The first Winter Olympics in 1924 featured 16 contested events. They were held in Chamonix, France, from January 25 to February 5, under the less formal title International Winter Sports Week.
The program covered five sports and nine disciplines, including bobsleigh, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, military patrol, Nordic combined, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and speed skating. Figure skating and ice hockey had appeared at earlier Summer Olympics, but Chamonix was the first event later recognized as a dedicated Winter Olympic Games.
The number 16 can be confusing because some historical accounts excluded curling and military patrol or described them as demonstration events. The International Olympic Committee later confirmed that both belonged to the official 1924 program, establishing the accepted total of 16 events.
The IOC did not formally designate Chamonix as the first Winter Olympics until 1926, two years after the competitions took place. That retrospective decision is why contemporary descriptions may call the event a winter sports week rather than the first Winter Games.