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 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Oslo 1952, were a winter multi-sport event held from 14 to 25 February 1952 in Oslo, the capital of Norway.
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 February 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Germany also hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were held in Berlin. It was the last year in which the Summer and Winter Games both took place in the same country.
Figure skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics took place at the Olympic Ice Rink in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Three figure skating events were contested: men's singles, ladies' singles, and pair skating.
Figure skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics took place at the Olympic Center Arena in Lake Placid, New York. Three figure skating events were contested: men's singles, ladies' singles, and pair skating. The competitions were held from Monday, 8 February to Friday, 12 February 1932. It was the first time the events were held indoors.
At the 1952 Winter Olympics, three figure skating events were contested. Compulsory figures were skated at the outdoor Jordal Amfi rink, while the free skating portions of the competition were held at the huge Bislett Stadium, on a regulation-sized ice surface set inside the speed skating track. The competition opened with the ladies' figures on 16 and 17 February, followed by the men's figures on 19 February and then the three free skating events for ladies, men, and pairs. Somewhat unusually for competitions of this era, there were no particular problems with bad weather or poor ice conditions at the outdoor rinks. At this competition, Dick Button won his second Olympic title, and also became the first skater to land a triple jump—a triple loop jump—in competition.
The 1994 Winter Olympics figure skating competition was held at the Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre in Norway.
Four figure skating events at the 2006 Winter Olympics were held at the Palavela in Turin.
Figure skating was first contested in the Olympic Games at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Since 1924, the sport has been a part of the Winter Olympic Games.
The pair skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1924 Winter Olympics. It was the third appearance of the event, which had previously been held at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920. The competition was held on Thursday, 31 January 1924. Eighteen figure skaters, from seven nations, competed.
The pair skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1928 Winter Olympics. It was the fourth appearance of the event, which had previously been held at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920 and was also part of the first Winter Games in 1924. The competition was held on Sunday, 19 February 1928. Twenty-six figure skaters from ten nations competed.
The men's individual skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. It was the fifth appearance of the event, which had previously been held twice at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920 as well as at the Winter Games in 1924 and 1928. The competition was held on Monday 8 February and on Tuesday 9 February 1932. Twelve figure skaters from eight nations competed.
The pair skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. It was the fifth appearance of the event, which had previously been held twice at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920 and twice at the Winter Games in 1924 and 1928. The competition was held on Friday 12 February 1932. Fourteen figure skaters from four nations competed.
The men's individual skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1936 Winter Olympics. It was the sixth appearance of the event, which had previously been held twice at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920 and at all three Winter Games from 1924 onward. The competition was held from Sunday, 9 February to Friday, 14 February 1936. Twenty-five figure skaters from twelve nations competed.
The ladies' individual skating event was held as part of the figure skating at the 1936 Winter Olympics. It was the sixth appearance of the event, which had previously been held twice at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920 and at all three Winter Games from 1924 onward. The competition was held from Tuesday, 11 February to Saturday, 15 February 1936. Twenty-six figure skaters from 13 nations competed.
The figure skating pairs competition at the 1956 Winter Olympics took place on 3–4 February. The Austrian pair of Sissy Schwarz / Kurt Oppelt won the competition. Pairs from Canada and Hungary took second and third respectively. The pairs competition was the last figure skating event of the Olympics. It was held out doors at the Olympic Ice Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the host city for the Games.
For the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, a total of six sports venues were used. Alpine skiing events took place for the first time and were held in three different locations. Riessersee held the speed skating and some of the ice hockey matches while the bobsleigh events took place south of the lake. The ski jump and its neighboring stadium played host to the cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and ski jumping events. Even though figure skating and some of the ice hockey matches took place outdoors at the ice stadium, the ice itself was artificially refrigerated to prevent ice thawing.
The figure skating team event was a combined competition of Olympic figure skating disciplines at the 2014 Winter Olympics, held at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, Russia.
