Winter Olympic Games

History

The introduction of the Winter Olympics was delayed for some time by Sweden, which staged its own very successful Nordic Games.
Despite the objections of International Olympic Committee president Pierre de Coubertin, an 'International Winter Sports Week' was held at Chamonix in 1924. Two years later, this is retroactively given the status of the first Olympic Winter Games.
Even the Scandinavians, who won 28 of the 43 medals at Chamonix, lifted their objections to future Winter Games.

Originally, the tradition was to hold the Winter Games a few months earlier and in a different city than the summer Olympic Games.
Beginning in 1994, the Winter Olympic Games were held in completely different years (two years apart) than the summer Games.
A couple of winter Olympic sports have figured in the Summer Games - Figure skating was included in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London and, and both Figure Skating and ice hockey at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp.