The Greeks started measuring time in Olympiads, or the interval between each Olympic Games, in 776 BC, which is when the first written records of the official Games appeared. In honor of the god Zeus, the first Olympic Games were held every four years.

From that point on, a variety of artistic events, including poetry, song, dance, and theater, were arranged for the Pythian or Delphic Games, which were held separately from the Olympian Games and thereby connected sport and culture from the outset. Until one man made the decision to gather the key players in Paris, several attempts to reestablish an international athletic event at the end of the 19th century failed due to a lack of coordination among the worldwide sporting movement.

Consequently, the Olympic Games were brought back to life during the inaugural Olympic Congress, which was organized by Baron Pierre de Coubertin and took place from June 16–23, 1894, at the Grand Amphitheatre at the Sorbonne University. There were two thousand attendees, twenty from Belgium, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United States representing thirteen foreign sports federations, and fifty-eight French delegates representing twenty-four sports clubs and organizations.

. .