Weird Olympic sports: An all-time list of the most weird sports in the history of the Olympics

Weird Olympic sports: An all-time list of the most weird sports in the history of the Olympics

Samuel Lisubila
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:15 PM

For around 3000 years, the Olympics have been taking place, and over 40 games have participated and continue to take center stage in the tournament. With athletics, cycling, fencing, swimming, and gymnastics as the main sports, other unknown sports have been given a stage to shine and have given impressive performances since the first Olympic games in 1896. This listicle features an all-time list of the weirdest sports in the history of the Olympics.

Weird Olympic sports
Fighters wrestle as they compete in the Glima Tournament of Viking Wrestling as part of the St. Ives Medieval Faire on 24th September 2017, in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Mark Kolbe
Source: Getty Images

The Olympics is an international athletics festival from Greece in the 19th century. Some of the weird Olympic sports that have been present are highlighted below.

List of weird Olympic sports

10. American football

  • Duration: 1904, 1932
  • Country of origin: United States of America
  • Most gold medals: None

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List of weird Olympic sports
Antonio Gibson, #24 of the Commanders, avoids a tackle by Adrian Amos, #31 of the Green Bay Packers, during a game at FedExField on 23rd October 2022, in Landover, Maryland. Photo: Mitchell Layton
Source: Getty Images

American football is a team game played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end with the objective of advancing the ball to the opposing team's end zone. Also known as gridiron, it was featured in the Summer Olympic games demonstration programme in 1904 and 1932. However, it hasn't been recognized since 1932 due to eligibility rules, as NFL players aren't eligible for IFAF representation.

9. Roller hockey

  • Duration: 1992
  • Country of origin: England
  • Most gold medals: Argentina - 1
Most weird sports in the history of the Olympics
Spain and Argentina in the roller hockey demonstration tournament at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Palau Blaugrana arena in Barcelona, ​Spain, on 7th August 1992. Photo: Professional Sport
Source: Getty Images

Roller hockey is a team sport that resembles hockey but is played on a dry surface using wheeled skates. It was more popular in the 1990s, among the three demonstration sports in the 1992 Summer games, held in Barcelona.

8. Korfball

  • Duration: 1920, 1928
  • Country of origin: Netherlands
  • Most gold medals: None
Most weird Olympic games
Daniel Harmzen of Top/Quoration takes a shot during the Dutch Korfball League Final against Blauw-Wit at the Ziggo Dome on 8th April 2017, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos
Source: Getty Images

Korfball is a ball game similar to basketball and netball, with four men and four women on each team. The game aims to throw a ball into a netless basket mounted on a 3.5-metre-high pole.

Korfball was featured as a demonstration sport in the 1920 and 1928 Summer Olympics but is no longer present since it doesn't meet one of the criteria for being considered an Olympic sport. The rule states that a game must have 75 national federations and four continents for the men (40/3 for women), as korfball has only 54 members.

7. Kaatsen

  • Duration: 1928
  • Country of origin: Netherlands
  • Most gold medals: None
Old weird Olympic sports
An Olympian playing kaatsen or frisian handball at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, in 1928. Photo: George Rinhart
Source: Getty Images

Kaatsen is an ancient game similar to handball, with three players per team, using a leather ball and a scoring system similar to tennis. It featured as a demonstration event at the 1928 games.

6. Gliding

  • Duration: 1936
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Most gold medals: Hungary (1)
What are some of the weirdest sports in the Olympics?
View of a pilot suspended under a hang glider as it flies over the cliffs of Beachy Head and the English Channel in East Sussex, England, in 1977. Photo: Leo Mason
Source: Getty Images

Gliding is a recreational and competitive air sport in which a pilot uses an unpowered aircraft that moves by rising air. It began in the 1920s in Germany and was once approved for the Olympics in 1940 until it was cancelled due to World War ll. However, it is also dangerous and was banned by the International Olympic Committee after Australian glider Ignaz Stiefsohn died in a crash during practice just days before the main event began.

