6 The Games expand

Chapter 6 The Games expand After a very successful beginning, the IOC decided to hold the Olympics every four years, in a different city each time. In 1900, the Games were held in Paris, France. This time women could enter, but only in 'ladylike' sports, such as golf and tennis.

After the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, USA, the IOC awarded the 1908 Games to Rome, Italy. Then Mount Vesuvius erupted and the Olympics were quickly shifted to London, UK.

For the London marathon, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra wanted to watch the start from Windsor Castle. So the race had to be lengthened to exactly 42.195km (26 miles 385 yards). Since then, every marathon race has been this distance.

It was at the London Olympics that people first heard de Coubertin's Olympic 'creed'- a set of ideas that summed up what he thought the Olympics were all about. THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IS NOT TO WIN BUT TO TAKE PART. JUST AS THE IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS NOT THE TRIUMPH BUT THE STRUGGLE...

After the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium, the IOC decided there were enough sports on snow and ice to have a separate winter competition. The first Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix, France, in 1924 and included skiing, figure skating and ice hockey. Since 1992, it has taken place two years after the Summer Olympics.

Over the years more events have been added as new sports have become more popular. In 1896 (Athens) there were 9 sports and 52 events, in 1952 (Helsinki, Finland) there were 17 sports and 149 events, and by 2004 (Athens again) there were 28 sports and 301 events. Sports that have been added more recently include ice dancing in 1976 (Innsbruck, Austria),