11 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES

Start:
03 Feb 1972
End:
13 Feb 1972
Countries:
35
Athletes:
1006
Sports:
10
Events:
35
City:
Sapporo, Japan
SAPPORO 1972 - Bid History
- For the first time, Sapporo, Japan was selected as host city of the Olympics 1940, but the Sino-Japanese incident caused the Winter Olympic games 1940 was reassigned and later was cancelled due World War II.
- In April 1966 at the 64th IOC session in Rome, finally, the Winter Olympics 1972 was awarded to Sapporo, Japan with 32 votes. The other candidate cities were Banff, Canada - 16 votes, Salt Lake City, USA and Lahti, Finland with seven votes each.
- It was the first Winter Olympics in Asia.
11 Winter Olympic Games,1972 - Interesting Facts
- The Emperor Hirohito officially opened the 11 Winter Olympic games 1972.
- Austrian skier Karl Schranz was banned to compete for receiving payment from ski product manufacturers.
- When IOC and IIHF did not permit to include the NHL players in hockey teams while full-time players from the Communist countries, who officially were not professionals, were allowed to compete, Canada boycoted the 1972 Olympic hockey tournament.
- Galina Kulakova of the USSR won all three wonen's events in Cross-country. Ard Schenk of the Netherlands won three golds in Speed skating with a wide margin and became a national hero in the Netherlands that a flower was named in his honour: Crocus chrysanthus Ard Schenk.
Winter Olympics 1972 - Medal Table



Total
SAPPORO 1972 - Top Medalists


NLD





URS













NOR


