winter olympics winter olympics officially known olympic winter games french les german italian winter multi sport event celebrated switzerland games celebrated world war years winter games selection host city neutral country exclusion japan germany political atmosphere post war world games organizing committee faced challenges lack financial human resources consumed war winter olympic games presidency nations marched opening ceremonies january nearly athletes competed events sports games featured demonstration sports military patrol later winter discontinued games notable performances turned figure athletic venues existence time hosted winter games venues outdoors meant games heavily dependent favorable weather conditions host city selection selected host games 39th general session switzerland september selection process consisted bids saw selected ahead united_states selected located switzerland remained neutral war hosted winter games organization games simpler economical despite existence venues difficult task organize winter olympic games months organizing composed local dignitaries members decided separate sub committees responsible aspects games committees included housing maintenance venue construction finances media advertising local committees worked closely swiss federal government ensure organization games proceeded athletes village existed previous games athletes officials housed hotels city important committees draw experiences olympics selection locations events contingent weather conditions events held outdoors people involved reporting news games world nearly press credentials issued games television olympic debut coverage games split newspapers radio broadcasts organizing committee provide technology long distance telephone lines telegraph services assist press communicating constituents people needed provide services press officials athletes games services included security care venues influx people difficult task organizing committee complicated mountainous region community situated massive project improve village transportation infrastructure completed prior games included building widening roads traffic train stations built accommodate increased demands public transit increase capacity city projects approved swiss government justified impact success games aid organizing committee demanded participating nations provide lists athletes months prior games consequently swiss knew exactly athletes officials plan politics games world war given games renewal japan germany invited games international community role world war absence short lived returned olympic competition soviet_union send athletes send delegates observers games determine successful soviet athletes competed impact world war japan choice winter games japanese decided decline invitation host games claiming preparations olympic games draining country resources turned host games city host consecutive games impractical germany invaded poland september subsequently germany withdrew bid host games finland believed host games extended invitation soviet_union invasion finland ended hope olympic games winter olympics awarded italy war continued proved impractical second consecutive passed celebration games presented possible host cities post war games lake united_states switzerland decided award games switzerland neutral country immediately following world war order avoid political combatants impact world war felt lack financial resources human energy organization games challenging athletes affected lack resources competitors arrived little equipment notable case norwegian borrow american team order compete lack spectators travel restrictions shortage finances european economy recovering marshall plan events medals awarded events contested sports disciplines skeleton ice hockey skating figure skating speed skating skiing alpine skiing skiing cross country skiing combined ski jumping demonstration sports military patrol winter sliding sports contested winter games controversy erupted alleged united_states team discovered steering wheels damaged news broke apparent truck driver stepped forward admitted having accidentally backed shed housing accident hinder united_states teams won bronze man event gold bronze man event swiss man teams placed second best possible results event teams allowed enter driver place team beat coach driver second place team ice hockey ice hockey tournament won canada czechoslovakia second switzerland fifth olympic gold medal canada hockey team beat canada hockey introduced summer olympics great_britain winter olympics tournament cancelled rival teams representing united_states arrived team supported team supported sur ruled team compete swiss organizing committee allowed team march opening ceremony team play unofficially eligible medals figure skating canadian woman win olympic gold medal figure skating won competition despite distraction caused low flying airplane compulsory routine able muster focus place entering free ice night free ice hockey games ice invented nonetheless able adjust routine avoid emerge victorious eighteen year old american completed unprecedented north american sweep figure skating gold medals led field compulsory won gold medal person complete double competition later olympics win gold second time victory came expense swiss world champion fell free despite win silver medal speed skating speed skating competition held hosted events metres sea level speed skating competition held second highest altitude olympic history higher competition dominated scandinavian countries norway sweden won possible medals poor speed skating events games reason success speed skating europe come stand world war countries conflict resources speed skating programs intact meter race won norway way tie second place norwegian americans finished exactly seconds won gold medal meter race silver medal meter race meter event affected weather encountered wind sun snow course day competition finally long distance specialist norway prevailed alpine skiing alpine skiing olympic debut games events held games games featured slate men women alpine events won medal alpine events gold downhill combined bronze athletes win gold medals games athlete win medals austria dominated women alpine events winning possible medals double medal winner earning gold combined event silver downhill female win medals united_states won gold took silver combined austrian earned medals winning bronze medals combined cross country skiing cross country skiing total nations competed events events kilometer race kilometer race kilometer relay women events games sweden athlete win gold medals won kilometer race participated winning cross country relay team overall sweden won seven possible medals events including gold medals sweep kilometer race medals won sweden norway finland skeleton skeleton second appearance olympics games debuted winter olympics held skeleton form originally appeared region end 19th century american won second olympic medal skeleton won years earlier years old italian won gold medal career wins track curves skeleton events took place winter olympics named combined combined event contested winter olympics combined required athletes compete open kilometer cross country ski race alongside cross country competitors times assigned point value days later athletes jumps ski jump hill jumps given point value longest jump combined cross country time create score traditional combined power norway stunned games finland non norwegian win event fact norway podium teammate took silver sweden won bronze ski jumping swept ski jumping event won gold medal ski jumping event winter games year hiatus world war meant years old retired competition coaching norwegian team arrived games decided come retirement compete time despite having competed years earned silver medal norwegian won gold teammate won bronze demonstration sports demonstration sports held games military patrol demonstration sport winter olympic games entailed combination cross country skiing shooting targets eventually competition renamed official olympic medal sport games united_states winter involved competitions kilometer cross country ski race shooting downhill skiing fencing horseback riding time event held fourteen competitors took event calendar dates central european time utc opening ceremonies held january initial hockey games runs man closing ceremonies held february medals awarded closing ceremonies immediately event current tradition venues olympic stadium hosted opening closing ceremonies stadium speed skating figure skating competition medal games ice hockey ice hockey games held held olympic skeleton contested run track built modernized games run constructed ski jump competitions held ski jump hill built games remained use alpine events held ski runs participating nations nations competed number previous winter games chile denmark iceland korea lebanon winter olympic debut games germany japan invited involvement world war italy despite axis power originally allowed send athletes allies estonia lithuania annexed soviet_union compete independent nations argentina returned winter games missing games australia compete participated medal count nations won medals winter games
1948 Winter Olympics