List of multi-sport events
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from (mostly) nation-states. Events are typically held over a few days to accommodate the large number of events held, often more than those in single-sport competitions. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games. Some of the most recognised sporting events in the world today are multi-sport events — the World Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Games and the Mediterranean Games — among others. This article lists all major multi-sport events, whether defunct or functioning, in the modern day. A full listing of all major multi-sport events is provided in the table below.
Transnational multi-sport events are often organised across concords of cultural elements between nations. These include language, such as the Francophone Games for French-speaking nations; ethnic, such as the Maccabiah Games for Jewish athletes; political, such as the Spartakiad used to oppose the Olympics; occupation, such as the Universiade for university students; and gender, such as World Outgames for the gay community. Participation is also delineated across other lines including region, religion, age, and season (winter instead of summer). A number of multi-sport events are held within nations, where athletes representing various intra-national states or districts compete against each other; these include the Thailand National Games and the National Games of China. These differences in intended audiences are highlighted in the table.
Historical
Prior to the modern day, there were instances of multi-sport events held centuries or millennia in the past. The Tailteann Games, held near modern Telltown in Ireland, was one of the first multi-sport festivals to be recorded, with a history that traces back to 1829 BC. There were several other games held in Europe in the classical era. the Panhellenic Games encompassed the Ancient Olympic Games, which was the precursor to the modern Olympic Games; the Pythian Games; the Nemean Games; and the Isthmian Games. The Roman Games, held in ancient Rome, focused on Greek sports as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat. Other multi-sport festivals emerged in the Middle Ages in Europe, including the Cotswold Olimpick Games in England, the Highland games in Scotland still in existence today, and the Olympiade de la République in France in the 19th century.
As these multi-sport events or festivals occurred pre-20th century, when the rules for today's modern sports were largely different or yet to be established, these are not included in the table. The events noted in this section documents all known historical multi-sport events.
Scope
Multi-sport events can be classified by scope. Some cater to international audiences; some to regional audiences; and some are held within nations. These differences are presented in the table as well, in addition to other divisions such as ethnicity and historical origins as described earlier.
Only a few modern multi-sport events cater to international audiences without cultural or political boundaries. The most famous of these is the Olympic Games. The others are namely the World Games, established to host sports not within the Olympic scope; the World Mind Sports Games, which hosts competitions in mind sports which are not found in either of the two abovementioned events; the X Games and the Winter X Games, organised for extreme action sports; the World Combat Games, for martial arts and combat sports; and the now-cancelled Goodwill Games.
Similarly, there are also regional multi-sport events held that purely cater to regional audiences regardless of cultural and/or political elements. These are often grouped by continent and sub-continental regions. The Asian Games are held for athletes in Asia; the Central Asian Games, the East Asian Games, the South Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games cater to Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia respectively, which are all regions of the Asian continent. In the Americas, the largest multi-sport event that fits the description is the Pan American Games. The other multi-sport events in the continent are the South American Games, the Central American Games, the Central American and Caribbean Games and the Central American Games.
List of major multi-sport events
The criteria in listing a multi-sport event is as follows: The event should have received significant media coverage where it is covered; national, regional, or international. At the same time, organisation of the event is taken charge by a formal body, with at least one sport in the event sanctioned by an international sports federation that is recognised by the International Olympic Committee or the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).
