Difference between revisions of "Olympic games" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Olympic flag.svg|400px|thumb|The five [[Olympic rings]] were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at [[1920 Summer Olympics|Antwerp in 1920]].]]
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The '''Olympic Games''' (often referred to simply as '''The Olympics''') are the worlds premier multi-sport international athletic competition held every four years in various locations. Separate summer and winter games are now held two years apart from each other. Until 1992, they were held in the same year.
  
[[Image:Olympic flag.svg|200px|thumb|The five [[Olympic rings]] were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at [[1920 Summer Olympics|Antwerp, 1920]].]]
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The [[Ancient Olympic Games|original Olympic Games]] began in c. 776 B.C.E. in [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]], [[Greece]], and were hosted for nearly a thousand years, until 393 C.E.. The Greek games were one of the splendors of the ancient world, so much so that warring factions took breaks so their athletes could compete. The games gradually lost popular support, however, as the ascendant Roman Empire hosted far bloodier and more spectacular gladiatorial combat, and the later [[Christian]]ized empire saw the games as recalling [[pagan]] festivals.  
The '''Olympic Games''' (often referred to simply as '''The Olympics''' or '''The Games'''<ref name="Games">{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk.asp |title=Olympic Games |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-27}}</ref>) is an international [[multi-sport event]] subdivided into summer and winter [[Sport|sporting events]]. The summer and winter games are each held every four years (an [[Olympiad]]<ref name="modernOG">{{cite book |url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pdf |title=The Modern Olympic Games |chapter=Introduction - The Summer Games and Winter Games |chapterurl=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pdf#pages=2 |accessdate=2007-01-11 |publisher=International Olympic Committee |format=pdf |pages=p. 2}}</ref>). Until [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992]], they were held in the same year. Since then, they have been celebrated two years apart.
 
  
The [[Ancient Olympic Games|original Olympic Games]] ({{lang-el|Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες}}; ''Olympiakoi Agones'') began in 776 B.C.E. in [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]], [[Greece]], and was celebrated until AD 393.<ref name="Encarta-Ancient">{{cite web |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761576089/Ancient_Olympic_Games.html |title=Ancient Olympic Games|accessdate=2006-12-27 |date=1997-2006 |work=Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006 |publisher=Microsoft Corporation }}</ref> Interest in reviving the Olympic Games proper was first shown by the Greek poet and newspaper editor [[Alexandros Soutsos|Panagiotis Soutsos]] in his poetry "Dialogue of the Dead" in 1833. <ref name=Young>David C. Young, The Modern Olympics - A Struggle for Revival, published by The Johns Hopkins University Press in 1996, ISBN 0-8018-5374-5</ref> [[Evangelos Zappas]] sponsored the first modern international Olympic Games in 1859. He paid for the refurbishment of the [[Panathinaiko Stadium]] for Games held there in 1870 and 1875. <ref name=Young>David C. Young, The Modern Olympics - A Struggle for Revival, published by The Johns Hopkins University Press in 1996, ISBN 0-8018-5374-5</ref> This was noted in newspapers and publications around the world including the London Review, which stated that "the Olympian Games, discontinued for centuries, have recently been revived! Here is strange news indeed ... the classical games of antiquity were revived near Athens." <ref>London Review, September 15, 1860.</ref>
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Greek philanthropist [[Evangelos Zappas]] sponsored the first modern international Olympic Games in 1859. The [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) was founded in 1894, and the first of the IOC's Olympic Games were the 1896 Summer Olympics, held in [[Athens]]. Participation in the Olympic Games has increased to include athletes from nearly all nations worldwide. With the improvement of satellite communications and global telecasts of the events, the Olympics have grown into a global media phenomenon, with cities worldwide vying for the coveted opportunity to host the games.
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When the modern Olympics resumed in 1896, there was hope that such grand-scale athletic competition could be a force for peace. Competitive sports showcase human excellence, self mastery, and cooperative teamwork. Sports are played in remote villages and great cities on every continent and provide a bridge across religious, social, and ethnic divides. For a time the Olympic dream lasted, yet as world war twice engulfed nations in the twentieth century, and the [[Cold War]] divided peoples and states, the Olympics succumbed to nationalistic triumphalism, cheating scandals, and crass [[commercialism]]. The Olympics continue to engender pride in human accomplishment and respect for political adversaries, yet the promise of the Olympics to rise above about political divisions and exemplify human ideals remains to be realized.
  
The [[International Olympic Committee]] was founded with the initiative of a [[France|French]] nobleman in 1894, [[Pierre de Coubertin|Pierre Frédy, Baron de Coubertin]]. The first of the IOC's Olympic Games were the [[1896 Summer Olympics]], held in [[Athens]], [[Greece]]. Participation in the Olympic Games has increased to include athletes from nearly all nations worldwide. With the improvement of satellite communications and global telecasts of the events, the Olympics are consistently gaining supporters.<ref name="Encarta">{{cite web |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562380_5/Olympic_Games.html#s16 |title= Olympic Games- Recent Developments|accessdate=2006-12-27 |date=1997-2006 |work=Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006 |publisher=Microsoft Corporation }}</ref> The most recent [[Summer Olympic Games|Summer Olympics]] were the [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Games in Athens]] and the most recent [[Winter Olympic Games|Winter Olympics]] were the [[2006 Winter Olympics|2006 Games in Turin]]. The [[2008 Summer Olympics|upcoming games in Beijing]] are planned to comprise 302 events in 28 [[Olympic sports#Summer Olympic Games|sports]].<ref name=2008programme>{{cite news |url = http://olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1797 |title = Beijing 2008: Games Programme Finalised |publisher = International Olympic Committee |date = 2006-04-27 |accessdate = 2006-05-10}}</ref> As of 2006, the Winter Olympics were competed in 84 events in 7 [[Olympic sports#Winter Olympic Games|sports]].<ref name="2006 Winter Olympics">{{cite web |url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=2&OLGY=2006 |title = Turin 2006 |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-27}}</ref>
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==Ancient Olympics==
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[[File:Olympia Palaestra panoramic.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Athletes trained in this Olympia facility in its ancient heyday.]]
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According to legend, the divine hero [[Heracles]] was the creator of the Olympic Games and built the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to his father [[Zeus]], after completing his 12 labors. According to that legend he walked in a straight line for 400 strides and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: "Στάδιον"), which later also became a distance calculation unit. This is also why a modern stadium is 400 meters in circumference length. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of ἐκεχειρία ''(ekecheiria)'' or Olympic Truce, in which a solemn truce was enacted between warring city-states to allow athletes to compete in the Games. The date of the Games' is often reconstructed as 776 B.C.E., although scholarly opinion ranges between dates as early as 884 B.C.E.. and as late as 704 B.C.E.
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{{readout||right|250px|The Olympic Games originated in Olympia, [[Greece]], where they were hosted for nearly a thousand years}}
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The Games quickly became an important institution throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E.. The Olympics were of fundamental [[religion|religious]] importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honoring both [[Zeus]] (whose [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia|colossal statue]] stood at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]]), and [[Pelops]], divine hero and mythical king of Olympia, famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honor the games were held.
  
== Ancient Olympics ==
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At first involving only a foot race, then wrestling and the ''[[pentathlon]]'', the number of events increased to 20, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalized in [[poem]]s and [[statue]]s. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an '[[Olympiad]]'. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in the sixth century B.C.E.., wrestler [[Milo of Croton]], the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics.
[[Image:Palestra at Olympia.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Athletes trained in this Olympia facility in its ancient heyday.]]
 
{{main|Ancient Olympic Games}}
 
  
There are many myths and legends surrounding the origin of the ancient Olympic Games. The most popular legend describes that [[Heracles]] was the creator of the Olympic Games, and built the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to his father Zeus, after completing his 12 labors. According to that legend he walked in a straight line for 400 strides and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: "Στάδιον")- (Roman: "stadium") (Modern English: "Stage") that later also became a distance calculation unit. This is also why a modern stadium is 400 meters in circumference length (1 stadium = 400 m). Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of ἐκεχειρία ''(ekecheiria)'' or Olympic Truce. The date of the Games' inception based on the count of years in [[Olympiad]]s is reconstructed as 776 B.C.E., although scholars' opinions diverge between dates as early as 884 B.C.E. and as late as 704 B.C.E..
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The Games gradually declined in importance as the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] gained power in Greece. When [[Christianity]] became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a pagan festival in discord with Christian ethics, and in 393 C.E. the emperor [[Theodosius I]] outlawed the Olympics, ending a thousand-year tradition.
  
