The Olympic Games is a major international sporting event held every two years that features both summer and winter sports. Over 13,000 athletes from more than 200 countries compete in 33 sports and nearly 400 events. The first modern Olympics was held in Athens in 1896 and has grown significantly, though the Winter Olympics is smaller in scale. The 2012 Summer Olympics will be held in London, making it the first city to host the Olympics three times.