A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports among organized teams of athletes from (mostly) nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the Olympic Games, first held in modern times in 1896 in Athens, Greece, and inspired by the Ancient Olympic Games, one of a number of such events held in antiquity. Most modern multi-sport events have the same basic structure. Games are held over the course of several days in and around a "host city", which changes for each competition. Countries send national teams to each competition, consisting of individual athletes and teams that compete in a wide variety of sports. Athletes or teams are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals for first, second and third place respectively. Each game is generally held every four years, though some are annual competitions.
The Pan American Games is a continental multi-sport 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. It is the second oldest continental games in the world. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990. In 2021, the Junior Pan American Games was held for the first time specifically for young athletes. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) is the governing body of the Pan American Games movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.
Switzerland has sent athletes to compete in every Games since it first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games. Switzerland boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics events held in Melbourne in protests of the Soviet invasion of Hungary, but participated in the equestrian events for those Games held in Stockholm, Sweden earlier that year, where the Swiss dressage team won the bronze medal.
Austria has competed at all of the modern Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1920 Summer Olympics, from which it was barred for being part of the Central Powers in World War I.
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games and commonly known as Winnipeg 1999, were a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23 to August 8, 1999, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and surrounding towns and cities. Canoeing competitions started the day before the games officially began. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated in the games to vie for a total of 330 medal events in 34 sports and 42 disciplines.
The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games and commonly known as Guadalajara 2011, were an international multi-sport event held from October 14–30, 2011, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby cities of Ciudad Guzmán, Puerto Vallarta, Lagos de Moreno and Tapalpa. It was the largest multi-sport event of 2011, with approximately 6,000 athletes from 42 nations participating in 36 sports. Both the Pan American and Parapan American Games were organized by the Guadalajara 2011 Organizing Committee (COPAG). The 2011 Pan American Games were the third Pan American Games hosted by Mexico and the first held in the state of Jalisco. Previously, Mexico hosted the 1955 Pan American Games and the 1975 Pan American Games, both in Mexico City. The 2011 Parapan American Games were held 20 days after the Pan American Games had ended.
The Republic of 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.
Panam Sports is an international organization which represents the current 41 National Olympic Committees of the American continent.
Teams from Yugoslavia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1920. Previously, several athletes from Croatia, Slovenia and northern Serbian province Vojvodina had competed for Austria or Hungary when those countries were part of the Empire of Austria-Hungary. A small team of two athletes had competed distinctly for Serbia at the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Canada has participated eleven times in the Summer Paralympic Games and in all Winter Paralympic Games. They first competed at the Summer Games in 1968 and the Winter Games in 1976.
The 2019 Pan American Games, officially the XVIII Pan American Games and commonly known as Lima 2019, were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization held in Lima, Peru from July 26 to August 11, 2019, with preliminary rounds in certain events having begun on July 24, 2019. These were the first Pan American Games to be held in Peru, and the seventh to be held in South America.
The United States of America (USA), represented by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, has participated in every Summer and Winter Paralympic Games and is currently first on the all-time medal table. The nation used to be a dominant Paralympic power in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, but has steadily declined since the 1990s to a point where it finished sixth in the 2012 Summer Paralympics medal count. The team then improved to a fourth-place finish in 2016, and third in 2020, and unexpectedly finished first at the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
The opening ceremony of the 2011 Pan American Games took place on October 14, 2011, beginning at 20:00 CDT at Omnilife Stadium in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The opening ceremony was directed and produced by Five Currents, which also produced the ceremonies at the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2007 Pan American Games.
Canada competed in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto from July 10 to 26, 2015. As the host nation, the team competed in all 36 sports.
Sailing competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru took place between August 3 and 10, 2019 at the Yacht Club Peruano in the city of Paracas.
Weightlifting competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru are scheduled to be held between July 27 and 30, 2019 at the Coliseo Mariscal Caceres. The venue will also host the bodybuilding competitions.
The 2021 Junior Pan American Games was the first edition of the Junior Pan American Games, an international multi-sports event for athletes aged 17 to 22 in the Americas, organized by Panam Sports. It was held in Cali and Valle, Colombia between November 25 to December 5, 2021.
Brazil has sent athletes to every celebration of the Parapan American Games. The Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) is the National Paralympic Committee for the Brazil.
The volleyball tournaments at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were held from 27 July to 11 August 2024. 24 volleyball teams and 48 beach volleyball teams participated in the tournament. Indoor volleyball competitions occurred at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles with the beach volleyball tournament staged at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in Champ de Mars.
Canada has sent athletes to every celebration of the Parapan American Games. The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is the National Paralympic Committee for Canada.
