1988 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event
celebrated in and around Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun
, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy. Most events took place in Calgary, although Alpine skiing
took place in Kananaskis and Nordic skiing
and biathlon
taking place in Canmore
. The games were held after the 1988 Winter Paralympics
in Innsbruck
, the last time the two tournaments were not held in the same city.
Fifty-seven nations and 1,423 athletes participated in the games, with five countries making their debut in the Winter Olympics. Super-G made its Olympic debut, while curling
, freestyle skiing
, short track speed skating
and disabled skiing
were demonstration sport
s. Speed skating
was held in an indoor rink
for the first time and the games were extended to 16 days.
Similar to the 1988 Summer Olympics
, the Soviet Union
and East Germany
dominated the events, coming in first and second in the overall medal table. As at the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal
, the only previous games hosted in Canada, the host country
failed to produce any gold medals. Matti Nykänen
won all three ski jumping
events. Yvonne van Gennip
won three gold medals in speed skating, setting two world records. Alberto Tomba
won two gold medals in alpine skiing. Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards and the Jamaica national bobsled team
entered with little experience but gathered massive media attention, resulting in qualification rules for later games.
, and again in 1968
, but it was defeated by Innsbruck
, Austria, and Grenoble
, France, respectively.
Calgary finally won the bid for Canada's first Winter Olympics on 30 September 1981. It beat out Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Cortina d'Ampezzo had previously hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics
.) The vote was conducted by the International Olympic Committee
in Baden-Baden
, West Germany
, at the 84th IOC Session and 11th Olympic Congress
.
, not adjusted for inflation), the province of Alberta paid $125 million and the city of Calgary with $50 million. The American host network, ABC
, paid a then record $398 million, while the main host broadcaster, the CTV Television Network
television network, paying $45 million for domestic rights. A further $90 million was raised by sponsorships and licenses.
Concern was raised almost from the beginning about the suitability of Calgary hosting the Winter Olympics because of the city's local weather conditions for the month of February. That area of Alberta is plagued unpredictably with a weather phenomenon called a chinook wind
, which are periods where the weather becomes extremely unseasonably mild (above freezing) in short periods of time. A year prior to the event, the Whit Fraser report hinted that there was a possibility that mild winter weather could cause major problems for the Games. During the Games, there were indeed minor problems—for example, some bobsleigh runs had to be re-done because of sand getting blown onto the bobsleigh track.
This Olympic torch relay, with the theme "Share the Flame", stands as one of the longest in Olympic history, and especially for the Winter Olympic Games. It was a stark contrast to Canada's first Olympic torch relay for the 1976 Summer Olympics
, which started in Ottawa
and went directly east to Montreal
; this distance, 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) is the shortest in Summer Olympic Games history so far. For Canada's first Winter Olympics, the Olympic torch, modeled after the Calgary Tower
, was carried by both famous and ordinary Canadians in a continuous 88-day run across Canada, covering all 10 provinces and 2 territories (Yukon
and the Northwest Territories
; the territory of Nunavut
did not exist until 1999), for a total distance of about 18000 kilometres (11,184.7 mi). The torch traveled via ordinary running, dog sled
, and snowmobile
. Citizens won the chance to run a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) distance with the Olympic torch by entering a lottery sponsored by Petro Canada.
The instrumental theme song ("Winter Games") and its vocal counterpart ("Can't You Feel It?") were both composed and performed by Canadian musician David Foster
. Internationally recognized Canadian folk/country musicians Gordon Lightfoot
and Ian Tyson
were two of the featured performers at the opening ceremonies of the games, performing Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" and Lightfoot's "Alberta Bound" while a group of line dancers performed for the crowds.
The official mascots of the games were two western-attired polar bears named Hidy and Howdy
. The names were chosen from a field of 7,000 names through a contest sponsored by the Calgary Zoo
. They were designed by Sheila Scott of Great Scott Productions, and produced by International Mascot Corporation of Edmonton
, Alberta.
