The Olympic Games are sporting events that are international.
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics ( Jeux olympiques ) are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions . The Olympic Movement consists of international sports federations ( IFs ) , National Olympic Committees ( NOCs ) , and organising committees for each specific Olympic Games . Over 13,000 athletes compete at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events . Summer Olympic Games . The Olympics have increased in scope from a 42-event competition with fewer than 250 male competitors from 14 nations in 1896 to 302 events with 10,768 competitors ( 5,992 men , 4,776 women ) from 204 nations in 2012 .