The skeleton layer

The programmes

Every sport contested at these multi-sport games, with its status per edition. This is structured data, not research: cheap to build, and interesting on its own.

There are three of them here because the Olympic programme is not the only answer to the question “is this sport contested?” A sport can be a permanent fixture on one of these tables, a lapsed entry on another, and the headline act on a third.

Programme

The Games of the Olympiad. The programme this site was built around, and — since events now record where they are contested rather than whether they are Olympic — one programme among several rather than the axis.

Organised by International Olympic Committee. Nothing on this table carries a cause or a rule citation, and no sport here should be read as researched merely because it appears in a row next to one that is. Sourced to Olympedia, last reviewed 2026-09.

31
editions: 47
sports listed: 43
researched here

Olympic Games status per sport per edition. A filled cell means the sport was contested at that edition.
Sport	1896–1996																							2000–2028								Total
Sport	961896	001900	041904	081908	121912	201920	241924	281928	321932	361936	481948	521952	561956	601960	641964	681968	721972	761976	801980	841984	881988	921992	961996	002000	042004	082008	122012	162016	202020	242024	282028	Total
Athletics	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	31
Cycling	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	31
Fencing	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	31
Gymnastics	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	31
Swimming	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	31
Rowing		contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	30
Wrestling	contested 1896		contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	30
Football		contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928		contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	29
Sailing		contested 1900		contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	29
Shooting	contested 1896	contested 1900		contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924		contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	29
Boxing			contested 1904	contested 1908		contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	28
Equestrian		contested 1900			contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	28
Weightlifting	contested 1896		contested 1904			contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	28
Modern pentathlon					contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924	contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	27
Hockey				contested 1908		contested 1920		contested 1928	contested 1932	contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	26
Basketball										contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	22
Canoeing										contested 1936	contested 1948	contested 1952	contested 1956	contested 1960	contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	22
Archery		contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908		contested 1920											contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	19
Tennis	contested 1896	contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920	contested 1924														contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	18
Volleyball															contested 1964	contested 1968	contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	17
Handball										contested 1936							contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	16
Judo															contested 1964		contested 1972	contested 1976	contested 1980	contested 1984	contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	16
Table tennis																					contested 1988	contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	11
Badminton																						contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	10
Rugby		contested 1900		contested 1908		contested 1920	contested 1924																					contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	8
Taekwondo																								contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	8
Triathlon																								contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008	contested 2012	contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	8
Baseball																						contested 1992	contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008			contested 2020		contested 2028	7
Golf		contested 1900	contested 1904																									contested 2016	contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	6
Softball																							contested 1996	contested 2000	contested 2004	contested 2008			contested 2020		contested 2028	6
Polo		contested 1900		contested 1908		contested 1920	contested 1924			contested 1936																						5
Tug of war		contested 1900	contested 1904	contested 1908	contested 1912	contested 1920																										5
Lacrosse			contested 1904	contested 1908																											contested 2028	3
Skateboarding																													contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	3
Sport climbing																													contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	3
Surfing																													contested 2020	contested 2024	contested 2028	3
Cricket		contested 1900																													contested 2028	2
Basque pelota		contested 1900																														1
Breaking																														contested 2024		1
Croquet		contested 1900																														1
Flag football																															contested 2028	1
Karate																													contested 2020			1
Squash																															contested 2028	1
Jeu de paume				contested 1908																												1
Motorboating				contested 1908																												1
Rackets				contested 1908																												1
Roque			contested 1904																													1

A filled cell means the sport was contested at that edition. Bright cells are the researched sports; grey ones are status data only.

Absences worth noticing

Swimming31 editions
A discipline of aquatics under the IOC grouping; listed here as its own row.
Rowing30 editions
Scheduled for 1896 but cancelled; first contested in 1900.
Boxing28 editions
Absent in 1912; Swedish law prohibited the sport.
Archery19 editions
A 52-year absence between 1920 and 1972.
Tennis18 editions
Dropped after 1924 over the amateurism dispute; returned as a full medal sport in 1988.
Handball16 editions
Contested as field handball in 1936, then absent until 1972.
Judo16 editions
Contested in 1964 as a host-nation sport, dropped in 1968, permanent from 1972.
Rugby8 editions
Fifteen-a-side from 1900 to 1924; returned in 2016 as sevens, a different discipline.
Golf6 editions
A 112-year absence between 1904 and 2016 — the longest of any returning sport.
Tug of war5 editions
Contested at five consecutive Games and never since.
Cricket2 editions
One match in 1900, then a 128-year absence before the 2028 programme.
Breaking1 edition
Contested at 2024 only; not on the 2028 programme.
Karate1 edition
Contested at 2020 only, then dropped for 2024.
Motorboating1 edition
The only Olympic sport never contested under human power.
Roque1 edition
A croquet variant contested only at St. Louis, by four Americans.