From then on, the Games quickly became much more important throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E. The Olympics were of fundamental [[religion|religious]] importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honouring both [[Zeus]] (whose [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia|colossal statue]] stood at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]]), and [[Pelops]], divine hero and mythical king of Olympia famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honour the games were held. The number of events increased to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalised in [[poem]]s and [[statue]]s.<ref name="Ancient Gods IOC">{{cite web |url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/ancient/gods_uk.asp |title = Ancient Olympic Games- Gods |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref> The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an '[[Olympiad]]'. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in these times: the sixth century B.C.E. wrestler [[Milo of Croton]] is the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics.<ref name="Ancient Athletes IOC">{{cite web |url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/ancient/index_uk.asp |title = Ancient Olympic Games- Athletes |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref>
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During ancient times normally only [[young men]] could participate. Competitors were usually [[naked]], as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would not only have the prestige of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of [[olive]] leaves.
  
The Games gradually declined in importance as the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] gained power in Greece. When [[Christianity]] became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a pagan festival and in discord with Christian ethics, and in 393 C.E. the emperor [[Theodosius I]] outlawed the Olympics, ending a thousand-year tradition.<ref name="Ancient IOC">{{cite web |url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/ancient/index_uk.asp |title = The Ancient Olympic Games |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref>
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Even though the bearing of a torch formed an integral aspect of many Greek ceremonies, the ancient Olympic Games did not include it, nor was there a symbol formed by interconnecting rings. These [[Olympic symbols]] were introduced as part of the modern Olympic Games.
 
 
During the ancient times normally only [[young men]] could participate.<ref name="Ancient Athletes IOC" /> Competitors were usually [[naked]], not only as the weather was appropriate but also as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would have not only the prestige of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of olive leaves. The [[olive branch]] is a sign of hope and peace.<ref name="Ancient History IOC">{{cite web |url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/ancient/history_uk.asp |title = Ancient Olympic Games- History |publisher = International Olympic Committee |accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref>
 
 
 
Even though the bearing of a torch formed an integral aspect of Greek ceremonies, the ancient Olympic Games did not include it, nor was there a symbol formed by interconnecting rings. These [[Olympic symbols]] were introduced as part of the modern Olympic Games.
 
  
 
== Revival ==
 
== Revival ==
In the early seventeenth century, an "Olympick Games" sports festival was run for several years at [[Chipping Campden]] in the English [[Cotswolds]], and the present day local [[Cotswold Games]] trace their origin to this festival. They were a local sports event with extraordinary sports, such as shin-kicking.
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In the early seventeenth century, an "Olympick Games" sports festival was run for several years at [[Chipping Campden]] in the English [[Cotswolds]], and the present day local [[Cotswold Games]] trace their origin to this festival. In 1850, an "Olympian Class" was begun at [[Much Wenlock]] in [[Shropshire]], [[England]]. This was renamed "Wenlock Olympian Games" in 1859 and continues to this day as the [[Wenlock Olympian Games|Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games]]. A national Olympic Games was organized by their founder, Dr William Penny Brookes, at Crystal Palace in London, in 1866.
 
 
In 1850, an "Olympian Class" was begun at [[Much Wenlock]] in [[Shropshire]], [[England]]. This was renamed "Wenlock Olympian Games" in 1859 and continues to this day as the [[Wenlock Olympian Games|Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games]]. A national Olympic Games was organised by their founder, Dr William Penny Brookes, at Crystal Palace in London, in 1866.
 
  
Meanwhile, a wealthy Greek philanthropist called [[Evangelos Zappas]] sponsored the revival of the first modern international Olympic Games.<ref name=Young/> The first was held in an Athens city square in 1859. Zappas paid for the refurbishment of the ancient Panathenian stadium that was first used for an Olympic Games in 1870 and then again in 1875. That same stadium was refurbished a second time and used for the Athens 1896 Games. The revival sponsored by Zappas was a dedicated athletics Olympic Games with athletes that participated from two countries: Greece and the Ottoman Empire.
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[[Image:Panathinaiko.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The [[Panathenaic Stadium]] in Athens, originally built in the [[fourth century B.C.E.]], was restored for use in the 1896 Olympics and updated again for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]].]]
  
The interest in reviving the Olympics as an international event grew further when the ruins of ancient [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]] were uncovered by German [[archaeologist]]s in the mid-nineteenth century. At the same time, [[Pierre de Coubertin]] was searching for a reason for the French defeat in the [[Franco-Prussian War]] (1870&ndash;1871). He thought the reason was that the French had not received proper physical education, and sought to improve this. Coubertin also sought a way to bring nations closer together, to have the youth of the world compete in sports, rather than fight in war. In 1890 he attended a festival of the Wenlock Olympian Society, and decided that the recovery of the Olympic Games would achieve both of his goals.
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Meanwhile, a wealthy Greek [[philanthropy|philanthropist], [[Evangelos Zappas]], sponsored the revival of the first modern international Olympic Games. The first of these were held in an Athens city square in 1859. Zappas paid for the refurbishment of the ancient Panathenian stadium, which was first used for an Olympic Games in 1870 and then again in 1875. The revival included athletes from two countries, representing very different cultures: [[Greece]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]].
  
Baron Pierre de Coubertin stood on the ideas of both Dr Brookes and the foundations of Evangelis Zappas to found the International Olympic Committee. In a [[Olympic Congress|congress]] at the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]] University, in [[Paris]], [[France]], held from June 16 to June 23, 1894 he presented his ideas to an international audience. On the last day of the congress, it was decided that the first IOC Olympic Games would take place in 1896 in [[Athens]], in the country of their birth. To organise the Games, the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) was established, with the Greek [[Demetrius Vikelas]] as its first president. The Panathenian stadium that was used for Olympic Games in 1870, and 1875 was refurbished and reused for the Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.
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The interest in reviving the Olympics as an international event grew further when the ruins of ancient [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]] were uncovered by German [[archaeologist]]s in the mid-nineteenth century. Baron [[Pierre de Coubertin]] founded the International Olympic Committee, and at a [[Olympic Congress|congress]] at the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]] University, in [[Paris]], held from June 16 to June 23, 1894, it was decided that the first IOC Olympic Games would take place in 1896 in [[Athens]], in the country of their birth. To organize the Games, [[Demetrius Vikelas]] was named as the IOC's first president. The Panathenian stadium that was used for Olympic Games in 1870, and 1875 was refurbished and used again for the Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.
  
The total number of athletes at the [[1896 Summer Olympics|the first IOC Olympic Games]], less than 250, seems small by modern standards, but the games were the largest international sports event ever held until that time. The Greek officials and public were also very enthusiastic, and they even proposed to have the monopoly of organizing the Olympics. The IOC decided differently, however, and the [[1900 Summer Olympics|second Olympic Games]] took place in [[Paris]], [[France]]. Paris was also the first Olympic Games where women were allowed to compete.
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The total number of athletes at the [[1896 Summer Olympics| first IOC Olympic Games]], less than 250, seems small by modern standards, but the games were the largest international sports event ever held until that time. Greek officials and the public were very enthusiastic and proposed to have the [[monopoly]] over organizing the Olympics. The IOC decided differently, however, and the [[1900 Summer Olympics|second Olympic Games]] took place in [[Paris]]. This was also the first Olympic Games where women were allowed to compete.
  
 
== Modern Olympics ==
 
== Modern Olympics ==
{{main|Summer Olympic Games|Winter Olympic Games}}
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After the initial success, the Olympics struggled. The celebrations in [[1900 Summer Olympics|Paris (1900)]] and [[1904 Summer Olympics|St. Louis (1904)]] were overshadowed by the [[World's Fair]] exhibitions in which they were included. The 1906 [[1906 Summer Olympics|Intercalated Games]] (so called because of their off-year status) were held in Athens. Although originally the IOC recognized and supported these games, they are currently not recognized by the IOC as official Olympic Games. The 1906 Games, however, again attracted a broad international field of participants—in 1904 at St. Louis, 80 percent had been American—and of great public interest, thereby marking the beginning of a rise in popularity and size of the Games.
After the initial success, the Olympics struggled. The celebrations in [[1900 Summer Olympics|Paris (1900)]] and [[1904 Summer Olympics|St. Louis (1904)]] were overshadowed by the [[World's Fair]] exhibitions in which they were included. The so-called [[1906 Summer Olympics|Intercalated Games]] (because of their off-year status, as 1906 is not divisible by four) were held in 1906 in Athens, as the first of an alternating series of Athens-held Olympics. Although originally the IOC recognised and supported these games, they are currently not recognised by the IOC as Olympic Games, which has given rise to the explanation that they were intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the modern Olympics. The 1906 Games again attracted a broad international field of participants—in 1904, 80% had been American——and great public interest, thereby marking the beginning of a rise in popularity and size of the Games.
 
