The origin of the very first Olympic games was in Olympia, at the center of Ancient Greek Civilization, from 776 BC until 393 AD. According to the official website of the Olympic games, Olympia was a sacred place used regularly in religious ceremonies as well as the host to the ancient games. According to the same source, the first Winter Olympics, however, happened in 1924 and was initially called Les Iers Jeux olympiques d’hiver (I Olympic Winter Games). It was hosted in Chamonix, France and held in association with the 1924 Summer Olympics.

Ever since then, the Winter Olympics have been happening every four years in different locations. This year, the Olympics are being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea and have had many unusual, interesting incidents that stand out from past year’s events and are very worth noting.

This year’s Olympic game has been a hit all over the world for a variety of reasons besides the beautiful hosting city. It has also attracted attention because of controversy and commotion, such as a positive result for an illegal substance having been found once again among the Russian team members.

For the past eight years and especially after the Sochi Olympics, several allegations of doping (administering drugs in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance) have been directed at the Russian team. According to BBC, in 2014 Russian athletic and doping officials were accused of supplying banned substances and falsifying tests in exchange for 5% of an athlete’s earnings. As a response to so many accusations, investigations were lead and consequences were given to the Russian team.

This year, even after many Russian athletes were banned from playing at the event as a consequence of the investigations, there still was another doping occurrence with curler Alexander Krushelnitsky. One of Krushelnitsky’s doping tests came back positive for the illegal substance called Meldonium. However, Russian delegation claims that Krushelnitsky would not have benefited from the drug based on the concentration that was found in the tests. Either way, according to The Guardian, Krushelnitsky was still formally charged by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and may be stripped of his mixed curling bronze medal as consequence.

But these games have also been the stage for those searching to make a change such as American figure skater Adam Rippon, who tries to use his public voice and his skating to support and advocate for the LGBT+ movement.

According to The Washington Post, Rippon is one of two openly gay athletes representing the United States at the Winter Olympics. The other, Gus Kenworthy, is competing in snowboarding. According to the Washington Post, Rippon has also openly discussed with Vice-President Mike Pence about his concept of “gay conversion therapy”. Rippon strongly disagreed with Pence’s proposition of funding institutions which “provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior” during his 2000 Senate campaign.

Not only is Rippon doing amazingly well on the competitions and accomplishing very well ranked clean programs, but he also tries to help those struggling with accepting their own sexuality like he did in the past. For those on social media or in real life who criticize him for being gay and standing where he is today as an Olympian, Rippon said in an interview to USA Today; “As long as I’m respectful, treat people the way I want to be treated then my sexuality has absolutely zero to do with getting to the Olympics and being an Olympian.”

Another curious fact about the Olympics related to a figure skater is Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, who has Winnie the Pooh as his lucky charm.

According to the Japan Times, Hanyu became the 1,000th Winter Olympics gold medal winner when he took the men’s ice skating title at Pyeongchang this year. Historically, American Charles Jewtraw won the first Olympic gold medal at the 1924 games in Chamonix, France in the 500m speed skating event. Hanyu’s win of the gold medal was an amazing comeback from his serious right ankle injury which he suffered while attempting to land a quadruple lutz during practice for the NHK Trophy in November.

But the uncommon thing about Hanyu is not his history with winning gold medals– that is largely known as common sense among skater fans. What is uncommon is his lucky charm, Winnie the Pooh.

According to CNN, Hanyu’s adoring fan club have taken to tossing Winnie the Pooh bears at their hero after he began carrying a tissue box in the shape of the much loved A.A. Milne character back in 2010. Ever since then, Hanyu has been regularly carrying the bear as a mascot. Olympic rules dictate that Hanyu’s Winnie must stay in the dressing room during the performance but, even so, his fans make sure to throw a very good amount of bears on the ice after Hanyu’s performances to make up for it.

This year’s Olympics also debuted a brand new, unusual sport which combines summer and winter into one. Snow Volleyball.

During the freezing temperatures at Pyeongchang, the world’s best beach volleyball players from countries like Brazil, China, South Korea, and Austria came together to play on snow instead of sand. According to Time, the International Volleyball Federation and the European Volleyball Confederation recruited beach volleyball Olympians to compete in a demonstration at the Austria House, where the athletes donned warm clothing, gloves, and soccer cleats to bump, set, and spike on a snowy court. There is no guarantee that Snow Volleyball will become a Winter Sport yet, but curling and snowboarding weren’t Olympic sports in the past either but are vastly popular now. According to the New York Times, Snow volleyball is already played in small European leagues and there’s a European championship. Official sport or not, many people on the internet were especially excited about this new version of the popular summer sport.

This year’s Olympics were popular not only for the events mentioned above but also because of the outstanding, extremely dedicated, athletes that were a part of it. The athletes who continue to bring spectators joy every 4 years and inspire the world with their motivation and amazing performances. Certainly, every Olympics is unique in their own way but the 2018 Pyeongchang games will definitely be remembered by all of those who followed along and enjoyed it.