Tug of War Used to Be an Olympic Sport
Tug-of-war made the cut for every Olympic Games from Paris in 1900 to Antwerp in 1920—but the sport was plagued by controversy.
Tug-of-war made the cut for every Olympic Games from Paris in 1900 to Antwerp in 1920—but the sport was plagued by controversy.
The Olympics have long made both room and time to include “demonstration sports” during their run. These sports are played for promotional purposes and some eventually become official Olympic events.
For anyone who has ever accused curling of not being a real sport, take a look at the controversies that the curlers' competitiveness breeds.
Little Mikey may not like it, but Wheaties has got game
These additions bring the total number of events to 98 overall in 15 disciplines in 7 separate sports. Here are 12 new events that the International Olympic Committee approved for the XXII Olympic Winter Games.
Between 1912 and 1948, art competitions were a part of the Olympics. Medals were awarded for architecture, music, painting and sculpture. Here are some notable medalists in those categories.
Before Sochi was selected as the host of the 2014 winter Olympics, not many people had heard of it, so it didn't have a widely known English pronunciation.
Good sportsmen (and women) play by the rules. Even the rules you've never heard of.
A few weeks ago, we gave you 21 countries that have only won a single Olympic medal. Now that the London Games are through, it's time to update our list with the countries that netted their first-ever medal this summer, and the two countries that have now
In honor of today's Olympic marathon, here's a look back at the origin of the race, plus an explanation of the whole ".2"
The big countries don't always bring home the gold or the glory. Here's a look back at Olympic performances from underdog nations.
For some athletes, the Olympics aren’t just a competition: they’re a chance to escape oppression. Earlier this week, seven of Cameroon’s athletes disappeared from London’s Olympic Village. The week before, three runners from Sudan’s Olympic training squad
Twenty years ago, Reebok introduced us to "Dan and Dave." Once American sports fans moved beyond their game of word association -- "Who?" -- the two men involved became part of one of the most memorable marketing campaigns in history despite a letdown of
Oscar Pistorius is one of the best stories of the 2012 London Games. Yesterday, the South African double amputee advanced to the semi-finals of the men's 400-meters. He'll also compete in the 4x400-meter relay. Pistorius, who runs on specially designed ca
On our last semi-regular "Ask Matt" day, reader Mel asked, “Are there standards for just how much gold is in those gold medals these Olympic athletes are
Dave Hogan/NBCNBC paid the International Olympic Committee a record $1.18 billion for the U.S. broadcast rights to the 2012 London Games and $4.38 billion for the four Olympics from 2014-2020. What does the IOC do with all that cash?According to the IOC’s
Olympic opening ceremonies have been known to include their own little quirks, disasters, and political flaps. Here are some of the most interesting.
Some countries compete to get the highest number, but these twenty-one other countries have just one medal.
Thousands of athletes from all over the world are in London for the 2012 Olympics. Many of them are already stars, having trained their entire lives for this chance at gold. For some, getting there has been a struggle against poverty, politics, prejudice,
To become an Olympic hero in our book, it takes more than athleticism. These athletes deserve infinite points—regardless of whether they medalled or not.
Medals were awarded for architecture, music, painting, and sculpture.