  
From the 241 participants from 14 nations in 1896, the Games grew to nearly 11,100 competitors from 202 countries at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]]. The number of competitors at the Winter Olympics is much smaller than at the Summer Games; at the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] in [[Turin]] Italy, 2,633 athletes from 80 countries competed in 84 events.
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[[Image:Olympic flame at opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|400px|Opening ceremony at the 2004 Games in Athens]]
  
The Olympics are one of the largest media events. In [[Sydney]] in 2000 there were over 16,000 broadcasters and journalists, and an estimated 3.8 billion viewers [[broadcasting of sports events|watched the games]] on [[television]]. The growth of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today. Although allowing professional athletes and attracting sponsorships from major international companies solved financial problems in the 1980s, the large number of athletes, media and spectators makes it difficult and expensive for host cities to organize the Olympics.
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From the 241 participants from 14 nations in 1896, the Games grew to more than 11,000 competitors from 202 countries at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]], again held in [[Athens]]. The number of competitors at the Winter Olympics is much smaller than at the Summer Games; at the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] in [[Turin]] Italy, 2,633 athletes from 80 countries competed in 84 events.
  
203 countries currently participate in the Olympics. This is a noticeably higher number than the number of countries recognised by the [[United Nations]], which is only 193. The International Olympic Committee allows nations to compete which do not meet the strict requirements for political sovereignty that many other international organizations demand. As a result, many colonies and dependencies are permitted to host their own Olympic teams and athletes even if such competitors hold the same citizenship as another member nation. Examples of this include territories such as [[Puerto Rico]], [[Bermuda]], and [[Hong Kong]], all of which compete as separate nations despite being legally a part of another country. Also, since 1980, [[Taiwan]] has competed under the name "[[Chinese Taipei]]," and under a flag specially prepared by the IOC. Prior to that year the [[People's Republic of China]] refused to participate in the Games because Taiwan had been competing under the name "[[Republic of China]]." The Republic of the [[Marshall Islands]] was recognised as a nation by the IOC on February 9, 2006, and should compete in the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]].<ref name="ONOC">{{cite news | title = Marshall Islands joins Olympic Family| url = http://www.oceaniasport.com/onoc/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=331&sID=12| publisher =[[ONOC]] | date = 2006-02-10 | accessdate = 2006-12-17 }}</ref>
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The Olympics are one of the world's largest media events. In [[Sydney]] in 2000 there were over 16,000 broadcasters and journalists, and an estimated 3.8 billion viewers [[broadcasting of sports events|watched the games]] on [[television]]. The growth of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today. Although allowing professional athletes and attracting sponsorships from major international companies solved financial problems in the 1980s, the large number of athletes, media and spectators makes it difficult and expensive for host cities to organize the Olympics.
  
== Olympic problems ==
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At last count, 203 nations participated in the Olympics. This is a noticeably higher number than the number of countries recognized by the [[United Nations]], which is only 193. This is because the IOC allows colonies and dependencies to sponsor their own Olympic teams and athletes even if such competitors hold the same citizenship as another member nation.
=== Boycotts ===
 
The [[1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Melbourne Olympics]] were boycotted by the [[Netherlands]], [[Spain]], and [[Switzerland]], because of the repression of the [[1956 Hungarian Revolution|Hungarian Uprising]] by the [[Soviet Union]]; additionally, [[Cambodia]], [[Egypt]], [[Iraq]], and [[Lebanon]], boycotted the games due to the [[Suez Crisis]].<ref name="Boycott 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/innovations_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1956 |title= Melbourne/Stockholm 1956: Did you know?|accessdate=2006-12-28 |publisher= International Olympic Committee}}</ref>
 
  
In [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972]] and [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976]], a large number of African countries threatened the IOC with a boycott, to force them to ban [[South Africa]], [[Rhodesia]], and [[New Zealand]]. The IOC conceded in the first 2 cases, but refused in 1976 because the boycott was prompted by a New Zealand [[rugby union]] tour to South Africa, and rugby was not an Olympic sport. The countries withdrew their teams after the games had started; some African athletes had already competed. A lot of sympathy was felt for the athletes forced by their governments to leave the Olympic Village; there was little sympathy outside Africa for the governments' attitude. Twenty-two countries (Guyana was the only non-African nation) boycotted the [[Montreal]] Olympics because New Zealand was not banned.<ref name="Boycott 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/innovations_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1976 |title= Montreal 1976: Did you know?|accessdate=2006-12-28 |publisher= International Olympic Committee}}</ref>
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===Amateurism and professionalism===
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[[Image:Jim Thorpe olympic.png|thumb|300px|Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Olympics]]
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The English [[Independent school (United Kingdom)|public schools]] of the second half of the nineteenth century had a major influence on many sports. They subscribed to the [[Ancient Greek]] and Roman belief that sport formed an important part of education.
  
Also in 1976, due to pressure from the [[People's Republic of China]] ([[PRC]]), [[Canada]] told the team from the [[Republic of China]] ([[Taiwan]]) that it could not compete at the Montreal Summer Olympics under the name "Republic of China" despite a compromise that would have allowed Taiwan to use the [[flag of the Republic of China|ROC flag]] and [[National Anthem of the Republic of China|anthem]]. Taiwan refused and as a result did not participate until 1984, when it returned under the name "[[Chinese Taipei]]" and used a special flag.<ref name = prc_wp>{{cite web | year=2005| title=The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue | work=PRC Taiwan Affairs Office and the Information Office of the State Council | url=http://www.gwytb.gov.cn:8088/detail.asp?table=WhitePaper&title=White%20Papers%20On%20Taiwan%20Issue&m_id=4 | accessdate=2006-03-06}}</ref>
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Initially, [[professional sports#Olympic Games|professional athletes]] were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. A short-lived exception was made for professional fencing instructors. This exclusion of professionals has caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics. The 1912 Olympic [[pentathlon]] and [[decathlon]] champion, [[Jim Thorpe]], was disqualified when it was discovered that he played semi-professional [[baseball]] prior to winning his medals. He was restored as a champion on compassionate grounds by the IOC in 1983. Swiss and Austrian skiers boycotted the [[1936 Winter Olympics]] in support of their skiing teachers, who were not allowed to compete because they earned money with their sport and were considered professionals.
  
[[Image:Olympic boycotts 1976 1980 1984.PNG|thumb|220px|Countries that boycotted the 1976 (yellow), 1980 (blue) and 1984 (red) games]]
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It gradually became clear to many that the amateurism rules had become outdated, not least because the self-financed amateurs of Western countries often were no match for the state-sponsored "full-time amateurs" of Eastern-bloc countries. In addition, many of the world's best athletes could not participate in important spectator sports, reducing the popularity of some Olympic contests.
In 1980 and 1984, the [[Cold War]] opponents boycotted each other's games. The [[United States]] led and 64 other Western nations followed in refusing to compete at the [[1980 Summer Olympics|Moscow Olympics in 1980]] because of the [[Soviet invasion of Afghanistan]], but 16 other Western nations did compete at the Moscow Olympics. The boycott reduced the number of nations participating to only 80. This is the lowest number of nations to compete since 1956. The [[Soviet Union]] and 14 of its Eastern Bloc partners (except [[Romania]]) countered by skipping the [[1984 Summer Olympics|Los Angeles Olympics in 1984]], arguing the safety of their athletes could not be guaranteed there and "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria are being whipped up in the United States".<ref>Burns, John F. Protests are Issue: Russians Charge ‘Gross Flouting’ of the Ideals of the Competition. ''[[New York Times]]'', 9 May 1984</ref>
 
  
The 1984 boycotters staged their own [[Friendship Games]] in July-August.<ref name="1980 Boycott">{{cite web |url=http://www.moscow-life.com/moscow/olympic-games |title=
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In the 1970s, amateurism requirements were dropped from the Olympic Charter, leaving decisions on professional participation to the [[sport governing body|international federation]] for each sport. [[As of 2004]], the only sport in which no professionals compete is [[boxing]]; and in men's [[football (soccer)]], the number of players over 23 years-of-age is limited to three per team.
1980 Moscow Olympic Games|accessdate=2006-12-28 |publisher= Moscow-Life}}</ref><ref name="Boycott 3">{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/innovations_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1984 |title= Los Angeles 1984: Did you know?|accessdate=2006-12-28 |publisher= International Olympic Committee}}</ref>
 
  
=== Doping ===
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==Olympic sports==
{{Unreferencedsection|date=August 2007}}
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Currently, the Olympic program consists of 35 different sports, 53 disciplines, and more than 400 events. The Summer Olympics includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines and the Winter Olympics includes seven sports with 15 disciplines.
One of the main problems facing the Olympics (and international sports in general) is [[doping (sport)|doping]], or performance enhancing drugs. In the early 20th century, many Olympic athletes began using drugs to enhance their performance. For example, the winner of the [[marathon (sports)|marathon]] at the [[1904 Summer Olympics|1904 Games]], [[Thomas J. Hicks]], was given [[strychnine]] and [[brandy]] by his coach, even during the race. As these methods became more extreme, gradually the awareness grew that this was no longer a matter of health through sports. In the mid-1960s, sports federations put a ban on doping, and the IOC followed suit in 1967.
 
