Winter Olympics: Q&A: The cold facts of the Olympics

Q. The 1998 Winter Olympics are termed the XVIII Olympiad. This figure can only be arrived at by including the non-events of 1940 and 1944. Upon what grounds does the Olympic movement ignore history?

A. The Games in Nagano are actually the XVIII Winter Olympics - so history is not ignored. The first Winter Games took place in Chamonix, France. Since then Olympic Winter Games were held every four years (apart from the non- events of 1940 and 1944). But there was only a two-year interval between the Olympics in 1992 in Albertville and 1994 in Lillehammer.

B Riezinger, Worthing

A. To answer my own question, I have belatedly realised that the Winter Games are correctly enumerated. It is the summer Olympic Games that have it wrong by including 1916, 1940, and 1944.

A Wolstenholme, Leeds

Q. Is Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch the best-selling sport book of all?

A. What is regarded as the best sports specialist book of all time is AJ Liebling's "The Sweet Science" - a boxing anthology. The book has been selling since the 1950s world-wide - and still is.

K Maguire, Batley

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. I understand that the part-timers of Stevenage are paid pounds 200 per week. Who is the highest-earning non-league footballer?

T Mickleburgh, Grimsby

Q. After his century last Sunday is Pat Symcox of South Africa to be considered the best No 10 batsman ever or has another tailender fared even better?

E Gould, Middlesbrough

If you know the answers to any of these questions or have a sporting question of your own, write to Q&A, Sports Desk, Independent on Sunday, 1 Canada Square, London E14 5DL. Fax: 0171-293 2894.