The modern Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques[1]) 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.[2] The

Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but

two years apart. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the

8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) in

1894. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.

The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic

Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for ice and winter sports,

the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability, and theYouth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The IOC has had to

adapt to a variety of economic, political, and technological advancements. As a result, the Olympics has shifted away from

pure amateurism, as envisioned by Coubertin, to allowing participation of professional athletes. The growing importance of

mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercialization of the Games. World wars led to the

cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games. Large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and

1984 Games.

The Olympic Movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and

organizing committees for each specific Olympic Games. As the decision-making body, the IOC is responsible for choosing

the host city for each Games, and organizes and funds the Games according to the Olympic Charter. The IOC also

determines the Olympic program, consisting of the sports to be contested at the Games. There are several Olympic rituals

and symbols, such as the Olympic flag and torch, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Over 13,000 athletes

compete at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. The first, second, and third

place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals: gold, silver, and bronze, respectively.

The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a Pancontinental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from

all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India,

until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Gamesthey have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the

breakup of the Asian Games Federation.[1] The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are

described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.[2][3]

In its history, nine nations have hosted the Asian Games. Forty-six nations have participated in the Games, including Israel,

which was excluded from the Games after their last participation in 1974.

After World War II, a number of Asian countries became independent. Many of the newly independent Asian countries

desired the formation of a new type of competition whereby Asian dominance was not expressed through violence, but

instead strengthened through mutual understanding. During the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, a conversation between

sportsmen from China and the Philippines raised the idea of restoring the Far Eastern Games. However, Guru Dutt Sondhi,

the Indian International Olympic Committee representative, did not believe that restoration of the Far Eastern Games would

sufficiently display the spirit of unity and level of achievement taking place in Asian sports. As a result, he proposed to sports

leaders the idea of having a wholly new competition  - which came to be the Asian Games. This led to an agreement to form

the Asian Athletic Federation. A preparatory committee was then set up to draft the charter for this new body. February

1949, the Asian Athletic Federation was formally inaugurated in New Delhi, alongside the name

The Commonwealth Games (known as the British Empire Games from 1930–1950, the British Empire and

Commonwealth Games from 1954–1966, and British Commonwealth Games from 1970–1974)[1] is an

international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and,

with the exception of 1942 and 1946, which were cancelled due to World War II, has taken place every four years since

then.

The games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF), which also controls the sporting programme and

selects the host cities. A host city is selected for each edition. 18 cities in seven countries have hosted the event. Apart from

many Olympic sports, the games also include some sports that are played predominantly in Commonwealth countries, such

as lawn bowls and netball.[2]

Although there are 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, 71 teams participate in the Commonwealth Games, as a

number of dependent territories compete under their own flag. The four Home Nationsof the United Kingdom—England,

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—also send separate teams. Only six countries have attended every Commonwealth

Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. Australia has been the highest achieving team for

twelve games, England for seven, and Canada for one.