ABSTRACT
The entities that have contributed towards the preparation and running of the Olympic Games for over a century can be divided into five types of closely related actors within a robust structure. The overall term of “Olympic Movement” is used to encompass them all. Despite its progressively expanding role and influence in the course of the twentieth century, the IOC's activities remain focused on the Olympic Games, to which it holds full legal rights thanks to the worldwide registration of the numerous trademarks related thereto. The International Sports Federations represent a third kind of actor. They govern their respective sport and disciplines on a worldwide level. A distinction is made between those whose sports are on the program of the Summer or Winter Games, and those whose sports are not on the program but are nevertheless recognized by the IOC.