. They declared a surplus of between $90 and $150 million, and this money was used to fund the various Olympic venues in Calgary. Ever mindful of the financial disaster of the 1976 Summer Olympics
, Calgary organizers attempted to be financially successful, because there was political pressure on them to erase the spectre of a second Canadian Games at a loss. Organizers claimed that their use of these profits for the future Canada Olympic Park
and the funding of Canadian athletes through the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) gave Calgary a lasting legacy and impact on the Canadian sports scene, and also provided funds for the maintenance and upgrading of athletic facilities in Calgary, Banff
, and Lake Louise
. Well after the Olympics ended, they declared, CODA continued to use its resources to develop resources for Olympic athletes in the city, which included supporting the National Sport School
, Canada's first high school designed for Olympic calibre athletes, in a partnership with the Calgary Board of Education
.
However, a widely cited 1993 audit and independent research conducted by The Toronto Star in 1999 showed that these financial figures were largely false. When announcing these numbers, organizers had removed from their calculations $461 million in subsidies provided by federal, provincial and local governments used mainly for building the games venues. When these government investments were included in the balance sheets, the Calgary Olympics were reported to have produced a sizeable financial loss. General infrastructure and venue costs do not go into the balanche sheets of an Olympic Organizing Committee. Only costs directly related to hosting the Games are included in the OOC's budget and balance sheets, as venues are often private or government built.
However, the games fuelled an endowment fund of $70.5 million that is now worth $185 million and continues to fund sport in a variety of ways. Additionally, the Calgary Olympic Committee (OCO) gave the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) $40 million, which after investment is now worth $110 million; those funds assist the COC's $8 million annual contribution to national teams, coaches and athletes and permits its existence as a self-sustaining organization that does not rely on government funding.
Eight national teams use Calgary or Canmore as a home base, and Calgary has hosted 200 national and international competitions between 1987 and 2009 because of its Olympic facilities.
Of 30 world records in speed skating, 17 of them have been set at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, considered the fastest ice in the world.
with their names laser-engraved on it. The involvement of ordinary Calgarians was evident. This was of paramount importance to the organizing committee, OCO'88, as it kept the Games from appearing distant and "out of reach". Over 10,000 volunteers helped make the these games possible.
In 1999, a bribery scandal hit the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) for the 2002 Winter Olympics
. The main focus of that scandal was the tactics used by that organizing committee then to win the bid in Budapest
, Hungary, at the 104th IOC Session in 1995. There was talk of stripping the rights of hosting the Games away at the time because of that circumstance. That whole scene played out before the unforeseen 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on the United States. Calgary then sent an offer to step in to be an alternate host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, if Salt Lake City was unable to host the Games because of both counts.
Calgary tried again to bid for the Winter Olympic Games in 2010, but lost out when the Canadian Olympic Committee
(COC) chose Vancouver
as the city that would be the Canadian bid internationally. Eventually, Vancouver was chosen to host the 2010 Winter Olympics
over PyeongChang, Korea
, and Salzburg
, Austria in July 2003 at the 115th IOC Session in Prague, Czech Republic.
As in the 1976 Summer Olympics
, the host Canadian team failed to win a gold medal in the 1988 Winter Olympics. The Canadian Olympic Committee
, determined not to see this happen a third time at the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, launched the Own the Podium
program. Mogul
skiier Alexandre Bilodeau
finally won Canada's first gold medal on home soil at Vancouver and Canada finished off the Vancouver Games by winning 14 gold medals in all, a record for any nation at a single Winter Olympics.
provincial government, under Ed Stelmach
on 30 August 2007, committed CDN$69-million
, of the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) CDN$276-million overall project cost, to construct Canada's first Centre of Sport Excellence. This announcement included the unveiling of a new facility design for Canada Olympic Park
(COP) called the Athletic and Ice Complex. Previous governments have already given funds recently to upgrade and/or maintain existing Olympic winter venues in Calgary and Canmore, Alberta
in the past. For example, CDN$25.6-million was provided to renovate the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
area, in time for the 2005 Alberta
Centennial FIS
World Cup
event. CDN$600,000 was spent in maintaining the ski jumping
venue at Canada Olympic Park
. On 5 October 2007, the Canadian federal government promised an additional CDN$40-million toward the project, according to an article written by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC).
to host such an event. The following is a list of venues built for the games (see venues below for complete list of all facilities
used for the games):
s (NOCs) entered athletes at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
It was the first Winter Olympic Games for Fiji, Guam
, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Netherlands Antilles
.
