) medieval boundaries and in 2011 had a resident population of 7,375, making it the smallest city in England.

London Olympics <=SEP=> London hosted the Olympic Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012. The 2012 Summer Olympics made London the first city to have hosted the modern Games of three Olympiads. London is the only city in the United Kingdom to have ever hosted the Olympics; the United States is the only country to have hosted Summer Olympics on more occasions than the UK.

Major sports event hosting in Britain during the 2010s <=SEP=> The United Kingdom has been awarded, or is bidding to hold, a number of major international sporting events during the 2010s leading to an idea of a 'Golden Decade' in British sport. The idea of the golden decade has been discussed in many newspapers and has been mentioned by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Lord Coe.

Mike Johnson (1990s pitcher) <=SEP=> Michael Keith Johnson (born October 3, 1975) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He has pitched all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball, and has also played in Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization, and the CPBL.Johnson was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1993 amateur draft. He made his Major League Baseball debut on April 6, 1997 with the Baltimore Orioles.and went on to play for the Orioles (1997) and Montreal Expos (1997–2001).

Moscow <=SEP=> Moscow (/ˈmɒskaʊ/ or /ˈmɒskoʊ/; Russian: Москва́, tr. Moskva; IPA: [mɐˈskva]) is the capital and the largest city of Russia with 12.2 million residents within the city limits and 16.8 million within the urban area. It is the capital of the Central Federal District and Moscow Oblast. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, and scientific center in Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as the largest city entirely on the European continent.

Multi-sport event <=SEP=> A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from (mostly) nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many regional multi-sport events have since been founded and modeled after the Olympics. Most have the same basic structure.

Municipal Stadium (Mexico City) <=SEP=> Municipal Stadium is a venue located in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City area of Mexico City. The venue hosted the field hockey competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics.Olympic field-hockey games were held at the Municipal Stadium and two adjoining fields at the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City. Built in 1964 by the Mexico City government, the open stadium has roofed grandstands on each side of the playing field.

Nanjing <=SEP=> Nanjing (About this sound listen; Chinese: 南京, "Southern Capital") is the capital of Jiangsu province and the second largest city in eastern China (after Shanghai), with a total population of 8.16 million and a urban population of 6.55 million in 2013. The city whose name means "Southern Capital" has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having served as the capitals of various Chinese dynasties, kingdoms and republican governments dating from the 3rd century AD to 1949.

Nicosia <=SEP=> Nicosia (/ˌnɪkəˈsiːə/ NIK-ə-SEE-ə; Greek: Λευκωσία [lefkoˈsi.a]; Turkish: Lefkoşa [lefˈkoʃa]) is the capital and largest city on the island of Cyprus, as well as its main business centre.  It is located near the centre of the Mesaoria plain, on the banks of the River Pedieos.Nicosia is the capital and seat of government of the Republic of Cyprus, and as such is the farthest southeast of all EU member states' capitals.

Olympiastadion (Munich) <=SEP=> Olympiastadion (German pronunciation: [oˈlʏmpi̯aˈʃtaːdi̯ɔn]) is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics.With an original capacity of 80,000, the stadium also hosted many major football matches including the 1974 World Cup Final and the Euro '88 Final. It hosted the European Cup Finals of 1979, 1993 and 1997.

Olympic Games <=SEP=> The modern Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting event 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 to be the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating.

Olympic Park <=SEP=> An Olympic Park is a sports campus for hosting the Olympic Games. Typically it contains the Olympic Stadium and the International Broadcast Centre. It may also contain the Olympic Village or some of the other sports venues, such as the aquatics complex in the case of the summer games, or the main ice hockey rink for the winter games.  The Olympic Park is often part of the "legacy" which provides benefit to the host city after the games have ended.

Olympic Stadium <=SEP=> Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympics. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words Olympic Stadium as part of their names.Olympic Stadium may also be named a multi-purpose stadium which hosts Olympic sports.In the case of the Summer Olympics, athletics competitions are traditionally held in the Olympic Stadium.

Olympic sports <=SEP=> Olympic sports are sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The 2012 Summer Olympics included 26 sports, with two additional sports due to be added to the 2016 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 (IF).

Outline of Greece <=SEP=> The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Greece:Greece – sovereign country located on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe.  Greece borders Albania, Bulgaria, and the Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east and south of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the west.

Pan American Games <=SEP=> The Pan-American or Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a major sporting event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held among athletes from nations of the Americas, every four years in the year before the Summer Olympic Games. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990.

Paris <=SEP=> Paris (UK: /ˈpærɪs/ PARR-iss; US: /ˈpɛərɪs/ PAIR-iss; French: [paʁi]) is the capital and most-populous city of France. Situated on the Seine River, in the north of the country, it is in the centre of the Île-de-France region, also known as the région parisienne, "Paris Region". The City of Paris has an area of 105.4 square kilometres (40.7 square miles) and had a population of 2,241,346 within its city limits in 2014.

Paula Radcliffe <=SEP=> Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE (born 17 December 1973) is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2 hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon (2002, 2003, 2005), three-time New York Marathon champion (2004, 2007, 2008), and won the 2002 Chicago Marathon.Radcliffe is a former world champion in the marathon, half marathon and cross country.

Rio de Janeiro bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> The Rio de Janeiro bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics was a successful bid to host the Games of the XXXI Olympiad and the XV Paralympic Games, respectively. It was submitted on September 7, 2007, and recognized as an Applicant city by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) one week after.

Rome <=SEP=> Rome (/ˈroʊm/ ROHM; Italian: Roma [ˈroːma], Latin: Rōma) is a city and special comune (named "Roma Capitale") in Italy. Rome is the capital of Italy and of the Lazio region. With 2.9 million residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's largest and most populated comune and fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome has a population of 4.3 million residents.

