So far, 43 different sports have been present in the Olympic program at the Summer Olympics. The current program of the Summer Olympics includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines. In the past, many sports were also present at the Olympic Games, which we will not see at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Such are tug-of-war and hot air ballooning. This year, after more than 100 years, golf returned to the list, and in 2014 the International Olympic Committee removed the restriction that only 28 sports could be represented at the Olympic Games, which was often the main reason that certain sports fell out of the program. The limit is now 10,500 athletes and 310 events, which will apply for the first time at POI Tokyo 2020.
You follow Rio 2016? You will not be able to see the sports that we present below. Because restrictions on 28 sports is in the past at the Summer Olympics quite a few sports fell out of the game. Some have returned to the list (e.g. tennis, archery and golf), while others have been overtaken by time and are now only a distant memory. Learn about unusual Olympic sports that no longer exist.
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Unusual Olympic sports that no longer exist:
Tug of War (1900–1920)
Tug of war was an Olympic discipline between 1900 and 1920. At that time, the rule was that more than one team from the same country could participate in the Olympic Games. Thus, in this discipline in 1904 on home soil, the USA swept the competition and won all the medals. Although it is a long-lived sport that is more than just a short-term activity, the tug-of-war superpowers recently submitted an application to reintroduce the sport to the Olympic Games, but it did not make the shortlist for Tokyo 2020.
Standing high jump (1900-1912)
The high jump from a place did not catch on like the high jump that is still with us today. Ray Ewry was the champion of that time, who jumped from a place as high as 1.65 meters. Today's record mark is 1.90 meters and belongs to the Swedish athlete Rune Almen, but this sport has not been part of the Olympic family for more than 100 years. The same goes for the standing long jump. This sport appeared at the Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens, but the Olympic family gave it up in 1912, just like the high jump.
Rope Climbing (1896–1932)
Rope climbing was a gymnastic event and was already present at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. If the artistic impression (style and method of climbing) counted in the first years, it was later replaced by speed or the height to which the competitor climbed.
Pistol Duel (1908–1912)
Pistol duels were once not only a way of settling disputes in the Wild West, but also an Olympic sport. Yes, they once shot each other at the Olympics. Otherwise, not with real bullets, but with wax ones. The sport debuted at the London Games in 1908 and was also present at the Stockholm Games in 1912.
One-arm weightlifting (1896-1906)
The one-arm weightlifting was part of a weightlifting competition. The competitor performed three lifts with each arm, and the winner was the one who lifted the most kilograms.
In the Summer with Balloons (1900)
Balloon summers have only been held once, in 1900, and have never been part of the Olympic family. Balloon teams competed to see which one would fly the longest and which one would land more accurately in a certain place.
Shooting live pigeons (1900)
Today, clay pigeons are shot, but once, in 1900, live ones were shot at the Olympic Games in Paris. The sport was never accepted into the Olympic community, as it was considered too cruel, and this was also the only Olympics where animals were killed "for sport".
Cycling for two (1908, 1920–1972)
Tandem cycling was once a very popular discipline. It was first part of the Olympic Games in 1908, and was part of the cycling competition at the Olympics between 1920 and 1972, when it withdrew from other sports.
Individual synchronized swimming (1984–1992)
Although synchronized swimming is known as a team sport, this was not always the case. At one time, the OI was also reserved for individuals. In this case, the competitor was not in sync with his teammates, but only with the musical accompaniment.
Roller Hockey (1992)
Unlike field hockey, roller hockey has never been an Olympic sport. In 1992, he made a demonstrative appearance at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, but unsuccessfully competed for Atlanta 1996 and has since sunk into oblivion, like most roller sports that disappeared from the Olympic map after 1996.