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
celebrated in and around Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun
Falun
Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy. Most events took place in Calgary, although Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held near Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten events were held at the Nakiska ski area in Kananaskis from February 15-27, 1988....
took place in Kananaskis and Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
At the 1988 Winter Olympics, thirteen Nordic skiing events were contested – eight cross-country skiing events, three ski jumping events, and two nordic combined events. The team competitions in ski jumping and Nordic combined were new events for these Games....
and biathlon
Biathlon at the 1988 Winter Olympics
-10 km sprint:February 23, 1988-20 km individual:February 20, 1988-4 x 7.5 km relay:February 26, 1988-References:*...
taking place in Canmore
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
. The games were held after the 1988 Winter Paralympics
1988 Winter Paralympics
The 1988 Winter Paralympic Games, were the fourth Winter Paralympics, held again in Innsbruck, Austria. These were the last Winter Paralympics to be held in a separate location from the Winter Olympics. Beginning in 1992, the Olympics and the Paralympics were held in the same city or in an adjacent...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, the last time the two tournaments were not held in the same city.
Fifty-seven nations and 1,423 athletes participated in the games, with five countries making their debut in the Winter Olympics. Super-G made its Olympic debut, while curling
Curling at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Curling was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The venue was the Max Bell Arena in Calgary.-Medal table:-Men:-Teams:*throws third stones-Standings:...
, freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Freestyle skiing was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The venues were Canada Olympic Park for aerials and ballet, and Nakiska for moguls. This was the first appearance of freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics.-Placement table:...
, short track speed skating
Short track speed skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Short track speed skating was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Events were competed at the Max Bell Arena in Calgary...
and disabled skiing
Disabled skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Disabled skiing was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Contrary to the Paralympics, these events were demonstrations held during the Olympics.- Placement table :- Modified Giant slalom for above-the-Knee Amputees :February 21, 1988...
were demonstration sport
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
s. Speed skating
Speed skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics
These are the results of the speed skating competition during the Winter Olympic Games.-500 m:February 14, 1988-1,000 m:February 18, 1988-1,500 m:February 20, 1988-5,000 m:February 17, 1988-10,000 m:February 21, 1988-500 m:...
was held in an indoor rink
Speed skating rink
A speed skating rink is an ice rink in which a speed skating competition is held.-The rink:...
for the first time and the games were extended to 16 days.
Similar to the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union at the 1988 Winter Olympics
The Soviet Union competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. It would be the last Winter Olympic Games before the dissolution of the USSR in 1991...
and East Germany
East Germany at the 1988 Winter Olympics
East Germany competed at the Winter Olympic Games for the last time at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Following German reunification in 1990, a single German team would compete in the 1992 Winter Olympics....
dominated the events, coming in first and second in the overall medal table. As at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, the only previous games hosted in Canada, the host country
Canada at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Canada was the host nation for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It was the first time that Canada had hosted the Winter Olympic Games, and second time overall, after the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.-Medalists:...
failed to produce any gold medals. Matti Nykänen
Matti Nykänen
Matti Ensio Nykänen is a Finnish former ski jumper who won five Olympic medals , nine World Championships medals and 22 Finnish Championships medals . Most notably, Nykänen won three gold medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics, becoming, along with Yvonne van Gennip of the Netherlands, the most...
won all three ski jumping
Ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics
-Large hill:February 23, 1988-Normal hill:-Team large hill:February 24, 1988-References:*...
events. Yvonne van Gennip
Yvonne van Gennip
Yvonne Maria van Gennip was one of the most successful female Dutch all-round speed skaters. Her main success dates from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, where she surprisingly won three gold medals...
