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the Games, and it was the last time the USA would host the Summer Olympics for 52 years, when they were once again held in Los Angeles in 1984, at the same stadium. The 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin also produced some long-lasting, first-time traditions. These Games were the first to have a torch relay bringing the Olympic flame to the stadium, and they were also the first to be televised.

The Summer Olympics took a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, and London was once again called upon to host the Games with short notice in 1948. The Summer Games have been held every four years since 1948. In 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted the Summer Games, and that meant the Olympics had now been held on five continents. Australia has hosted the Summer Olympics twice (Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000). Asia has hosted four times (Tokyo, Japan in 1964 and 2020; Seoul, Korea, in 1988; and Beijing, China, in 2008).

Other North American cities to host the Summer Olympics have been Mexico City, Mexico, in 1968; Montreal, Canada, in 1976; and Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996 for the centennial anniversary of the modern Olympics. Los Angeles will host the Games for a third time in 2028. Although athletes typically garner headlines for most Olympic coverage, sometimes events outside of the playing field force the world to take notice.

What Are the Summer Olympics?

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