When?
The first games, known as the International Silent Games, were held in 1924 in Paris with athletes from nine (9) European nations participating.
The first Winter Games, held in Seefeld, Austria, in 1949, included 33 athletes from 5 nations.
Twenty three (23) Summer Games, have been held consistently at 4-year intervals since the initial Paris games. The only exceptions were the cancellation of 1943 and 1947 Games because of World War II.
Today, the number of national federations in the ICSD membership has reached 116, a big difference from the original 9 countries almost 100 years ago! Among recent newcomers enjoying the benefits of this worldwide network of sports and social inclusion include geographically disparate countries such as Lebanon, Paraguay and Mozambique.