won three gold medals in speed skating, setting two world records. Alberto Tomba
Alberto Tomba
Alberto Tomba is an Italian retired alpine ski racer. He was the dominant technical skier in the late 1980s and 1990s. Tomba won three Olympic gold medals, two World Championships, and nine World Cup season titles; four in slalom, four in giant slalom, and one overall title...
won two gold medals in alpine skiing. Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards and the Jamaica national bobsled team
Jamaica national bobsled team
The Jamaican national bobsleigh team represents Jamaica in international bobsledding competitions. The team first gained fame during their debut in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where they gained international fame as the ultimate underdogs, representing a tropical...
entered with little experience but gathered massive media attention, resulting in qualification rules for later games.
Host city selection
Calgary first tried to win a bid for the Winter Olympics in 19641964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
, and again in 1968
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
, but it was defeated by Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Austria, and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, France, respectively.
Calgary finally won the bid for Canada's first Winter Olympics on 30 September 1981. It beat out Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Cortina d'Ampezzo had previously hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
.) The vote was conducted by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, at the 84th IOC Session and 11th Olympic Congress
Olympic Congress
An Olympic Congress is a large gathering of representatives from the different constituencies of the Olympic Movement, organised by the International Olympic Committee . As detailed in chapter 1, rule 4 of the Olympic Charter, the IOC President is responsible for convening a Congress, presiding...
.
| 1988 Winter Olympics bidding results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Country | Round 1 | Round 2 | |||
| Calgary Calgary Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies... |
 Canada |
35 | 48 | |||
| Falun Falun Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County... |
 Sweden |
25 | 31 | |||
| Cortina d'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene... |
 Italy |
18 | — | |||
Background
All levels of Canadian government helped to fund the Games. The federal government, provided $225 million (note all figures listed in Canadian dollarCanadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, not adjusted for inflation), the province of Alberta paid $125 million and the city of Calgary with $50 million. The American host network, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, paid a then record $398 million, while the main host broadcaster, the CTV Television Network
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
television network, paying $45 million for domestic rights. A further $90 million was raised by sponsorships and licenses.
Concern was raised almost from the beginning about the suitability of Calgary hosting the Winter Olympics because of the city's local weather conditions for the month of February. That area of Alberta is plagued unpredictably with a weather phenomenon called a chinook wind
Chinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
, which are periods where the weather becomes extremely unseasonably mild (above freezing) in short periods of time. A year prior to the event, the Whit Fraser report hinted that there was a possibility that mild winter weather could cause major problems for the Games. During the Games, there were indeed minor problems—for example, some bobsleigh runs had to be re-done because of sand getting blown onto the bobsleigh track.
This Olympic torch relay, with the theme "Share the Flame", stands as one of the longest in Olympic history, and especially for the Winter Olympic Games. It was a stark contrast to Canada's first Olympic torch relay for the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, which started in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and went directly east to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
; this distance, 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) is the shortest in Summer Olympic Games history so far. For Canada's first Winter Olympics, the Olympic torch, modeled after the Calgary Tower
Calgary Tower
The Calgary Tower is a 191 metre free standing observation tower in Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally called the Husky Tower, it was conceived as a joint venture between Marathon Realty Company Limited and Husky Oil as part of an urban renewal plan and to celebrate Canada's centennial...
, was carried by both famous and ordinary Canadians in a continuous 88-day run across Canada, covering all 10 provinces and 2 territories (Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
and the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
; the territory of Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
did not exist until 1999), for a total distance of about 18000 kilometres (11,184.7 mi). The torch traveled via ordinary running, dog sled
Dog sled
A dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing.-History:...
, and snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
. Citizens won the chance to run a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) distance with the Olympic torch by entering a lottery sponsored by Petro Canada.