Title | Est.1 | Abl.2 | Rec.3 | Scope | Elements limiting audience4 | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAU Junior Olympic Games | 1967 | - | 1 | National | Age | |
Afro-Asian Games | 2003 | 2003 | - | Regional | ||
ALBA Games | 2005 | - | 2 | Regional | Colonial ties | |
African Games | 1965 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
African Youth Games | 2010 | - | Regional | Age | ||
Arafura Games | 1991 | - | International | |||
Arctic Winter Games | 1970 | - | 2 | Regional | Sport type | |
Arnold Sports Festival | 1984 | - | International | Over 18,000 Athletes compete in more than 40 different sports. | ||
ASEAN ParaGames | 2001 | - | 2 | Regional | Disabled | |
Asian Beach Games | 2008 | - | 2 | Regional | Sport type | |
Asian Games | 1951 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Asian Indoor Games | 2005 | 2009 | 2 | Regional | Sport type | |
Asian Indoor-Martial Arts Games | 2013 | - | Regional | Sport type | ||
Asian Martial Arts Games | 2009 | 2009 | 2 | Regional | Sport type | |
Asian Para Games | 2010 | - | 4 | Regional | Disabled | |
Asian Winter Games | 1986 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Asian Youth Games | 2009 | - | 4 | Regional | Age | |
Asian Youth Para Games | 2009 | - | 4 | Regional | Disabled, age | |
Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games | 2012 | - | Regional | Occupation | ||
Australian Youth Olympic Festival | 2007 | Regional | Age | |||
Balkan Games | 1929 | 2010 | 1 | Regional | ||
Black Sea Games | 2007 | - | 4 | Regional | Involving nations bordering the Black Sea. | |
Bolivarian Games | 1938 | 4 | Regional | Colonial ties | ||
Canada Games | 1967 | - | National | Includes winter edition. | ||
CANUSA Games | 1958 | Regional | Age | |||
Central African Games | 1976 | 1987 | Regional | |||
Central American and Caribbean Games | 1926 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Central American Games | 1973 | - | Regional | |||
Central Asian Games | 1995 | 2 | Regional | |||
Children of Asia International Sports Games | 1996 | Regional | Age | Launched in 1996; devoted to the 100th anniversary of the Olympic movement. | ||
Chungcheongbuk-do Junior Sports Festival | 1972 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Chungcheongbuk-do Sports Festival | 1962 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Chungcheongnam-do Sports Festival | 1949 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Commonwealth Games | 1930 | 4 | International | Colonial ties, language | Involving nations in the Commonwealth of Nations. Includes winter edition. | |
Commonwealth Youth Games | 2000 | - | 4 | International | Colonial ties, language, age | |
CPISRA World Games | 1989 | - | International | Disabled | ||
CPLP Games | 1990 | - | International | Age, language | ||
Deaflympics | 1924 | - | 4 | International | Disabled | Longest running multi-sport event excluding the Olympic Games.[1] Includes winter edition. |
Défi sportif | 1984 | International | Disabled | |||
East Asian Games | 1993 | 2013 | 4 | Regional | Organised by the East Asian Games Association (EAGA) for East Asian nations as well as the Pacific island of Guam (Oceania). | |
EuroGames | 1992 | - | Regional | Sexual orientation | ||
European Games | 2015 | - | 4 | Regional | Newest multi-sport event. | |
European Masters Games | 2008 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
European Youth Olympic Festival | 1991 | - | 2 | Regional | Age | Includes winter edition.[2] |
Extremity Games | 2006 | - | 1 | International | Disabled | |
Far Eastern Championship Games | 1913 | 1938 | 2 | Regional | ||
FESPIC Games | 1975 | 2006 | 4 | Regional | ||
FESPIC Youth Games | 2003 | 2003 | - | Regional | Age | |
Friendship Games | 1984 | 1984 | - | International | ||
Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO) | 1963 | 1966 | International | Set up by Indonesia in late 1962 as a counter to the Olympic Games, with participation meant for so-called "emerging nations". | ||
Games of the Small States of Europe | 1985 | - | 2 | Regional | Population size | |
Gangwon-do Sports Festival | 1966 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gay Games | 1982 | - | 4 | International | Sexual orientation | Organized by and specifically for the LGBT community, although people of every sexual orientation and every skill level can participate. |
Goodwill Games | 1986 | 2001 | 4 | International | Created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games in the 1980s; last held in 2001. Included winter edition. | |
Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival | 1955 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gyeongsangbuk-do Junior Sports Festival | 2004 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gyeongsangbuk-do Sports Festival | 1963 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gyeongsangbuk-do Students Sports Festival | 2004 | 2008 | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gyeongsangnam-do Sports Festival | 1962 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Gymnasiade | 1974 | - | 4 | International | Age | |
Indian Ocean Island Games | 1979 | - | 4 | Regional | Religion | |
Inter-Allied Games | 1919 | 1919 | - | Regional | Religion | |
Invictus Games | 2014 | - | 1 | International | Occupation | Military wounded. Originated in the Untied Kingdom and held internationally |
Islamic Solidarity Games | 2005 | - | Regional | Religion | Involves member-states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. | |
Island Games | 1985 | - | 2 | Regional | ||
IWAS World Games | 1948 | - | 1 | International | Disabled | |
Jeollabuk-do Sports Festival | 1964 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Jeollanam-do Sports Festival | 1962 | - | 1 | Provinces | ||
