What caused the cancellation of the Olympic Games in 1940 and 1944?

World War II caused the cancellation of the Olympic Games scheduled for 1940 and 1944. The war made international travel, construction and peaceful competition impractical, while many potential host nations were directly involved in the conflict.

The 1940 Summer Olympics were originally awarded to Tokyo, Japan, but the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War led Japan to relinquish the event. Helsinki, Finland, was selected as a replacement, yet the Games were ultimately cancelled after the outbreak of World War II in Europe and the Soviet invasion of Finland. The 1940 Winter Games were also cancelled.

The 1944 Summer Olympics were assigned to London, while the Winter Games were planned for Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Both were cancelled as the war continued. The Olympics did not return until London hosted the 1948 Games, creating a 12-year gap between the 1936 and 1948 Summer Olympics.

These cancellations are sometimes confused with postponements. Unlike the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 1940 and 1944 Olympics were not held at all.