  
The first and so far only Olympic death caused by doping occurred in 1960. At the cycling road race in Rome the Danish Knut Enemark Jensen fell from his bicycle and later died. A coronor's inquiry found that he was under the influence of amphetamines.
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Nine sports were on the original modern Olympic program in 1896: [[athletics (track and field)|athletics]], [[cycling]], [[fencing]], [[gymnastics]], [[weightlifting]], [[shooting]], [[swimming]], [[tennis]], and [[sport wrestling|wrestling]]. [[rowing (sport)|rowing]] events were scheduled as well, but had to be canceled due to bad weather.
  
The first Olympic athlete to test positive for doping use was [[Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall]], a Swedish [[modern pentathlon|pentathlete]] at the [[1968 Summer Olympics]], who lost his bronze medal for alcohol use. Seventy-three athletes followed him over the next 38 years, several medal winners among them. The most publicised doping-related disqualification was that of [[Canada|Canadian]] sprinter [[Ben Johnson (athlete)|Ben Johnson]], who won the 100m at the [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul Olympics]], but tested positive for [[stanozolol]].
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[[Image:Curling Torino 2006 Pinerolo Palaghiaccio scena2.jpg|thumb|400px|U.S. curling team at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy]]
  
Despite the testing, many athletes continued to use doping without getting caught. In 1990, documents were revealed that showed many [[East Germany|East German]] female athletes had been unknowingly administered [[anabolic steroid]]s and other drugs by their coaches and trainers as a government policy.
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[[Cross country skiing]], [[figure skating]], [[ice hockey]], [[Nordic combined]], [[ski jumping]], and [[long track speed skating|speed skating]] have been featured on the program at all Winter Olympics. Figure skating and ice hockey also had been contested as part of the Summer Games before the introduction of separate Winter Olympics.
  
In the late 1990s, the IOC took initiative in a more organised battle against doping, leading to the formation of the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] (WADA) in 1999. The recent 2000 Summer Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics have shown that this battle is not nearly over, as several medalists in weightlifting and cross-country skiing were disqualified due to doping offences. One innocent victim of the anti-doping movement at the Olympics was the Romanian gymnast [[Andreea Răducan]] who was stripped of her gold medal-winning performance in the All-Around Competition of the Sydney 2000 games. Test results indicated the presence of the banned-stimulant [[pseudophedrine]] which had been prescribed to her by an Olympic doctor. Raducan had been unaware of the presence of the illegal substance in the medicine that had been prescribed to her for a cold she had during the games.
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In recent years, the IOC has added several new sports to the program to attract attention from young spectators. Examples of such sports include [[snowboarding]] and [[beach volleyball]]. The growth of the Olympics also means that some less popular ([[modern pentathlon]]) or expensive (white water [[canoeing]]) sports may lose their place on the Olympic program. The IOC decided to discontinue [[baseball]] and [[softball]] beginning in 2012.
  
Most recently, during the [[2006 Winter Olympics]], only one athlete failed a drug test and had a medal revoked. The only other case involved 12 members with high levels of [[haemoglobin]] and their punishment was a five day suspension for health reasons.
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Rule 48.1 of the Olympic Charter requires that there be a minimum of 15 Olympic sports at each Summer Games. However, each sport may have many "events," such as competitions in various weight classes, styles (as in swimming styles), men's and women's events, etc. Following the 2002 Games, the IOC decided to limit the program of the Summer Games to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes.
  
The International Olympic Committee introduced blood testing for the first time during these games.
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The Olympic sports are defined as those governed by the International Federations listed in Rule 46 of the Olympic Charter. A two-thirds vote of the IOC is required to amend the Charter to promote a Recognized Federation to Olympic status and therefore make the sports it governs eligible for inclusion on the Olympic program. Rule 47 of the Charter requires that ''only Olympic sports'' may be included in the program.
  
=== Politics ===
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The IOC reviews the Olympic program at the first Session following each Olympiad. A simple majority is required for an Olympic sport to be included in the Olympic program. Under the current rules, an Olympic sport not selected for inclusion in a particular Games remains an Olympic sport and may be included again later with a simple majority. The IOC has slated 26 sports to be included in the program for London 2012.
{{main|Politics in the Olympics}}
 
Politics interfered with the Olympics on several occasions, the most well-known of which was the [[1936 Summer Olympics]] in [[Berlin]], where the games were used as [[propaganda]] by the German [[Nazi Party|Nazis]]. At this Olympics, a true Olympic spirit was shown by [[Luz Long]], who helped [[Jesse Owens]] (a [[Black people|black athlete]]) to win the long jump, at the expense of his own silver medal.<ref name="Nazi Olympics">{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/olympics.html |title= The Nazi Olympics|accessdate=2006-12-28 |date=2006 |publisher= The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise}}</ref>
 
  
The [[Soviet Union]] did not participate in the Olympic Games until the [[1952 Summer Olympics]] in [[Helsinki]]. Instead, the Soviets organized an international sports event called [[Spartakiad]]s, from 1928 onward. Many athletes from associations organized by [[Communist]]s or close to them chose not to participate or were even barred from participating in Olympic Games, and instead participated in Spartakiads.<ref name=GSE>[[Great Soviet Encyclopedia]], 3rd edition, volume 24 (part 1), p. 286, Moscow, Sovetskaya Entsiklopediya publisher, 1976</ref>
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Until 1992, the Olympics also often featured [[demonstration sport]]s. The objective was for these sports to reach a larger audience; the winners of these events are not official Olympic champions. These sports were sometimes sports popular only in the host nation, but internationally known sports have also been demonstrated. Some demonstration sports eventually were included as full-medal events.
 
 
A political incident on a smaller scale occurred at the [[1968 Summer Olympics]] in [[Mexico City]]. Two American track-and-field athletes, [[Tommie Smith]] and [[John Carlos]], performed the [[Black Power]] [[Salute#Clenched fist salute|salute]] on the victory stand of the 200-meter [[track and field]] race. In response, the IOC's autocratic president [[Avery Brundage]] told the USOC to either send the two athletes home, or withdraw the complete track and field team. The USOC opted for the former.<ref name="Black Salute">{{cite news |title=1968: Black athletes make silent protest |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3535000/3535348.stm|publisher= BBC |accessdate=2006-12-28 }}</ref>
 
 
 
In a political policy move that flouts the spirit of the Olympic movement, the government of the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]] specifically orders its athletes not to compete in any olympic heat, semi-final, or final that includes athletes from [[Israel]]. At the 2004 Olympics, an Iranian judo wrestler refused to compete in a heat against an Israeli judo wrestler, but did so in a way that 'covered' the possibility of Iran being removed from the games for political intrigue (the athlete deliberately overweighted himself out of his class). This athlete returned home to a hero's welcome.<ref name="Iran-Israel">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200408/s1177025.htm |title=Games hit by crisis over Iran-Israel contest |date=2004-08-16 |accessdate=2007-04-01 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]}}</ref>
 
 
 
=== Violence ===
 
Despite what Coubertin had hoped for, the Olympics did not bring total peace to the world. In fact, three [[Olympiad]]s had to pass without Olympics because of war: due to [[World War I]] the [[1916 Summer Olympics|1916 Games]] were canceled, and the summer and winter games of 1940 and 1944 were canceled because of [[World War II]].
 
  
Terrorism has also become a recent threat to the Olympic Games. In 1972, when the Summer Games were held in [[Munich]], [[West Germany]], eleven members of the [[Israel]]i Olympic team were taken hostage by [[Palestinian]] [[terrorist]] group [[Black September (group)|Black September]] in what is known as the [[Munich massacre]]. A bungled liberation attempt led to the deaths of the nine abducted athletes who had not been killed prior to the rescue as well as that of a policeman, with five of the terrorists also being killed.<ref name = "CBC">[http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-1289-7332/sports/olympics_cbc/clip5 Article on CBC Archives]</ref>
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==Olympic champions and medalists==
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[[Image:Ray Ewry.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Ray Ewry]] is one of the most successful Olympic athletes with ten modern Olympic titles, but two of them are from the [[1906 Summer Olympics|1906 Intercalated Games]], which are not included in the official records.]]
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The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive "gold medals." (Though they were solid [[gold]] until 1912, they are now made of [[Gilding|gilded]] silver.) The runners-up receive [[silver]] medals, and the third-place athletes receive [[bronze]] medals. In some events contested by a [[single-elimination tournament]] (most notably [[boxing]]), a third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the [[1896 Summer Olympics|1896 Olympics]] only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in [[1900 Summer Olympics|1900]]. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as "victory diplomas;" since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added. At the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals.
  
