15 Mind-Blowing Historical Facts And Scandals From Past Olympics That Are So Freakin' Wild, They're Sending My Non-Athletic Self Into An Existential Spiral

1 month ago 8

ARTICLE AD BOX

The 2026 Winter Olympics are here! And for most people, that simply means watching a bunch of skillful people perform daring activities we could only dream of being able to do.

Person wearing a fluffy jacket humorously cheers with the text "YAY SPORTS!" in front of a patterned backdrop

But arguably even more fun than that? Reading some mind-blowing stories, scandals, and facts from past Olympics. So I've compiled some that I bet you didn't know...and let's just say, each is even more shocking than the one before.

Gymnast in Team USA jacket smiling broadly with hair tied in a bun

1. Although the modern version of the Olympics only started in 1896, they actually go back way further than that. The Olympics have been traced back to the summer of 776 BC in Olympia, Greece (hence the name).

Ancient ruins with standing stone columns amidst a forested landscape, exemplifying historical architecture

Of course, back then, only men were permitted to compete. (We are talking about ancient times here.) But here's the kicker: Back in the day, they actually competed NAKED. Yep, all the athletes, totally naked. It was seen as a "show of civility" amidst political conflicts at the time.

Illustration of an ancient Greek foot race at the Olympian Games, with athletes running in minimal attire. Spectators watch in the background

2. When you think of the Olympics, you probably picture buff athletes playing high-intensity sports, sweating and full of muscles. But what if I told you some former Olympic sports were a little more...artistic?

An artist with a pipe stands beside an Olympic poster he is painting, featuring a skier. The setting suggests a studio environment

Yep, you heard me right: In 1915, art competitions became part of the Olympic Games. That included music, painting, writing, and sculpting. This lasted until the controversial decision to scrap the artistic component of the Olympics in 1948.

A man in a suit paints on a canvas while sitting on a boat deck, accompanied by sailors in uniform, with the ocean in view

3. I know a lot of us look at the ages of some of the Olympic athletes and think, "Oh my God, I barely even knew how to tie my shoes at that age." But have you ever wondered who the oldest modern Olympian was? I'll tell you: his name is Hiroshi Hoketsu.

Person in formal suit walking outdoors at an event with a blurred crowd in the background

Hiroshi first competed in equestrian at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and he was 23 at the time. Flash forward a whopping 44 years, and he was back at the 2012 London Olympics at age 71. It's the longest break for any Olympic athlete ever, and he's also the third-oldest Olympian ever.

Person in formal equestrian attire on a horse, holding a top hat in a gesture, on a sandy arena

4. You'd think lacrosse would be a classic, popular winter Olympic sport, but you're sadly mistaken. Lacrosse has only been a medal sport at the Olympics twice, in 1904 and 1908.

Historic field hockey match with players in motion, watched by an official. Early 20th-century sporting scene

And as a Canadian, I have to brag: Canada took home a gold medal both of those years. Good news for us, lacrosse has allegedly been optioned as a sport for the 2028 Olympics. So we might see it on our screens again!

Early 20th-century lacrosse players in uniform celebrate with raised sticks on a field. Stadium stands visible in the background

5. Also about the Canadian team, they've got an adorable, long-standing ritual I bet you didn't know about. And all began at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with two key Canadian things: hockey and loonies (the $1 coin).

Canadian one-dollar coin on U.S. flag fabric, symbolizing economic relations between Canada and the United States

Here's what happened: in 2002, before the Olympics began, a Canadian ice-maker secretly buried a loonie under the ice at the hockey rink for good luck. It's since been dubbed the "lucky loonie," and took off as a tradition. Since then, loonies have been secretly placed in all kinds of places at the Olympics: swimming pools, volleyball courts, golf greens, you name it.

Two people with face paint and Canada-themed accessories hold a sign that reads, "This loonie is for Canada! Don't touch it!" One shows a coin

6. If you're one of the 20-somethings who has taken up the popular hobby of marathon running lately (couldn't be me), you'll know that a marathon is 26.2 miles. But you may not be aware of the origins of this hyper-specific number...and it comes to us from the 1908 London Olympics.

Historic photo of athletes in running gear starting a race on a track, with spectators in the background. Early 20th-century sports event

The reason is actually much more interesting than you'd think — it was all to prioritize the royal family's ability to view the marathon. They decided the marathon would begin at Windsor Castle and end in the Olympic stadium, right where the royal box was. It wasn't until 1921 that this distance became standardized, though.

Early 1900s marathon scene; fatigued runner assisted to finish line by two men in hats; crowd in background

7. This one is darker, so bear with me. Two Olympic Games were cancelled because of World War II: the 1940 and 1944 Olympics. But 4 years prior, Berlin held the Olympics in 1936, and the Nazis used this Olympics as a way to strengthen their power.

Athlete lights Olympic torch at 1936 Berlin Games opening, with Nazi symbols and uniformed soldiers in the background

Some people from the US and Europe tried to encourage a boycott of this particular Games, because they didn't want to support Germany and their agenda, but the boycott didn't take off. Ultimately, the Nazis used this Olympics as a way to trick the world into believing they were a "peaceful" country, downplaying the antisemitism as well as their plans for takeover. When the Games ended, though, they went full-force into those plans again.

Athletes running in a torch relay near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, 1936, featuring Nazi symbols prominently displayed

8. Those gold medals are obviously priceless, representing tons of hard work and a massive achievement. I hate to be that girl, but on a technical basis, they're not actually worth much more than the silver ones, since both are made of similar materials (the gold medals are actually 92.5% silver). But this wasn't always the case.