5. Glima

  • Duration: 1912
  • Country of origin: Iceland
  • Most gold medals: None
Weird Olympic sports
Historical re-enactors participate in Glima, the martial arts of the Vikings, during the Medieval Faire at St Ives Showgrounds on 25th September 2016, in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Jason McCawley
Source: Getty Images

Glima is a traditional form of Martial Arts that evolved from Viking settlers in Iceland. It was a demonstration game in the 1912 Stockholm games. However, after securing a spot in the festival, they cancelled their participation and have not shown interest in returning.

4. Surf lifesaving

  • Duration: 1900
  • Country of origin: England
  • Most gold medals: None
An all-time list of the most weird sports in the history of the Olympics
Mona Vale SLSC celebrates winning the Open Men's Boat Race final in the 2011 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships at Kurrawa Beach on 10th April 2011, in Gold Coast, Australia. Photo: Matt Roberts
Source: Getty Images

Surf Lifesaving is a competitive surf sport and a multifaceted movement consisting of competitions to perform various tasks performed by lifeguards on the beach. It originated in the early 20th century in Australia and is considered by the IOC but not yet in Olympic programmes after participating only once in the 1900 Olympics.

3. Ballooning

  • Duration: 1900
  • Country of origin: France
  • Most gold medals: None
Weird Olympic sports
The Olympic Torch goes up in a hot air balloon during Day 2 of the Olympic Flame torch relay on 4th May 2016, in Corumba de Goias, Brazil.
Source: Getty Images

Ballooning is an adventurous sport that involves flying hot-air balloons. It is considered the safest air sport in aviation, invented in the 16th century but gained popularity in the 1960s. The game was featured in the 1900 games in St. Louis, paired with the World Fair.

2. Live Pigeon shooting

  • Duration: 1900
  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Most gold medals: Great Britain (1), Belgium (1)

As the name suggests, the game aims to shoot and kill as many birds as possible. The game occurred only once in the 1900 Olympics, though it is not listed in official IOC medal records.

1. Tug of war

  • Duration: 1900-1920
  • Country of origin: China/Greece
  • Most gold medals: Great Britain (2)
Weird Olympic games
The England team beats the USA team in a tug of war, during the 1920 Summer Olympics, Antwerp, Belgium. Photo: Bettmann Archive
Source: Getty Images

It involves pitting two teams against each other at the end of a rope with the aim of dragging the other across the centre line. The game was removed from the tournament along with 33 others after the 1920 Olympics because of the congestion of games in the competition.

Weird Olympic sports 2022

Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympic games have featured seven new sports in the competition. They include women's mono bob, men's and women's freestyle skiing, Big Air events, mixed team events in short track, ski jumping, snowboard cross and freestyle skiing aerials. All are set to make their debut at the event.

What are some of the weirdest sports in the Olympics?

The Olympics has featured some of the weirdest sports to give them a platform to show how good they may be. Some of the most bizarre include the Plunge for Distance, Obstacle Swim, Rogue, Live Pigeon Shooting and Running deer shooting.

What is the least favourite Olympic sport?

In as much as the Olympics is fun as they feature the most exciting games in the world, some aren't liked by many. According to a survey, equestrian events are the least favourite, with 13% of respondents citing them as such.

What is the least favourite Olympic sport?
The final of the men's 5000 metres event at the Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki, circa July 1952. Photo: Popperfoto
Source: Getty Images

The Olympics have featured some of the most weird Olympic sports, but the event is still one of the most fruitful tournaments in history. It has led to increased jobs supporting the event, tourism and trade, which can yield growth in foreign investment.

READ ALSO: 1930 World Cup: When was the first World Cup played, and who won it?

Sportsbrief.com recently posted an article on the 1930 World Cup. This was the first ever World Cup competition that was first hosted and set to involve national teams from different parts of the world. Read more to find out who won it by clicking on the link above.

Authors
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Samuel Lisubila