Is the International Olympics a Global sporting event?
If the Olympics are truly global, then the 2016 Summer Olympics should be awarded to
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Since 1896, the Olympics have only been held in the Southern Hemisphere 2 times.
Since 1896, the Olympics have NEVER been held in South America.
The following statistics pertain to the 4 cities in competition for the 2016 Olympics: Madrid, Spain; Chicago, United States; Tokyo, Japan; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Summer Olympics 1896-2012 (27 games)
Games Hosted by Hemisphere:
Northern Hemisphere 25
Southern Hemisphere 2
Games Hosted by Continent:
Europe 15
North America 6
Asia 4
Australia 2
South America 0
Games Hosted by Country:
United States 4
Japan 1
Spain 1
Brazil 0
Winter Olympics 1924-2014 (22 games)
Games Hosted by Hemisphere:
Northern Hemisphere 22
Southern Hemisphere 0
Games Hosted by Continent:
Europe 13
North America 6
Asia 3
Australia 0
South America 0
Games Hosted by Country:
United States 4
Japan 2
Spain 0
Brazil 0
All Olympic Games - Summer & Winter 1896-2014 (49 games)
Games Hosted by Hemisphere:
Northern Hemisphere 47
Southern Hemisphere 2
Games Hosted by Continent:
Europe 28
North America 12
Asia 7
Australia 2
South America 0
Games Hosted by Country:
United States 8
Japan 3
Spain 1
Brazil 0
Summer Olympic Games Sites
1896 - Athens, Greece
1900 - Paris, France
1904 - St. Louis, United States
1908 - London, United Kingdom
1912 - Stockholm, Sweden
1920 - Antwerp, Belgium
1924 - Paris, France
1928 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932 - Los Angeles, United States
1936 - Berlin, Germany
1948 - London, United Kingdom
1952 - Helsinki, Finland
1956 - Melbourne, Australia
1960 - Rome, Italy
1964 - Tokyo, Japan
1968 - Mexico City, Mexico
1972 - Munich, West Germany
1976 - Montreal, Canada
1980 - Moscow, U.S.S.R. (now Russia)
1984 - Los Angeles, United States
1988 - Seoul, South Korea
1992 - Barcelona, Spain
1996 - Atlanta, United States
2000 - Sydney, Australia
2004 - Athens, Greece
2008 - Beijing, China
2012 - London, United Kingdom
Winter Olympic Games Sites
1924 - Chamonix, France
1928 - St. Moritz, Switzerland
1932 - Lake Placid, N.Y., United States
1936 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
1948 - St. Moritz, Switzerland
1952 - Oslo, Norway
1956 - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
1960 - Squaw Valley, California, United States
1964 - Innsbruck, Austria
1968 - Grenoble, France
1972 - Sapporo, Japan
1976 - Innsbruck, Austria
1980 - Lake Placid, New York, United States
1984 - Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)
1988 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1992 - Albertville, France
1994 - Lillehammer, Norway
1998 - Nagano, Japan
2002 - Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
2006 - Torino (Turin), Italy
2010 - Vancouver, Canada
2014 - Sochi, Russia