GAMES, MODERN OLYMPIC The first games in the modern era were
organized in Athens in 1896 and were thenceforth held every four
years. There were one or two exceptions. They were not held in
1916 because of the First World War, nor in 1940 and 1944
because of the Second World War. The first Winter games were
organized in 1924, in the French town of Chamonix. Since that
date they have been held every four years in a town or a ski
resort, with the exception of the war years, during the Second
World War. In 1992 it was decided that the Winter games would be
held two years after the Summer games and this has been the case
since 1994. In keeping with the Ancient tradition, the games are
organized by cities and not nations. The games venues are
designated seven years before they are held so as to give the
cities time to prepare. Organizing the Olympic games is no
simple matter.