During the Summer Olympics in 1996 in [[Atlanta]], a [[Centennial Olympic Park bombing|bombing]] at the [[Centennial Olympic Park]] killed two and injured 111 others. The bomb was set by [[Eric Robert Rudolph]], an American [[domestic terrorist]], who is currently serving a life sentence at [[Supermax]] in [[Florence, Colorado|Florence]], [[Colorado]].<ref name="CNN Bombing">[http://www.cnn.com/US/9607/27/olympic.bomb.main/ Olympic Park Bombing]. [[CNN]]. Retrieved on December 28, 2006.</ref>
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Athletes and the public often consider Olympic medals as more valuable than world championships and medals from other international tournaments. Many athletes have become heroes in their own country after becoming Olympic champions.
  
The [[2002 Winter Olympics]] in [[Salt Lake City]] were the first Olympic Games since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]. Olympic Games since then have required an extremely high degree of security due to the fear of possible terrorist activities.<ref name="U.S. Customs">{{cite news |title=U.S. Customs Airspace Security Effort at 2002 Winter Olympics A Success |url=http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/archives/legacy/2002/22002/02282002.xml |publisher=Department of Homeland Security |date=2002-02-28 |accessdate=2006-12-28 }}</ref>
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The IOC ranks countries according to a medal tally chart based on the number of gold medals awarded to each country. Where states have equal numbers of gold medals, the number of silver medals, and then bronze medals, are counted to determine rankings.
  
 
== Olympic Movement ==
 
== Olympic Movement ==
 
A number of organizations are involved in organizing the Olympic Games. Together they form the Olympic Movement. The rules and guidelines by which these organizations operate are outlined in the [[Olympic Charter]].
 
A number of organizations are involved in organizing the Olympic Games. Together they form the Olympic Movement. The rules and guidelines by which these organizations operate are outlined in the [[Olympic Charter]].
  
At the heart of the Olympic Movement is the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC), currently headed by [[Jacques Rogge]]. It can be seen as the government of the Olympics, as it takes care of the daily problems and makes all important decisions, such as choosing the host city of the Games, and the programme of the Olympics.
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At the heart of the Olympic Movement is the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC). It can be seen as the government of the Olympics, as it takes care of the daily problems and makes all important decisions, such as choosing the host city of the Games, and the program of the Olympics.
  
Three groups of organisations operate on a more specialised level:
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Three groups of organizations operate on a more specialized level:
 
* International Federations (IFs), the governing bodies of a sport (e.g. [[FIFA]], the IF for [[football (soccer)]], and the [[FIVB]], the international governing body for [[volleyball]].)
 
* International Federations (IFs), the governing bodies of a sport (e.g. [[FIFA]], the IF for [[football (soccer)]], and the [[FIVB]], the international governing body for [[volleyball]].)
 
* National Olympic Committees (NOCs), which regulate the Olympic Movement within each country (eg. [[USOC]], the NOC of the [[United States]])
 
* National Olympic Committees (NOCs), which regulate the Olympic Movement within each country (eg. [[USOC]], the NOC of the [[United States]])
* Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs), which take care of the organisation of a specific celebration of the Olympics.
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* Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs), which take care of the organization of a specific celebration of the Olympics.
  
 
At present, 202 NOCs and 35 IFs are part of the Olympic Movement. OCOGs are dissolved after the celebration of each Games, once all subsequent paperwork has been completed.
 
At present, 202 NOCs and 35 IFs are part of the Olympic Movement. OCOGs are dissolved after the celebration of each Games, once all subsequent paperwork has been completed.
  
More broadly speaking, the term Olympic Movement is sometimes also meant to include everybody and everything involved in the Olympics, such as national sport governing bodies, athletes, media, and sponsors of the Olympic Games.
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More broadly speaking, the term Olympic Movement is sometimes also meant to include everybody and everything involved in the Olympics, such as national sport governing bodies, athletes, media, and sponsors of the Olympic Games.
 
 
=== Criticism ===
 
Most Olympic Games have been held in European and North American cities; only a few games have been held in other places, and all bids by countries in South America and Africa have failed. Many non-westerners believe the games should expand to include locations in poorer regions. [[Economists]] point out that the massive infrastructure investments could [[springboard]] cities into earning higher [[GDP]] after the games.
 
 
 
In the past, the [[IOC]] has often been criticised for being a monolithic organisation, with several members remaining a member at old age, or even until their deaths. The leadership of IOC president [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]] especially has been strongly criticised. Under his presidency, the Olympic Movement made great progress, but has been seen as autocratic and corrupt. Samaranch's ties with the former [[fascism|fascist]] government in [[Spain]], and his long term as a president (21 years)—until he was 81 years old—have also been points of critique.
 
 
 
In 1998, it became known that several IOC members had [[2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal|taken bribes]] from the organising committee for the [[2002 Winter Olympics]] in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], in exchange for a vote on the city at the election of the host city. The IOC started an investigation, which led to four members resigning and six being expelled. The scandal set off further reforms, changing the way in which host cities are elected to avoid further bribes. Also, more active and former athletes were allowed in the IOC, and the membership terms have been limited.
 
  
The same year (1998), four European groups organized the International Network Against Olympic Games and Commercial Sports to oppose their cities' bids for future Olympic Games. Also, an Anti-Olympic Alliance had formed in [[Sydney]] to protest the hosting of the 2000 Games. Later, a similar movement in [[Vancouver]] and Whistler, [[British Columbia]] organized to protest the hosting of the 2010 Winter Games. These movements were particularly concerned about adverse local economic impact and dislocation of people to accommodate the hosting of the Olympics.
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==Olympic symbols==
 
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The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing IOC founder Coubertin's ideals. The best-known symbol is the [[Olympic Rings]]. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five inhabited [[continent]]s (with [[Americas|America]] regarded as one single continent). They appear in five colors on a white field on the [[Olympic Flag]]. These colors, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colors in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown was the [[1920 Summer Olympics|Antwerp, 1920]]. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.
A [[BBC]] documentary aired in August 2004, entitled [[Panorama (television)|Panorama]]: "Buying the Games," investigated the taking of bribes in the bidding process for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. The documentary claimed it is possible to bribe IOC members into voting for a particular candidate city. In an airborne television interview on the way home, the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë, specifically accused the British Prime Minister (Tony Blair) and the London Bid Committee (headed by former Olympic athlete Lord (Sebastien) Coe of breaking the bid rules with flagrant financial and sexual bribes. He cited French President Jacques Chirac as a witness but President Chirac gave rather more guarded interviews. In particular, [[Bulgaria]]'s member Ivan Slavkov, and Muttaleb Ahmad from the Olympic Council of Asia, were implicated. They have denied the allegations. And Mayor Delanoë never mentioned the matter again. (Indeed two days later when London was attacked by suicide bombers on buses and trains, 52 Londoners were killed and over 700 Londoners were injured, it was both Mayor Delanoë and President Chirac -in an Olympian spirit of which Pierre de Coubertin would have been proud- who were among the first to express their solidarity with London and to send practical help in the form of rescue teams etc.) Others have alleged that the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] were held in [[Turin]] because officials bribed the IOC and so Turin got the games and [[Sion, Switzerland]] (which was the favorite) did not.
 
 
 
The Olympic Movement has been accused of being overprotective of its symbolism (in particular, it claims an exclusive and monopolistic copyright over any arrangement of five rings and the term "olympics"), and have taken action against things unrelated to sport, such as the [[role-playing game]] ''[[Legend of the Five Rings]]''. It was accused of [[homophobia]] in 1982 when it successfully sued the Gay Olympics, an event now know as the [[Gay Games]], to bar it from using the term "olympics" in its name.<ref>{{cite news
 
|first=Stephen E.
 
|last=Wright
 
|title=Gay Games to take 'Olympics' fight to Congress
 
|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/SJ/lib00189%2C0EB72BF908EC8CD1.html
 
|format=fee required
 
|work=San Jose Mercury News
 
|date=1987-06-26
 
|accessdate=2006-12-26
 
}}</ref>
 
 
 
==Olympic symbols==<!--
 
 
 
See http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_672.pdf
 
for more information on Olympic symbols. Remove this
 
when this source has been properly added.
 
 
 
—>
 
{{main|Olympic symbols}}
 
 
 
The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing Coubertin's ideas and ideals. The best known symbol is probably that of the [[Olympic Rings]]. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five inhabited continents (with [[Americas|America]] regarded as one single continent). They appear in five colors on a white field on the [[Olympic Flag]]. These colors, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colors in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown were [[1920 Summer Olympics|Antwerp, 1920]]. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.
 
