11,000 competitors The Games attracted a record-breaking 205 national Olympic organizations, with over 11,000 competitors competing in 42 sports. Golf and rugby sevens were notable new sports included for the Rio Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires that all athletes who have achieved international fame or notoriety by performing at the highest level in their sport are required to qualify for the Olympics. All countries can enter up to three athletes in each event, with certain exceptions: members of the IOC cannot participate in their own events, officials of nations who do not allow women's events to be open to them must withdraw from those events, one male athlete and one female athlete from nations where there is no possibility of discrimination on the basis of gender must be selected by an independent committee.
An athlete can compete in multiple events if they meet the eligibility requirements. For example, someone who has won gold medals in both sprinting and distance running could try for a third medal in the marathon. If the athlete meets the qualification standards, they will almost certainly be allowed to participate.
In addition to country-specific restrictions, some events are limited to particular classes of athletes. For example, only people who have trained for years and reached the highest levels of performance can become Olympic swimmers. Other events are restricted to certain ages or genders.
Rio 2016 sports 28 sports The following are the 28 sports scheduled for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Golf and rugby union were new additions to the schedule.
Golf - Opened up for the first time since 1904 - now has a place on the Olympic stage with a men's individual event and a women's individual event. Rugby union - New to the Olympics this year - has a place on the field of play with a men's sevens tournament. Both events will be held from 27 July to 18 August at the Olympic golf course and rugby stadium, respectively.
There are two ways to score points in each sport: individually and as a team. In individual sports, such as swimming, tennis, and running, players compete against one another based on their performance during a single round. In team sports, such as basketball, volleyball, and futsal, the goal is to score more points than your opponent(s).
In order to win medals in both individual and team events, athletes must achieve a minimum qualifying score in their respective sport. These scores can only be achieved through competitive practice rounds held by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation), the international federation responsible for the development of aquatic sports.
The Games included 28 Olympic sports, including rugby sevens and golf, both of which were introduced to the Olympic calendar in 2009. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Friday 8 August and Sunday 10 August, respectively.
The Olympic Games are an annual event featuring only athletics, aquatics (swimming), boxing, fencing, gymnastics, wrestling and field events such as throwing and high jump. The Olympics are considered the highest achievement in sport. The first games were held in 1896 with a total of 9 events; today they consist of about 1,500 athletes from around the world competing in 26 sports. Men's basketball and women's volleyball were added to the program for the 2008 games in Beijing and London, respectively.
All countries that have met the Olympic threshold of having athletes who qualify for at least one event will be entered into the tournament. Countries that fail to meet this requirement can still send a team by entering a "B-team" which will compete in separate events to give the B-team a chance to win a medal.
The number of Olympic medals awarded each year has increased since 1980 when there were only two gold medals awarded. There are now usually between three and five gold medals given out annually.
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