To highlight how the Olympics have changed since the last time the games were held in Italy 50 years ago, panel moderator John Powers offers some statistics contrasting them to this years games at Torino, Italy. Fifty years ago, the Olympics had only 32 nations competing at 24 events; this year 85 nations will compete at 84 different events. Out of the 818 athletes in the 1956 games, only 136 were women; this year there are more women than that playing ice hockey alone. The games haven't only changed in size though. As Bill Cleary describes, when he participated at the 1956 Olympics, the event was smaller but it meant that he got to actually meet and share his experiences with athletes all over the world. Talking to athletes from the Eastern Bloc countries he came to realize that the "common denominator in the world is sport ", something everyone can relate to. In many ways, he says, he feels sorry for athletes today who have lost that experience.
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