  
 
The official [[Olympic Motto]] is "Citius, Altius, Fortius," a [[Latin]] phrase meaning "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Coubertin's ideals are probably best illustrated by the [[Olympic Creed]]:
 
The official [[Olympic Motto]] is "Citius, Altius, Fortius," a [[Latin]] phrase meaning "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Coubertin's ideals are probably best illustrated by the [[Olympic Creed]]:
  
:''"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."''
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<blockquote>The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.</blockquote>
  
The [[Olympic Flame]] is lit in Olympia and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. Though the torch fire has been around since [[1928 Summer Olympics|1928]], the relay was introduced in [[1936 Summer Olympics|1936]].
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The [[Olympic Flame]] is lit in [[Olympia]], Greece and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. The torch fire has been featured since [[1928 Summer Olympics|1928]], but the relay was not introduced until [[1936 Summer Olympics|1936]].
  
 
The Olympic mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968]]. It has played an important part of the games since [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] with the debut of [[misha]], a [[Russia]]n [[bear]].
 
The Olympic mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968]]. It has played an important part of the games since [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] with the debut of [[misha]], a [[Russia]]n [[bear]].
  
[[French language|French]] and [[English language|English]] are the two official languages of the Olympic movement.
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[[French language|French]] and [[English language|English]] are the two official languages of the Olympic Movement.
  
 
== Olympic ceremonies ==
 
== Olympic ceremonies ==
 
=== Opening ===
 
=== Opening ===
[[Image:2002 Winter Olympics flame.jpg|thumb|right|Opening ceremonies climax with the lighting of the Olympic Flame. For lighting the torch, modern games feature elaborate mechanisms such as this cauldron-spiral-cauldron arrangement lit by the [[Miracle on Ice|1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team]] at the [[2002 Winter Olympics]].]]
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[[Image:2002 Winter Olympics flame.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Opening ceremonies climax with the lighting of the Olympic Flame. For lighting the torch, modern games feature elaborate mechanisms such as this cauldron-spiral-cauldron arrangement lit by the [[Miracle on Ice|1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team]] at the [[2002 Winter Olympics]].]]
 
 
Apart from the traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of that country.<ref name=OCprotocol1>{{cite book |url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pdf |title=The Modern Olympic Games |chapter=The development of the Games - Between festival and tradition |chapterurl=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pdf#pages=5 |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=International Olympic Committee |format=PDF |pages=p. 5}}</ref>
 
 
 
Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the hoisting of the host country's flag and the performing of its national anthem.<ref name=OCprotocol2>{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympic-trivia/olympic-opening-ceremony-protocol.html |title=Olympic Opening Ceremony Protocol |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=Maps of World}}</ref> The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a "parade of nations" (or of athletes), during which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. One honoured athlete, typically a top competitor, from each country carries the flag of his or her nation, leading the entourage of other athletes from that country.<ref name=parade>{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympic-trivia/parade-of-the-participants.html |title=Parade of Participants |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=Maps of World}}</ref>
 
 
 
Traditionally (starting at the [[1928 Summer Olympics]]) Greece marches first, because of its historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, Greece marched last as host nation rather than first, although the [[flag of Greece]] was carried in first.) Between these two nations, all other participating nations march in alphabetical order of the dominant language of the host country,<ref name=parade/> or in French or English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language in an alphabet which has a set order. In the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] in [[Barcelona]], both [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Catalan language|Catalan]] were official languages of the games, but due to politics surrounding the use of Catalan, the nations entered in [[French language|French]] alphabetical order. The [[1998 Winter Olympics|XVIII Olympic Winter Games]] in [[Nagano, Japan]] saw nations entering in [[English language|English]] alphabetical order since the [[Japanese language]] grouped both China and Chinese Taipei together in the Parade of Nations.
 
 
 
After all nations have entered, the president of the host country's Olympic Organising Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president who, at the end of his speech introduces the person who is going to declare the Games open. Despite the Games having been awarded to a particular city and not to the country in general, the Opener is usually &ndash; but not always &ndash; the host country's [[Head of State]]. So it is this Opener, in turn, who formally opens the Olympics, by reciting the formula: <blockquote>''«I declare open the Games of (name of city) celebrating the (adjectival numeral) Olympiad of the modern era/Olympic Winter Games.»''<ref name=OCprotocol2/></blockquote>
 
 
 
Since [[Adolf Hitler]] at both the Garmisch Partenkirchen Winter Olympics and at the Berlin Summer Olympics &ndash; both in 1936 &ndash; the Openers have unswervingly stuck to this formula. Before 1936, however, the Opener often used to make a short Speech of Welcome before declaring the Games open. There have been very many cases where the country's Head of State did not open the Olympics at all. The first example was at the [[Games of the II Olympiad]] in Paris in 1900 when there wasn't even an Opening Ceremony.
 
 
 
There are five examples of this from the United States alone, beginning with the [[Games of the III Olympiad]] in St Louis, Missouri where &ndash; on 1 July 1904 &ndash; Mr David Francis, President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, performed the ceremony, nobody having even thought of inviting US President Theodore Roosevelt. Then, on 4 February 1932 the then [[Governor]] of the [[State of New York]], [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], opened the [[III Olympic Winter Games]] in [[Lake Placid, New York|Lake Placid]], [[New York]] and later that year, on 30 July 1932, the Vice-President of the United States, [[Charles Curtis]] opened the [[Games of the X Olympiad]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], stating, however, that he was doing so on behalf of the [[President]], [[Herbert Hoover]]. In 1960, the [[Vice-President of the United States]] [[Richard Nixon]] was sent by President [[Dwight Eisenhower]] to open the [[VIII Olympic Winter Games]] in [[Squaw Valley, California|Squaw Valley]], California, and finally, in 1980, Vice President [[Walter Mondale]], stood in for President [[Jimmy Carter]] to open the [[XIII Olympic Winter Games]], also in Lake Placid.
 
 
 
The most recent example was at the [[Games of the XXVII Olympiad]] in Sydney, Australia, where, at the insistence of the Australian Government, it was the [[Governor-General]] of [[Australia]] [[Sir William Deane]] who opened the Games and not [[Queen Elizabeth]] (who as [[Queen of Australia]] is the Australian Head of State). Throughout the 20th century there were numerous other such instances.
 
 
 
Next, the Olympic Flag is carried horizontally (since the [[1960 Summer Olympics]]) into the stadium and hoisted as the [[Olympic Anthem]] is played. The flag bearers of all countries circle a [[rostrum]], where one athlete (since the [[1920 Summer Olympics]]) and one judge (since the [[1972 Summer Olympics]]) speak the [[Olympic Oath]], declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules.<ref name=OCprotocol2/> Finally, the [[Olympic Torch|Torch]] is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier of the Torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron.<ref name=OCprotocol2/> The Olympic Flame has been lit since the [[1928 Summer Olympics]], but the torch relay did not start until the [[1936 Summer Olympics]]. Beginning at the post-[[World War I]] 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was for 68 years followed by the release of [[dove]]s, symbolizing peace.<ref name=OCprotocol2/> This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the [[1988 Summer Olympics]].<ref name=doves>{{cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug132004/oly5.asp |title=When messengers of peace were burnt alive |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=Deccan Herald |date=2004-08-13}}</ref> However, some Opening Ceremonies have continued to include doves in other forms; for example, the 2002 Winter Olympics featured skaters holding kite-like cloth dove puppets.
 
 
 
Opening ceremonies have been held outdoors, usually on the main athletics stadium, but those for the [[2010 Winter Olympics]] will be the first to be held indoors, at the [[BC Place Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/CultureEducation/Ceremonies/OpeningAndClosingCeremonies |title=Opening and Closing Ceremonies |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) |year=2006}}</ref>
 
 
 
=== Closing ===
 
Various traditional elements also frame the closing ceremonies of an Olympic Games, which take place after all of the events have concluded. Flag bearers from each participating delegation enter the stadium in single file, but behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping of nationality.<ref name=CCprotocol>{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympic-trivia/closing-ceremony-protocol.html |title=Olympic Closing Ceremony Protocol |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=Maps of World}}</ref> This tradition began at the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] at the suggestion of Melbourne schoolboy [[John Ian Wing]], who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as "one nation".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympics.org.uk/gamesabout.aspx?gt=S&ga=14 |title=Melbourne (Equestrian - Stockholm) 1956 |accessdate=2007-01-10 |publisher=[[British Olympic Association]]}}</ref> (In [[2006 Winter Olympics|2006]], the athletes marched in with their countrymen, then dispersed and mingled as the ceremonies went on).
 
