Aug 09 2008
The Olympics--- The Games Are Here

Forty-Two (42) different sports, spanning fifty-six (56) different disciplines, have been part of the Olympic programme at one point or another. 28 sports have comprised the schedule for the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics, though baseball and softball have been removed to give a list of 26 for the 2012 Games. The Summer Olympic Sports or Federations are regrouped under a common umbrella association, called the Association of Summer Olympic Federations.

These games include Archery Modern Pentathlon, Athletics, Polo, Badminton, RacketsBaseball, Roque, Basketball, Rowing, Basque Pelota, Rugby Union, Boxing, Sailing, Canoeing, Shooting, Cricket, Softball, Croquet, Swimming, Cycling, Synchronized swimming, Diving, Table Tennis, Equestrian, Taekwondo, Fencing, Tennis, Football (soccer), Triathlon, Golf, Tug of war, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Handball, Water motorsports, Hockey (field), Water polo, Jeu de paume, Weightlifting, Judo, Wrestling and Lacrosse.

Qualification rules for each of the Olympic sports are set by the International Federation (IF) that governs that sport's international competition. For individual sports, competitors typically qualify through attaining a certain place in a major international event or on the IF's ranking list. National Olympic Committees may enter a limited number of qualified competitors in each event (3 is a common number), and the NOC decides which qualified competitors to select as representatives in each event if more have attained the benchmark than can be entered.

Many events provide for a certain number of wildcard entries, given to athletes from developing nations. Nations qualify teams for team sports through continental qualifying tournaments, in which each continental association is given a certain number of spots in the Olympic tournament. The host nation is generally given an automatic qualification. Saint Lucia competed in the Olympic Games for the first time at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States and then in 2000 and 2004, in Sydney, Australia and Athens, Greece respectively. In the 2004 Olympics thanks to the Greek alphabet, Saint Lucia marched out first at the parade of nations at the Opening Ceremony. St. Lucia is expected to send a contingent to this year’s Olympics in Beijing.