The instrumental theme song ("Winter Games") and its vocal counterpart ("Can't You Feel It?") were both composed and performed by Canadian musician David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
. Internationally recognized Canadian folk/country musicians Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
and Ian Tyson
Ian Tyson
Ian Tyson CM, AOE is a Canadian singer-songwriter, best known for his song "Four Strong Winds". He was also one half of the duo Ian & Sylvia.-Career:Tyson was born to British immigrants in Victoria in 1933, and grew up in Duncan B.C...
were two of the featured performers at the opening ceremonies of the games, performing Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" and Lightfoot's "Alberta Bound" while a group of line dancers performed for the crowds.
The official mascots of the games were two western-attired polar bears named Hidy and Howdy
Hidy and Howdy
Hidy and Howdy were the official mascots of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were twin polar bears who wore western/cowboy style outfits. Students of Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary were used as performers during Hidy and Howdy's four years as the mascots of the...
. The names were chosen from a field of 7,000 names through a contest sponsored by the Calgary Zoo
Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Zoo is located in Bridgeland, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, just east of the city's downtown and adjacent to the Inglewood and East Village neighbourhoods. It is accessible via Calgary's C-Train light rail system, by car via Memorial Drive and by bicycle and footpath via the Bow River...
. They were designed by Sheila Scott of Great Scott Productions, and produced by International Mascot Corporation of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta.
Highlights
- The Games were opened by Governor GeneralGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Jeanne SauvéJeanne SauvéJeanne Mathilde Sauvé was a Canadian journalist, politician, and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 23rd since Canadian Confederation....
on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II at McMahon StadiumMcMahon StadiumMcMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
. - Figure skatingFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
was showcased with the Battle of the BriansBattle of the BriansThe Battle of the Brians was an informal name given to the figure skating rivalry between Canadian Brian Orser and American Brian Boitano at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It is considered one of the most memorable competitions in figure skating history....
(United States' Brian BoitanoBrian BoitanoBrian Anthony Boitano is an American figure skater from Sunnyvale, California. He is the 1988 Olympic champion, the 1986 and 1988 World Champion, and the 1985-1988 U.S. National Champion. He turned professional following the 1988 season...
and Canada's Brian OrserBrian OrserBrian Ernest Orser, OC is a Canadian retired competitive and professional figure skater. He is the 1984 and 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1987 World champion and the 1981-1988 Canadian national champion....
), the unexpected second place finish of Canada's Elizabeth ManleyElizabeth ManleyElizabeth Ann Manley, CM is a Canadian figure skater. She is the 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1988 World silver medalist, and three-time Canadian champion.-Early life and training:...
in Ladies' singles, and the Olympic debut of the Soviet Union pair couple of Ekaterina GordeevaEkaterina GordeevaEkaterina "Katia" Alexandrovna Gordeeva is a Russian figure skater. Together with her late partner and husband Sergei Grinkov, she was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion in pair skating...
and Sergei GrinkovSergei GrinkovSergei Mikhailovich Grinkov was a Russian pair skater. Together with partner Ekaterina Gordeeva, he was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion.-Biography:...
. - Matti NykänenMatti NykänenMatti Ensio Nykänen is a Finnish former ski jumper who won five Olympic medals , nine World Championships medals and 22 Finnish Championships medals . Most notably, Nykänen won three gold medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics, becoming, along with Yvonne van Gennip of the Netherlands, the most...
from FinlandFinland at the 1988 Winter Olympics- Medalists :- Alpine skiing:Women- Biathlon:MenMen's 4 x 7.5 km relay1A penalty loop of 150 metres had to be skied per missed target...
dominated ski jumpingSki jumpingSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
events, winning three gold medals. - DutchNetherlands at the 1988 Winter OlympicsAthletes from the Netherlands competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.-Medalists:- Speed skating:MenWomen-References:***...
speed skaterSpeed skatingSpeed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
Yvonne van GennipYvonne van GennipYvonne Maria van Gennip was one of the most successful female Dutch all-round speed skaters. Her main success dates from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, where she surprisingly won three gold medals...
won three gold medals, setting two world records. - Alberto TombaAlberto TombaAlberto Tomba is an Italian retired alpine ski racer. He was the dominant technical skier in the late 1980s and 1990s. Tomba won three Olympic gold medals, two World Championships, and nine World Cup season titles; four in slalom, four in giant slalom, and one overall title...
