Colonialism and the Olympic Games founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, sport and colonialism were logical companions. He called sports "a vigorous instrument of the disciplining" of colonized people, and viewed it as a calming force in the colonies. O'Bonsawin writes that Olympism, as a "philosophy", speaks "in truisms of equity, anti-discrimination, mutual recognition and respect, tolerance and solidarity." But she and other critics argue that in reality Olympism serves as an "apologetic" for a movement that is actually "deeply politicized and xenophobic." O'Bonsawin also argues that in encouraging Olympic participants to "cast aside everyday lived experiences...shaped by such factors as race,
Summer Olympic Games count Olympiads, not the Games themselves, per the Olympic Charter. This contrasts with the Winter Olympic Games, which ignore the cancelled Winter Games of 1940 & 1944 in their numeric count." Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games () or the Games of the Olympiad, first held in 1896, is a quadrennial international multi-sport event. The most recent Olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) organises the Games and oversees the host city's preparations. In each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals are awarded for second place, and bronze