The Olympics are traditionally held every four years. The summer and winter games took place during the same year up until 1994, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that the seasonal games should be staggered, and held two years apart.
In the past, the modern games were only canceled three times, always on account of war. The 1916 Summer Olympics in Berlin were canceled because of WWI. The 1940 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, as well as the 1944 Summer Olympics in London were canceled because of WWII. When people are fighting for basic survival, global athletic events tend to hold a lot less meaning.
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