 
 
Three national flags are each hoisted onto flagpoles one at a time while their respective national anthems are played: The flag of Greece on the righthand pole (again honoring the birthplace of the Olympic Games), the flag of the host country on the middle pole, and finally the flag of the host country of the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games, on the lefthand pole.<ref name=CCprotocol/> (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, only one flag of Greece was raised.)
 
 
 
In what is known as the "Antwerp Ceremony" (because the tradition started during the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]]), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic Flag to the president of the IOC, who then passes it on to the mayor of the next city to host the Olympic Games.<ref name=CCprotocol/> The receiving mayor then waves the flag eight times. There are three such flags, differing from all other copies in that they have a six-coloured fringe around the flag, and are tied with six coloured ribbons to a flagstaff:
 
* '''The Antwerp flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] by the city of [[Antwerp (city)|Antwerp, Belgium]], and was passed on to the next organising city of the [[Summer Olympics]] until the Games of [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul 1988]].
 
* '''The Oslo flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1952 Winter Olympics]] by the city of [[Oslo|Oslo, Norway]], and is passed on to the next organising city of the [[Winter Olympics]].
 
* '''The Seoul flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] by the city of [[Seoul|Seoul, South Korea]], and is passed on to the next organising city of the Summer Olympics, which was [[Barcelona|Barcelona, Spain]], at that time.
 
 
 
After these traditional elements, the next host nation introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of that country. This tradition began with the [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Games]].
 
 
 
The president of the host country's Olympic Organising Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech formally closes the Olympics, by saying: <blockquote>''«I declare the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games closed and, in accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in ... to celebrate the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games.»''</blockquote> The Olympic Flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic Flag that was hoisted during the opening ceremonies is lowered from the flagpole and horizontally carried out of the stadium.<ref name=CCprotocol/>
 
 
 
== Olympic sports ==
 
{{main|Olympic sports}}
 
 
 
Currently, the Olympic program consists of 35 different sports, 53 disciplines and more than 400 events. The Summer Olympics includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines and the Winter Olympics includes 7 sports with 15 disciplines.<ref name="Sports">{{cite web |url=http://olympic.org/uk/sports/index_uk.asp |title=Sports |publisher=International Olympic Committee |accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref> Nine sports were on the original Olympic programme in 1896: [[athletics (track and field)|athletics]], [[cycling]], [[fencing]], [[gymnastics]], [[weightlifting]], [[shooting]], [[swimming]], [[tennis]], and [[sport wrestling|wrestling]]. If the 1896 [[rowing (sport)|rowing]] events had not been cancelled due to bad weather, they would have been included in this list as well.<ref name="1896 report">{{cite web |url=http://www.aafla.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf |title=The Olympic Games |publisher=[[AAFLA]] |accessdate=2007-04-01}}</ref>
 
 
 
At the most recent Winter Olympics, seven sports were conducted, or 15 if each sport such as [[skiing]] and [[ice skating|skating]] is counted. Of these, [[cross country skiing]], [[figure skating]], [[ice hockey]], [[Nordic combined]], [[ski jumping]], and [[long track speed skating|speed skating]] have been featured on the programme at all Winter Olympics. In addition, figure skating and ice hockey also have been contested as part of the Summer Games before the introduction of separate Winter Olympics.
 
 
 
In recent years, the IOC has added several new sports to the programme to attract attention from young spectators. Examples of such sports include [[snowboarding]] and [[beach volleyball]]. The growth of the Olympics also means that some less popular ([[modern pentathlon]]) or expensive (white water [[canoeing]]) sports may lose their place on the Olympic programme. The IOC decided to discontinue [[baseball]] and [[softball]] beginning in 2012.
 
 
 
Rule 48.1 of the Olympic Charter requires that there be a minimum of 15 Olympic sports at each Summer Games. Following its 114th Session (Mexico 2002), the IOC also decided to limit the programme of the Summer Games to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes. The Olympic sports are defined as those governed by the International Federations listed in Rule 46 of the Olympic Charter. A two-thirds vote of the IOC is required to amend the Charter to promote a Recognised Federation to Olympic status and therefore make the sports it governs eligible for inclusion on the Olympic programme. Rule 47 of the Charter requires that ''only Olympic sports'' may be included in the programme.
 
 
 
The IOC reviews the Olympic programme at the first Session following each Olympiad. A simple majority is required for an Olympic sport to be included in the Olympic programme. Under the current rules, an Olympic sport not selected for inclusion in a particular Games remains an Olympic sport and may be included again later with a simple majority. At the [[117th IOC Session]], 26 sports were included in the programme for London 2012.
 
 
 
Until 1992, the Olympics also often featured [[demonstration sport]]s. The objective was for these sports to reach a larger audience; the winners of these events are not official Olympic champions. These sports were sometimes sports popular only in the host nation, but internationally known sports have also been demonstrated. Some demonstration sports eventually were included as full-medal events.
 
  
=== Amateurism and professionalism ===
+
Apart from the traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the hoisting of the host country's flag and the performing of its [[national anthem]]. The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a "parade of nations" (or of athletes), during which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. One honored athlete, typically a top competitor, from each country carries the flag of his or her nation, leading the entourage of other athletes from that country.
{{see|Amateurism}}
 
The English [[Independent school (United Kingdom)|public schools]] of the second half of the 19th century had a major influence on many sports. The schools contributed to the rules and influenced the governing bodies of those sports out of all proportion to their size. They subscribed to the [[Ancient Greek]] and Roman belief that sport formed an important part of education, an attitude summed up in the saying: ''[[mens sana in corpore sano]]'' &ndash; a sound mind in a healthy body. In this ethos, taking part has more importance than winning, because society expected [[gentleman|gentlemen]] to become all-rounders and not the best at everything. Class prejudice against "trade" reinforced this attitude. The house of the parents of a typical public schoolboy would have a [[tradesman]]'s entrance, because tradesmen did not rank as the social equals of gentlemen. Apart from class considerations there was the typically English concept of "fairness," in which practicing or training was considered as tantamount to cheating; it meant that you considered it more important to win than to take part. Those who practiced a sport professionally were considered to have an unfair advantage over those who practiced it merely as a "hobby."
 
  
The public schools had a deep involvement in the development of many team sports including all British codes of [[football]] as well as [[cricket]] and [[field hockey|hockey]]. The ethos of English public schools greatly influenced Pierre de Coubertin. The International Olympic Committee invited a representative of the [[Headmasters' Conference]] (the association of [[headmaster]]s of the English public schools) to attend their early meetings. The Headmasters' Conference chose the [[Reverend]] [[Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan|Robert Laffan]], the headmaster of [[Cheltenham College]], as their representative to the IOC meetings. He was made a member of the IOC in 1897 and, following the first visit of the IOC to London in 1904, he was central to the founding of the [[British Olympic Association]] a year later.<ref> Steve Baily ''{{PDFlink|[http://www.aafla.org/SportsLibrary/Olympika/Olympika_1997/olympika0601d.pdf A Noble Ally and Olympic Disciple: The Reverend Robert S. de Courcy Laffan, Coubertin's 'man' in England]|201&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 206770 bytes —>}}''</ref><ref>Steve Baily ''{{PDFlink|[http://www.coubertin.ch/pdf/PDF-Dateien/113-Baily.pdf. The Reverend Robert S. de Courcy Laffan: Baron Pierre de Coubertin and the Olympic Movement]}}''</ref><ref name="BC">[http://www.elt.britishcouncil.pl/elt/s_vict.htm Victorian and Edwardian Sporting Values] Produced in Poland by [[British Council]] © 2003.</ref>
+
Greece normally marches first, because of its historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. All other participating nations march in alphabetical order based on the dominant language of the host country, or in French or English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language in an alphabet with a set order. For example, in the [[1998 Winter Olympics|XVIII Olympic Winter Games]] in [[Nagano, Japan]], nations entered in [[English language|English]] alphabetical.
  
In Coubertin's vision, athletes should be gentlemen. Initially, only amateurs were considered such; [[professional sports#Olympic Games|professional athletes]] were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. A short-lived exception was made for professional fencing instructors.<ref>Australian Olympic Committee. "[http://www.olympics.com.au/sports.cfm?SportID=11 Fencing]".</ref> This exclusion of professionals has caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics.
+
After all nations have entered, the president of the host country's Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president who, at the end of his speech introduces the person who is going to declare the Games open. Despite the Games having been awarded to a particular city and not to the country in general, the opener is usually the host country's [[Head of State]].
  