from ItalyItaly at the 1988 Winter Olympics-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenMen's combinedWomenWomen's combined- Biathlon:MenMen's 4 x 7.5km relay1A penalty loop of 150 metres had to be skied per missed target...
won two gold medals in alpine skiingAlpine skiingAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
. - Two competitors, Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards of Great Britain in ski jumpingSki jumpingSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
and the Jamaica national bobsled teamJamaica national bobsled teamThe Jamaican national bobsleigh team represents Jamaica in international bobsledding competitions. The team first gained fame during their debut in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where they gained international fame as the ultimate underdogs, representing a tropical...
, entered their respective competitions with little experience and less chance of winning any medals. However, the determination of these novices to compete, in spite of being outmatched by their competitors, won the affection of the spectators and the media alike, which sometimes overshadowed the actual winners. They were hailed as demonstrating the true Olympic spirit as playing for the simple thrill of competition. The story of the bobsledding team was made into a 1993 Disney comedy filmComedy filmComedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
called Cool RunningsCool RunningsCool Runnings is a 1993 comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut in the bobsleigh competition of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. It stars Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, and Rawle D...
that was directed by Jon TurteltaubJon TurteltaubJonathan Charles "Jon" Turteltaub is an American film director and producer. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the USC School of Cinematic Arts...
. - The Super GSuper Giant Slalom skiingThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
alpine skiingAlpine skiingAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
event for both men and women made its Olympic debut. - CurlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, freestyle skiingFreestyle skiingFreestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
, short track speed skatingShort track speed skatingShort track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
and Paralympic skiing were demonstration events. - For the first time, the Winter Olympics were extended to 16 days, the long track speed skating events were held indoors on a covered rink, the alpine events took place on artificial snow, and warm Chinook winds not only threatened to cancel events, but sent a ski jumper flying into a camera tower.
- For the first time,since the 1960 Winter Olympics1960 Winter OlympicsThe 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
, the Closing Ceremony was held in the same main Olympic stadium as the Opening Ceremony at McMahon StadiumMcMahon StadiumMcMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
.
Financial
Organizers and government claimed that the Calgary Olympic Games turned a profitProfit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
. They declared a surplus of between $90 and $150 million, and this money was used to fund the various Olympic venues in Calgary. Ever mindful of the financial disaster of the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, Calgary organizers attempted to be financially successful, because there was political pressure on them to erase the spectre of a second Canadian Games at a loss. Organizers claimed that their use of these profits for the future Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
and the funding of Canadian athletes through the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) gave Calgary a lasting legacy and impact on the Canadian sports scene, and also provided funds for the maintenance and upgrading of athletic facilities in Calgary, Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
, and Lake Louise
Lake Louise Mountain Resort
The Lake Louise Ski Area is a ski resort located in Banff National Park, near the village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. It can be reached from Banff, from where it is a 35 to 45 minute drive west on Trans-Canada Highway, or Calgary, a 2-hour drive...
. Well after the Olympics ended, they declared, CODA continued to use its resources to develop resources for Olympic athletes in the city, which included supporting the National Sport School
National Sport School (Canada)
The National Sport School is a public high school in Calgary, Alberta; which teaches grades 9 through 12. The school is specially designed for Canadian Olympic calibre athletes to be able to train and travel internationally, while staying in school...
, Canada's first high school designed for Olympic calibre athletes, in a partnership with the Calgary Board of Education
Calgary Board of Education
The Calgary Board of Education is the public school board in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a public system, the CBE is required to accept any students who meet age and residency requirements, regardless of religion.-Size:...
.
However, a widely cited 1993 audit and independent research conducted by The Toronto Star in 1999 showed that these financial figures were largely false. When announcing these numbers, organizers had removed from their calculations $461 million in subsidies provided by federal, provincial and local governments used mainly for building the games venues. When these government investments were included in the balance sheets, the Calgary Olympics were reported to have produced a sizeable financial loss. General infrastructure and venue costs do not go into the balanche sheets of an Olympic Organizing Committee. Only costs directly related to hosting the Games are included in the OOC's budget and balance sheets, as venues are often private or government built.
