The list of the sports entering the program of the Olympic Games changed eventually. Some sports were excluded from the Olympic Games by the decision of the International Olympic Committee, but in general the quantity of the Olympic sports grew prior to the beginning of the 2000th.
In the first years of existence of the modern Olympic Games the quantity of sports in the Olympic program changed very quickly. It is connected with the fact that till 1924 the program was defined by the countries organizers of the Olympic Games. In 1924 the control over the Olympic sports undertook the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Resolving the issue of inclusion or the exception of sport of the Olympic program, the IOC is guided by various criteria. So, can't be included sport, based on different technologies, for example, motorsport. The main criterion is the popularity of sport among spectators.
Consideration of the question of inclusion of sport in the program takes place not later than seven years before the Olympic Games at which it is planned to hold the competition in this sport.
At the first Olympic Games of 1896 medal events in 9 sports were held: fight, cycling, track and field athletics, swimming, artistic gymnastics, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, fencing. Since then the list considerably changed. Very few summer sports were present at the Olympic program throughout all history of the modern Olympic Games. It is track and field athletics, water sports (swimming), cycling, fencing and gymnastics. Till 1936 such sports as cricket, croquet, the lacrosse, pulling of the rope, polo, jeu de paume, Basque the pilot, fate and rekets were excluded from the summer Olympic program. Some of discontinued sports were returned then in the program of the Olympic Games, for example archery and tennis. At the beginning of the 2000th the IOC decided to reduce to the 28th quantity of sports in the Summer Olympic Games. In 2008 two sports were excluded from the program: baseball and softball. Thus at the Summer Olympic Games in London medal events in 26 sports were held. In 2016 sports there will be 28 again: the golfs and rugby excluded earlier will return to the Olympic program.
The first Winter Olympic Games took place in 1924. Then athletes held medal events in 9 sports: bobsled, curling, speed skating, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, competitions of military patrols, ski jumping, figure skating, ice hockey. Throughout all history of the modern Olympic Games the winter program included skiing, figure skating, speed skating and hockey. The figure skating and hockey before were included in the program of the first Winter Olympic Games, were included into the list of summer Olympic sports. The list of winter Olympic sports underwent less changes. The curling became the last added sport. In 1924 this sport was excluded from the Olympic program, and in 1998 is returned. At the moment there are no restrictions of quantity of sports at the Winter Olympic Games. It is connected with the fact that the program of the Winter Olympic Games contains the small amount of sports. At the Olympic Games – 2014 in Sochi medal events in 7 sports were held: biathlon, bobsled, curling, skating sports, ski sports, luge, ice hockey.