Russia at the Olympics <=SEP=> Russia has competed at the modern Olympic Games on many occasions, but as different nations in its history.  As the Russian Empire, the nation first competed at the 1900 Games, and returned again in 1908 and 1912.  After the Russian revolution in 1917, and the subsequent establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, it would be thirty years until Russian athletes once again competed at the Olympics, as the Soviet Union at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Sarajevo <=SEP=> Sarajevo (Bosnian pronunciation: [sǎrajeʋo]) is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an estimated population of 369,534. The Sarajevo metropolitan area, including Sarajevo, East Sarajevo and surrounding municipalities, is home to 688,354 inhabitants.Moreover, it is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, the capital of the Republika Srpska entity, and the center of the Sarajevo Canton.

Shelley Sandie <=SEP=> Shelley Ann Gorman-Sandie (born 22 January 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Canberra Capitals. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that claimed the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended the Australian Institute of Sport in 1987.

South Korea at the Olympics <=SEP=> Republic of Korea (South Korea) first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for 1980 which they boycotted. South Korea has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1948, except for the 1952 Games.The first Korean athletes to win medals did so at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, when Sohn Kee-chung and Nam Sung-yong won gold and bronze respectively in the men's marathon.

Soviet Union at the Olympics <=SEP=> The Soviet Union first participated at the Olympic Games in 1952, and competed at the Games on 18 occasions since then. At six of its nine appearances at the Summer Olympic Games, the team ranked first in the total number of medals won, it was second by this count on the other two.

Spain at the Olympics <=SEP=> Spain first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since 1920. Spain has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1936. Its team is organised by the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE, Comité Olímpico Español) created in 1924.Spain boycotted the 1936 Summer Olympics in Nazi Germany, and also boycotted the 1956 Games in Melbourne because of the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary.

Stefan Holm <=SEP=> Stefan Christian Holm (born 25 May 1976) is a retired Swedish high jumper. He has won an Olympic gold medal, a silver in the World Championships, and one silver and one bronze medal in the European Championships. His personal records are 2.37 m  (7 ft 9.3in) (outdoors, set 2008) and 2.40 m (7 ft 10.49in) (indoors, set 2005).

Stockholm <=SEP=> Stockholm (/ˈstɒkhoʊm, -hoʊlm/; Swedish pronunciation: [ˈstɔkːˈɔlm, ˈstɔkˈhɔlm] (About this sound pronunciation)) is the capital of Sweden and the most populous city in the Nordic region, with 914,909 people living in the municipality, approximately 1.4 million in the urban area, and 2.2 million in the metropolitan area. The city is spread across 14 islands on the coast in the southeast of Sweden at the mouth of Lake Mälaren, by the Stockholm archipelago and the Baltic sea.

Summer Olympic Games <=SEP=> The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad (French: Jeux olympiques d'été ), first held in 1896,  are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that started in 1904.

Suzy Batkovic <=SEP=> Suzy Batkovic-Brown (née Batković) (born 17 December 1980 in Lambton, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian women's basketball player.  She has played basketball for several European clubs including the French Valenciennes, the Spanish side Ros Casares, the Russian side UMMC Ekaterinburg, and Italian side Cras Basket.  In the United States, she has played for the Seattle Storm after having been selected as a first round draft pick in 2003.

Venues of the 1948 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> A total of twenty-five sports venues were used to host the events of the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. For the first time in the history of the modern Olympic Games, the diving, gymnastics, swimming, and water polo competitions were held indoors. These Games have since been nicknamed the "Austerity Games" for the tight control of costs at a time when the host nation was still under rationing, which resulted in a total expenditure of around £750,000.

Venues of the 1952 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> For the 1952 Summer Olympics, a total of twenty-four sports venues were used. Three of the venues were constructed for the 1940 Summer Olympics, but were postponed in the wake of World War II. Those venues were completed in time for the 1952 Games. The main stadium served as host to the World Athletics Championships in 1983 and in 2005.

Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> For the 1964 Summer Olympics, a total of thirty-three sports venues were used. Six of the venues were built before the International Olympic Committee awarded the 1964 Games to Tokyo in 1959. This included two venues that hosted the 1958 Asian Games. There were thirteen new, eight temporary, and five reconstructed and/or renovated venues that were used during the event. During the Olympics, wind and weather had issues with two athletic events.

Venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics <=SEP=> For the 2004 Summer Olympics, a total of thirty-five sports venues were used. Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 that included venues such as Panathinaiko Stadium and the city of Marathon for whom the long-distance race would be named for. From the end of the 1896 Games until the late 1970s, Greece underwent numerous political changes that included the Balkan Wars, two World Wars, a civil war, and a military coup that resulted in a junta that lasted from 1967 to 1974.

Wembley Stadium (1923) <=SEP=> Wembley Stadium /ˈwɛmbli/ (officially known as the Empire Stadium) was a football stadium in Wembley, London, England, that stood on the site now occupied by the New Wembley Stadium, opened in 2007.It was famous for hosting the annual FA Cup finals, five European Cup finals, the 1948 Summer Olympics, the 1966 World Cup Final, the final of Euro 96, Queen's Magic Tour, the 1985 Live Aid concert, and both the 1992 and 1995 Rugby League World Cup Finals.

Winter Olympic Games <=SEP=> The Winter Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international sporting event that occurs once every four years. Unlike the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics feature sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympics, the 1924 Winter Olympics, was held in Chamonix, France.

Yugoslavia at the Olympics <=SEP=> Teams from Yugoslavia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1920. Previously, several athletes from Croatia, Slovenia and Vojvodina had competed for Austria or Hungary when those countries were part of the Empire of Austria-Hungary.