However, the games fuelled an endowment fund of $70.5 million that is now worth $185 million and continues to fund sport in a variety of ways. Additionally, the Calgary Olympic Committee (OCO) gave the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) $40 million, which after investment is now worth $110 million; those funds assist the COC's $8 million annual contribution to national teams, coaches and athletes and permits its existence as a self-sustaining organization that does not rely on government funding.
Infrastructure
Five world class facilities were built for the games, and several others were improved.- NakiskaNakiskaNakiska is a ski resort in the Kananaskis Country region of the Canadian province of Alberta. It is located from Calgary, west on Highway 1 and south on Highway 40 ....
at Mt. Allan - Olympic Saddledome
- Olympic Oval
- Canada Olympic ParkCanada Olympic ParkCanada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
- Canmore Nordic Centre
Eight national teams use Calgary or Canmore as a home base, and Calgary has hosted 200 national and international competitions between 1987 and 2009 because of its Olympic facilities.
Of 30 world records in speed skating, 17 of them have been set at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, considered the fastest ice in the world.
Social
There was a substantial social impact as well. From the unprecedented volunteer involvement in staging the Games, a program was put in place where ordinary Calgarians could purchase, for $19.88 in the summer of 1986, a brick at the main medal presentation plaza called the Olympic PlazaOlympic Plaza (Calgary)
The Olympic Plaza is an urban park and gathering place in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Located around Macleod Trail and 7th Avenue S., it was created as the venue for the medal ceremonies at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games...
with their names laser-engraved on it. The involvement of ordinary Calgarians was evident. This was of paramount importance to the organizing committee, OCO'88, as it kept the Games from appearing distant and "out of reach". Over 10,000 volunteers helped make the these games possible.
In 1999, a bribery scandal hit the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) for the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. The main focus of that scandal was the tactics used by that organizing committee then to win the bid in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary, at the 104th IOC Session in 1995. There was talk of stripping the rights of hosting the Games away at the time because of that circumstance. That whole scene played out before the unforeseen 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on the United States. Calgary then sent an offer to step in to be an alternate host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, if Salt Lake City was unable to host the Games because of both counts.
Calgary tried again to bid for the Winter Olympic Games in 2010, but lost out when the Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
(COC) chose Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
as the city that would be the Canadian bid internationally. Eventually, Vancouver was chosen to host the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
over PyeongChang, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria in July 2003 at the 115th IOC Session in Prague, Czech Republic.
As in the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the host Canadian team failed to win a gold medal in the 1988 Winter Olympics. The Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
, determined not to see this happen a third time at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, launched the Own the Podium
Own the Podium
Podium Canada, or more commonly Own the Podium, is a Canadian umbrella sport technical program launched in January 2005 Originally created as Own the Podium - 2010 to prepare Canadian athletes to reach medal finishes at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the program has since expanded to include a...
program. Mogul
Mogul skiing
Mogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.-Moguls:...
skiier Alexandre Bilodeau
Alexandre Bilodeau
Alexandre Bilodeau is a Canadian freestyle skier from Montreal, Quebec. Bilodeau currently resides in Rosemère, Quebec. Bilodeau won a gold medal in the men's moguls at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, becoming the first Canadian to win a gold medal at an Olympic Games held in Canada after...
finally won Canada's first gold medal on home soil at Vancouver and Canada finished off the Vancouver Games by winning 14 gold medals in all, a record for any nation at a single Winter Olympics.
