The Winter Olympic Games, also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BCE to 394 CE. The Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 1,500 years later in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority. The original five Winter Olympic Sports were bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing, and skating. The Games were held every four years from 1924 to 1936, interrupted in 1940 and 1944 by World War II, and resumed in 1948. Until 1992, the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games were held in the same year. A decision to change this was made in 1986, when during the 91st International Olympic Committee session, IOC members decided to alternate the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games on separate four-year cycles in even-numbered years. Also, at that same congress it was decided that 1992 Winter Olympics would be the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games and that to change the rotation, the games that would be held in 1996 would be brought forward by two years, being scheduled to 1994. After those games, the next were to be held in 1998 when the four-year Olympic Cycle resumed.
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Sarajevo '84, were a winter multi-sport event held between 8 and 19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the first Winter Olympic Games held in a Slavic language-speaking country, as well as the only Winter Olympics held in a communist country before the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. It was the second consecutive Olympic Games held in a communist country, after the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union.
The 1984 Winter Paralympic Games were the third Winter Paralympics. They were held from 14 to 20 January 1984 in Innsbruck, Austria. They were the first Winter Games organized by the International Co-ordinating Committee (ICC), which was formed on 15 March 1982, in Leysin, Switzerland. These Games were accessible for all athletes with cerebral palsy. Three sports were contested: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and ice sledge speed racing. The most successful athlete was German alpine skier Reinhild Moeller, who won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal. The Games, then known as the 3rd World Winter Games for the Disabled, were fully sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, from 8 to 19 February 1984. A total of 1,272 athletes representing 49 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in 39 events from 10 different sports and disciplines. First time NOCs to enter were Egypt, Monaco, Puerto Rico, Senegal, and British Virgin Islands.
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics consisted of six alpine skiing events, held 13–19 February in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. The men's races were at Bjelašnica and the women's at Jahorina. Due to weather delays, both downhill races were postponed several days and run after the giant slalom races.
Nordic combined at the 1984 Winter Olympics, consisted of one event, held from 11 February to 12 February. The ski jumping portion took place at Igman Olympic Jumps, while the cross-country portion took place at Igman.
The Soviet Union (USSR) competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
East Germany competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the host nation for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Prior to these Games, Yugoslavia had never won a medal at the Winter Games, but Jure Franko won a silver medal in the men's giant slalom to become a national hero.
Disabled skiing was a demonstration event at the Winter Olympic Games on two occasions, in 1984 and 1988. Afterwards, the Paralympic Games were held in the same location as the Olympics and it was judged that as a demonstration event it was redundant. At the 1984 and 1988 Games, medals were awarded to the top three positions, but these medals were smaller in size and did not contribute to the overall medal count.
For the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, United States, a total of seven sports venues were used. All five of the venues used for the 1932 Winter Olympics were also used at the 1980 Winter Games with adjustments. These adjustments included electronic scoreboards, increased refrigeration, and the addition of a separate luge track. This was the last Winter Olympics where there were separate bobsleigh and luge tracks. The closest finish in Olympic history in cross-country skiing led skiing officials to time future events in hundredths of a second rather than tenths of a second. This would also apply to biathlon events. Eric Heiden won five gold medals at the speed skating oval while the "Miracle on Ice" took place between Americans and Soviets at the Olympic Center. In the late 1990s, the luge track was demolished and a new combination track was constructed in time for the only Winter Goodwill Games held. The sliding venue was named to the American National Register of Historical Places in February 2010.
For the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, a total of nine sports venues were used. The idea for the Games came around from a 1968 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development study on promoting winter tourism in Yugoslavia. After Sarajevo was awarded the 1984 Games in 1978, venue construction and renovation took place between 1979 and 1983. Weather postponed the men's downhill alpine skiing event three times before it was finally run. The men's cross-country skiing 30 km event was run during a blizzard. After the games, all but one of the venues were damaged during the Bosnian War and the siege of Sarajevo. After the war, Zetra Ice Hall was rebuilt and is in use as of 2010.
The 15 kilometre cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing programme at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the eighth appearance of the event at its length of 15 km. The competition was held on Monday, 13 February 1984 at Veliko Polje, Igman. Of the 91 athletes who started the race, 8 did not finish or were disqualified.
The 30 kilometre cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing programme at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the eighth appearance of the 30 km race. The competition was held on Friday, 10 February 1984, at Veliko Polje, Igman. Of the 72 athletes who started the race, three were disqualified.
The 4 × 10 kilometre cross-country skiing event was the only relay event of the men's cross-country skiing programme at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the eleventh appearance of the 4 × 10 km relay in the Winter Olympics. The competition was held on Thursday, 16 February 1984, at Veliko Polje, Igman.
The 5 kilometre cross-country skiing event was the shortest distance of the women's cross-country skiing programme at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the sixth appearance of the 5 km race. The competition was held on Sunday, February 12, 1984 at Veliko Polje, Igman.
The 10 kilometre cross-country skiing event was the first event cross-country skiing programme to take place at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the ninth appearance of the 10 km race. The competition was held on Thursday, February 9, 1984 at Veliko Polje, Igman and was the first final to be held at the games.
The 20 kilometre cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing programme for women at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the first time the event took place at the Olympics. The competition was held on Saturday, February 18, 1984 at Veliko Polje, Igman.
The 4 × 5 kilometre cross-country skiing event was the only relay event of the women's cross-country skiing programme at the 1984 Winter Olympics, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. It was the eighth appearance of the 4 x 5 km relay in the Winter Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, 15 February 1984 at Veliko Polje, Igman.