Hand holding an Olympic gold medal with embossed details and a blue ribbon visible

In the 1904, 1908, and 1912 Olympics, the gold medals were real solid gold. After that was World War I, so there was no Olympics, and the price of gold was simply too high to justify once the Olympics returned for the 1920 Games.

Framed display of George S. Lyon's 1904 Olympic golf gold medal with vintage swinging golfer photo and text detailing the achievement

9. And speaking of medals, let's chat about an Olympics fact from (very recent) history: the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nope, they didn't bring back the solid gold for these medals, but they did something even more incredible.

silver, gold, and bronze. Medals feature a fan-like design with "Paris 2024" engraved on the ribbons

It's not unheard of for the host country to put a little something special in the medals to make them more meaningful — and that's exactly what happened here. All the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medals had a piece of the Eiffel Tower in the middle, representing Paris. I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING.

Two gold Olympic medals, Paris 2024, with a geometric pattern, hanging on a striped fabric background

10. Most Olympic runners are rightfully very particular about the shoes they wear, because of course, it can seriously affect their performance. (Any woman who's ever tried to run in heels knows exactly what I'm talking about. Shoes are everything.) Well, not Abebe Bikila, an Ethiopian athlete who won the marathon at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics, annnnd setting a world record in the process.

Three athletes on a podium raise their arms. The central athlete holds the gold medal, flanked by silver and bronze medalists

That world record Abebe set in the 1960 Olympic Games? Yeah — he was running barefoot. No shoes, no socks, nothing. Mind-blowing, especially when you remember that it was a full-on marathon he ran on the cobblestones of Rome.

Athlete with bib 11 celebrates, hands raised, after crossing finish line in front of cheering crowd and uniformed official

11. Although it seems like everyone would vie for an opportunity to watch an Olympic event in person, regardless of the sport, some have been very low attended. Like, embarrassingly low. And there's a Guinness World Record to prove it.

Empty stadium seating with a view of the expansive architectural roof structure, conveying a sense of solitude and anticipation

The record for the lowest attendance at an Olympic event went to the women's croquet event at the 1900 Paris Olympics. All the competitors were French, and in the audience was just one gentleman (yes, only one person), a French man from Nice who came just to see it. Did he get the bang for his buck, or was he low-key robbed of the audience camaraderie? That's a debate I wanna have.

A vintage photo of a woman in an old-fashioned dress and hat playing croquet on a grassy field near a wooden clubhouse

12. Steeplechase (essentially a race with obstacles) has been part of the Olympics since the early 20th century. The races are actually pretty long, at 3 km, or just under 2 miles, and there are 7.5 laps in total. Or, at least, there should be.

Athletes in a track and field steeplechase event leap over water-filled barriers on a sunny day, displaying focus and agility

You wouldn't think it was possible to make this error, but at the 1932 men's steeplechase, an Olympics official miscounted the number of laps. So all the athletes had to run an extra lap. That's an additional 400 meters of a wildly difficult event that none of the competitors signed up for. Yikes.

Vintage photo of athletes mid-air as they leap over a water barrier during a steeplechase race, with spectators in the background

13. Cycling was one of the nine sports at the very first modern Olympics in 1896, and it included a ton of events, including sprints and road races. But the one that makes me shudder more than anything else is the 12-hour race.

Cyclist in an early 20th-century velodrome race, leaning forward on a single-speed bike, with spectators in the stands

In the (thankfully discontinued) 12-hour cycling race, competitors had to do as many laps as possible in 12 hours straight. Yep, non-stop biking for 12 full hours. And what makes matters worse? The weather conditions on that day in 1896 have been described as "horrific," with wild winds.

19th-century illustration of a man in a striped outfit holding a bicycle, shaking hands with a man in a suit near a crowd and ancient ruins

14. At the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, the marathon event took place on a brutally hot day, and there was barely any water, thanks to an Olympic official thinking dehydration benefits athletes (major eyeroll on that one). So more than half the competitors dropped out and couldn't finish. But not Fred Lorz from team USA — he managed to cheat in the most unbelievable way.

Runner in early 20th-century marathon near brick walls, surrounded by cyclists and onlookers

Here's the story: After initially quitting the race from fatigue, Lorz took a car back to the stadium. But when the car broke down, he simply ran the last bit of the race — only to be the first to cross the finish line, winning the gold medal. Or so people thought. He ended up being disqualified from the competition, of course, but he did go on to win the Boston Marathon in 1905, only a year later.

Historic black-and-white photo of male athletes running in a race on a road, wearing vintage athletic uniforms

15. Particularly in artistic sports like gymnastics, figure skating, and synchronized swimming, a huge amount of power lays in the judges' hands, so it's essential they remain objective. But at the pair skating event in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, there was a massive judging scandal that had the entire world enraged.

Figure skating pair performing an acrobatic lift on ice during an Olympic event, with the female skater in a dress and the male in a shirt and pants

The pairs competition came down to Russian pair Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, and Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. The former duo made a mistake in their routine, and the latter had a spotless performance, so everyone expected the Canadians to win. But shockingly, the Russians took home the gold, leading to a huge outrage. Later, a judge admitted she'd been "bought off" by the Russians (dun dun DUNNNN). The two pairs ended up sharing the gold medal.

Four figure skaters proudly display their gold medals and bouquets, smiling broadly, wearing matching jackets at a skating event

What's your favourite story or scandal from past Olympics? Tell me in the comments below!

And for more Olympics content, check out BuzzFeed Canada on Instagram and TikTok!

Read Entire Article