Continuing funding of venues
The AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
provincial government, under Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
on 30 August 2007, committed CDN$69-million
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, of the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) CDN$276-million overall project cost, to construct Canada's first Centre of Sport Excellence. This announcement included the unveiling of a new facility design for Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
(COP) called the Athletic and Ice Complex. Previous governments have already given funds recently to upgrade and/or maintain existing Olympic winter venues in Calgary and Canmore, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
in the past. For example, CDN$25.6-million was provided to renovate the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, located immediately west of Canmore, west of Calgary.The park is situated at the foot of Mount Rundle in the Canadian Rockies, along the Bow Valley and the Trans-Canada Highway, at an elevation of and has a surface of...
area, in time for the 2005 Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
Centennial FIS
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
event. CDN$600,000 was spent in maintaining the ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
venue at Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
. On 5 October 2007, the Canadian federal government promised an additional CDN$40-million toward the project, according to an article written by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC).
Demonstration sports
- CurlingCurling at the 1988 Winter OlympicsCurling was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The venue was the Max Bell Arena in Calgary.-Medal table:-Men:-Teams:*throws third stones-Standings:...
- Freestyle skiingFreestyle skiing at the 1988 Winter OlympicsFreestyle skiing was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The venues were Canada Olympic Park for aerials and ballet, and Nakiska for moguls. This was the first appearance of freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics.-Placement table:...
- Short track speed skatingShort track speed skating at the 1988 Winter OlympicsShort track speed skating was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Events were competed at the Max Bell Arena in Calgary...
Venues
When awarded the games, Calgary had very little in the way of sports infrastructureInfrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
to host such an event. The following is a list of venues built for the games (see venues below for complete list of all facilities
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
used for the games):
- Olympic OvalOlympic OvalThe Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus...
– for speed skatingSpeed skatingSpeed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, which was the first time in Olympic history where the event took place indoors under climate controlled conditions. This, along with the high altitude of the city, resulted in a few world records in the sport being broken during the Games. - Olympic Saddledome – Indoor arenaArenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
for figure skatingFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
competitions (construction had already begun prior to the Games being awarded to Calgary). The Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
moved into the Saddledome for the 1983–84 NHL season. - Canada Olympic ParkCanada Olympic ParkCanada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
– Bobsleigh, LugeCanada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton trackThe Canada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Calgary, Canada. Part of Canada Olympic Park, it hosted the bobsleigh and luge competitions at the 1988 Winter Olympics...
, ski jumpingSki jumpingSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
, Nordic combinedNordic combinedThe Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
(ski jumping), freestyle skiingFreestyle skiingFreestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
(aerials and ballet), disabled alpine skiing - Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial ParkCanmore Nordic Centre Provincial ParkCanmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, located immediately west of Canmore, west of Calgary.The park is situated at the foot of Mount Rundle in the Canadian Rockies, along the Bow Valley and the Trans-Canada Highway, at an elevation of and has a surface of...
– Cross-country skiingCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, biathlonBiathlonBiathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
, Nordic combinedNordic combinedThe Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
(cross-country skiing), blind cross-country skiing - Max Bell CentreMax Bell CentreThe Max Bell Centre is an ice hockey arena, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in the community of Radisson Heights. It seats 2,121, for hockey, with a standing room capacity of over 3,000...
– CurlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
and short track speed skatingShort track speed skatingShort track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m... - McMahon StadiumMcMahon StadiumMcMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
– opening and closing ceremonies - NakiskaNakiskaNakiska is a ski resort in the Kananaskis Country region of the Canadian province of Alberta. It is located from Calgary, west on Highway 1 and south on Highway 40 ....
– Alpine skiingAlpine skiingAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, freestyle moguls skiing - Stampede CorralStampede CorralThe Stampede Corral is an ice hockey, rodeo, and Davis Cup tennis arena venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena as the home of the Calgary Stampeders Hockey Club...
– Figure skating and ice hockey (secondary venue) - Father David Bauer Olympic ArenaFather David Bauer Olympic ArenaThe Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is an ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It seats about 1,750 for hockey with a standing room capacity of over 2,000...
– Ice hockey (secondary venue)
Medal count
| 1 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 29 | |
| 2 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 25 | |
| 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 | |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | |
| 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 13 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Participants
A record of 57 National Olympic CommitteeNational Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...
s (NOCs) entered athletes at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
It was the first Winter Olympic Games for Fiji, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
.