Jeux de la Francophonie | 1989 | - | 4 | International | ||
Kingdom Games | 1995 | - | 2 | National | ||
Korean National Junior Sports Festival | 1972 | - | 1 | National | ||
Korean National Para Games | 1981 | - | 1 | National | ||
Korean National Sports Festival | 1934 | - | 1 | National | ||
Korean National Winter Para Games | 2004 | - | 1 | National | ||
Korean National Winter Sports Festival | 1934 | - | 1 | National | ||
Korean National Youth Para Games | 2008 | - | 1 | National | Disabled, age | |
Liberty Bell Classic | 1980 | 1980 | - | International | ||
Lithuanian National Olympics | 1938 | 2006 | 4 | International | First games held in 1938, but 2nd games did not held until 1998.[3] | |
Lusophony Games | 2006 | - | 4 | International | Colonial ties, language | |
Maccabiah Games | 1932 | - | 4 | International | ||
Mediterranean Games | 1951 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Micronesian Games | 1969 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Military World Games | 1995 | - | International | Occupation | Military personnel | |
Mind Sports Olympiad | 1997 | - | 1 | International | Reduced in size after 2000.[4] | |
National Games of the People's Republic of China | 1910 | - | 4 | National | ||
Nordic Games | 1901 | 1926 | Regional | |||
North American Indigenous Games | 1990 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Olympic Games | 1896 | - | 4 | International | ||
Pacific Games | 1963 | 4 | Regional | |||
Pacific Mini Games | 1981 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Palarong Pambansa | 1948 | - | 1 | National | Age | Sport Events held annually for the elementary and high school students in the Philippines |
Pan American Games | 1951 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Pan American Sports Festival | 2014 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Pan Arab Games | 1953 | - | Regional | |||
Pan-Armenian Games | 1999 | - | International | |||
Paralympic Games | 1960 | - | 4 | International | Disabled | |
Parapan American Games | 1999 | - | 4 | Regional | Disabled | |
People's Olympiad | 1936 | 1936 | - | International | ||
South American Games | 1978 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
South Asian Games | 1984 | - | 2 | Regional | ||
South Pacific Games | 1963 | 2007 | 4 | Regional | ||
Pacific Pacific Mini Games | 1981 | 2005 | 4 | Regional | ||
SELL Student Games | 1923 | - | 1 | International | Age | |
Southeast Asian Games | 1959 | - | 2 | Regional | ||
Spartakiad | 1928 | International | ||||
Special Olympics | 1968 | - | International | Disabled | ||
State Games of America (National Congress of State Games component games listed below) | - | - | National | |||
TAFISA World Sport for All Games | 1992 | - | 4 | International | Sport type | Also called the World Traditional Sports and Games Festival. The 6th edition in Jakarta will involve over 100 countries. [5] |
Tailteann Games | 1924 | 1936 | International | Ethnicity | ||
Universiade | 1959 | - | 2 | International | Age | |
Warrior Games | 2010 | - | 1 | International | Occupation | Military wounded. Held in the Untied States and open to U.S. and British armed forces personnel |
West Asian Games | 1997 | - | 4 | Regional | ||
Women's Islamic Games | 1993 | - | 4 | Regional | Religion, sex | |
World Festival of Youth and Students | 1947 | - | International | Age | ||
World Lithuanians Games | 1978 | - | 4 | International | Started in 1978 in Canada, since 1991 usually held in Lithuania (Athletes from Lithuania itself debuted only in 3rd Games in 1988).[6] | |
World Games | 1981 | - | 4 | International | ||
World Interuniversity Games | 1999 | - | 1 | International | Age | |
World Masters Games | - | 4 | International | |||
World Mind Sports Games | 2008 | - | International | |||
World OutGames | 2006 | - | International | Sexual orientation | ||
World Police and Fire Games | 1985 | - | 2 | International | Occupation | |
World Wheelchair and Amputee Games | 1948 | - | 1 | International | Disabled | |
X Games | 1995 | - | 1 | National | Sport type | Winter X Games |
Youth Olympic Games | 2010 | - | 4 | International | Age |
Legend
1. Established – Year in which first edition was held
2. Abolished – Year in which last edition was held
3. Recurrence (in years)
4. Cultural and/or political elements that limit audiences as intended (e.g. ethnicity, religion, gender, occupation)
Component games
National Congress of State Games
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See also
References
- ↑ "Four medals for GB in 21st Deaflympic Games". England Athletics. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
- ↑ "Trabzon, Host of 2011 European Olympic Festival, To Be Promoted in Finland". Journal of Turkish Weekly. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
- ↑ http://lsfs.lt/dokumentai/dokumentai/PLSZ/PLSZ_info_statistika.pdf
- ↑ The South Bank Brain Show, The Independent, 21 June 1997, William Hartson
- ↑ The 6th TAFISA World Sport for All Games 2016
- ↑ Klaipėdoje vyksta IX Pasaulio lietuvių sporto žaidynės
External links
- International Olympic Committee – Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Youth Olympic Games
- Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie – Francophone Games
- Olympic Council of Asia – Asian Games, Asian Youth Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Indoor-Martial Arts Games
- Commonwealth Games Federation – Commonwealth Games
- International Committee of Mediterranean Games – Mediterranean Games
- International University Sports Federation – Universiade
- International Island Games Association – Island Games
- World Transplant Games – Transplant Games