Curling at the 1988 Winter Olympics

Curling had not been a part of the Olympic program since 1932 (and not an official event since 1924), but its popularity in the host nation of the 1988 Winter Olympics made it a prime candidate for a demonstration sport at those Games: tickets for many matches were sold out long before the opening ceremony. Canada was the favorite in both the men’s and women’s events, but only the latter team captured first place, the nation’s sole victory during the Games.

Curling failed to gain a broader international following during the Games, with the United States media in particular being unsure just how seriously to treat the event as a sport. Curling would again be a demonstration tournament at the 1992 Winter Olympics but, after skipping 1994, emerged as an official event once more at the 1998 Winter Olympics and remains a popular sport on the Winter Olympic program.