1912 Olympic [[pentathlon]] and [[decathlon]] champion, [[Jim Thorpe]], was disqualified when it was discovered that he played semi-professional [[baseball]] prior to winning his medals. He was restored as champion on compassionate grounds by the IOC in 1983. Swiss and Austrian skiers boycotted the [[1936 Winter Olympics]] in support of their skiing teachers, who were not allowed to compete because they earned money with their sport and were considered professionals.
+
Next, the Olympic flag is carried horizontally (since the [[1960 Summer Olympics]]) into the stadium and hoisted as the [[Olympic Anthem]] is played. The flag bearers of all countries circle a [[rostrum]], where one athlete and one judge speak the [[Olympic Oath]], declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules. Finally, the [[Olympic Torch]] is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier of the Torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron. The Olympic Flame has been lit since the [[1928 Summer Olympics]], but the torch relay did not start until the [[1936 Summer Olympics]]. Beginning at the post-[[World War I]] 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was for 68 years followed by the release of [[dove]]s, symbolizing peace. This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the [[1988 Summer Olympics]].
  
It gradually became clear to many that the amateurism rules had become outdated, not least because the self-financed amateurs of Western countries often were no match for the state-sponsored "full-time amateurs" of Eastern bloc countries. Nevertheless, the IOC held to the traditional rules regarding amateurism. In the 1970s, amateurism requirements were dropped from the Olympic Charter, leaving decisions on professional participation to the [[sport governing body|international federation]] for each sport. This switch was perhaps best exemplified by the American [[Dream Team (basketball)|Dream Team]], composed of well-paid [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] stars, which won the Olympic gold medal in [[basketball]] in 1992. [[As of 2004]], the only sport in which no professionals compete is [[boxing]] (though even this requires a loose definition of amateurism, as some boxers receive cash prizes from their NOCs); in men's [[football (soccer)]], the number of players over 23 years of age is limited to three per team.
+
===Closing ceremonies===
 +
[[File:Birdsclosing.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Closing Ceremony of the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]]]]
 +
Various traditional elements also frame the closing ceremonies of an Olympic Games, which take place after all of the events have concluded. Flag bearers from each participating delegation enter the stadium in single file, but behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping of nationality. This tradition began at the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] at the suggestion of Melbourne schoolboy [[John Ian Wing]], who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as "one nation." (In [[2006 Winter Olympics|2006]], the athletes marched in with their countrymen, then dispersed and mingled as the ceremonies went on).
  
Advertisement regulations are still very strict, at least on the actual playing field, although "Official Olympic Sponsors" are common. Athletes are only allowed to have the names of clothing and equipment manufacturers on their outfits. The sizes of these markings are limited.
+
Three national flags are each hoisted onto flagpoles one at a time while their respective national anthems are played: The flag of Greece on the right-hand pole (again honoring the birthplace of the Olympic Games), the flag of the host country on the middle pole, and finally the flag of the host country of the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games, on the left-hand pole. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, only one flag of Greece was raised.)
  
== Olympic champions and medalists ==
+
In what is known as the "Antwerp Ceremony" (because the tradition started during the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]]), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic Flag to the president of the IOC, who then passes it on to the mayor of the next city to host the Olympic Games. The receiving mayor then waves the flag eight times. There are three such flags, differing from all other copies in that they have a six-colored fringe around the flag, and are tied with six colored ribbons to a flagstaff:
[[Image:Ray Ewry.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ray Ewry]] is the only competitor with ten modern Olympic titles, but two of them are from the [[1906 Summer Olympics|1906 Intercalated Games]], which are presently not included in the official records, where he is surpassed by a number of people, including four with nine gold medals each.]]
+
* '''The Antwerp flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] by the city of [[Antwerp (city)|Antwerp, Belgium]], and was passed on to the next organizing city of the [[Summer Olympics]] until the Games of [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul 1988]].
<!--  Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Larisa Latynina.jpg|thumb|right|[[Larissa Latynina]] won 18 Olympic medals, including 9 gold ones, the highest IOC recognised gold and overall totals in the modern Olympics.]] —><!-- FAIR USE of Larisa Latynina.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Larisa Latynina.jpg for rationale —>
+
* '''The Oslo flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1952 Winter Olympics]] by the city of [[Oslo|Oslo, Norway]], and is passed on to the next organizing city of the [[Winter Olympics]].
{{main|Lists of Olympic medalists}}
+
* '''The Seoul flag:''' Was presented to the IOC at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] by the city of [[Seoul|Seoul, South Korea]], and is passed on to the next organizing city of the Summer Olympics, which was [[Barcelona|Barcelona, Spain]], at that time.
{{see also|List of multiple Olympic gold medalists}}
 
The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive "gold medals." (Though they were solid [[gold]] until 1912, they are now made of [[Gilding|gilded]] silver.) The runners-up receive [[silver]] medals, and the third-place athletes [[bronze]] medals. In some events contested by a [[single-elimination tournament]] (most notably [[boxing]]), third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the [[1896 Summer Olympics|1896 Olympics]] only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in [[1900 Summer Olympics|1900]]. However, the [[1904 Summer Olympics|1904 Olympics]] also awarded silver trophies for first place, which makes [[1906 Summer Olympics|Athens 1906]] the first games that awarded the three medals only. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as "victory diplomas;" since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added, presumably to ensure that all losing quarter-finalists in events using single-elimination formats would receive diplomas, thus obviating the need for consolation (or officially, "classification") matches to determine fifth through eighth places (though interestingly these latter are still contested in many elimination events anyway). Certificates were awarded also at the 1896 Olympics, but there they were awarded in addition to the medals to first and second place. Commemorative medals and diplomas &mdash; which differ in design from those referred to above &mdash; are also made available to participants finishing lower than third and eighth respectively. At the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals.
 
  
Because the Olympics are held only once every four years, the public and athletes often consider them as more important and valuable than world championships and other international tournaments, which are often held annually. Many athletes have become celebrities or heroes in their own country, or even world-wide, after becoming Olympic champions.
+
After these traditional elements, the next host nation introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. This tradition began with the [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Games]].
  
The diversity of the sports, and the great differences between the Olympic Games in 1896 and today make it difficult to decide which athlete is the most successful Olympic athlete of all time. This is further complicated since the IOC no longer recognises the [[Intercalated Games]] which it originally organised. When measuring by the number of titles won at the Modern Olympic Games, the following athletes may be considered the most successful.
+
The president of the host country's Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech formally closes the Olympics, by saying: <blockquote>''«I declare the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games closed and, in accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in ... to celebrate the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games.»''</blockquote>
 
+
The Olympic Flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic Flag that was hoisted during the opening ceremonies is lowered from the flagpole and horizontally carried out of the stadium.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
|-
 
! Athlete !! Nation !! Sport !! Olympics !! 1st !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Total
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Larissa|Latynina}}
 
| {{flag|URS|1955}}
 
| [[Gymnastics]]
 
| 1956&ndash;1964
 
| align="right"| 9
 
| align="right"| 5
 
| align="right"| 4
 
| align="right"| 18
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Nikolai|Andrianov}}
 
| {{flag|URS|1955}}
 
| [[Gymnastics]]
 
| 1972&ndash;1980
 
| align="right"| 7
 
| align="right"| 5
 
| align="right"| 3
 
| align="right"| 15
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Paavo|Nurmi}}
 
| {{flag|FIN}}
 
| [[Athletics (track and field)|Athletics]]
 
| 1920&ndash;1928
 
| align="right"| 9
 
| align="right"| 3
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 12
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Mark|Spitz}}
 
| {{flag|USA}}
 
| [[Swimming]]
 
| 1968&ndash;1972
 
| align="right"| 9
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 11
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Carl|Lewis}}
 
| {{flag|USA}}
 
| [[Athletics (track and field)|Athletics]]
 
| 1984&ndash;1996
 
| align="right"| 9
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 10
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Bjørn|Dæhlie}}
 
| {{flag|NOR}}
 
| [[Cross-country skiing]]
 
| 1992&ndash;1998
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 4
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 12
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Birgit|Fischer}}
 
| {{flag|GER}}
 
| [[Canoe racing|Canoeing (flatwater)]]
 
| 1980&ndash;2004
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 4
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 12
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Sawao|Kato}}
 
| {{flag|JPN}}
 
| [[Gymnastics]]
 
| 1968&ndash;1976
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 3
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 12
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Jenny|Thompson}}
 
| {{flag|USA}}
 
| [[Swimming]]
 
| 1992&ndash;2004
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 3
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 12
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Matt|Biondi}}
 
| {{flag|USA}}
 
| [[Swimming]]
 
| 1984&ndash;1992
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 2
 
| align="right"| 1
 
| align="right"| 11
 
|-
 
| {{sortname|Ray|Ewry}}
 
| {{flag|USA}}
 
| [[Athletics (track and field)|Athletics]]
 
| 1900&ndash;1908
 
| align="right"| 8
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 0
 
| align="right"| 8
 
|}
 
 
 
===Medals per country===
 
The IOC does not publish lists of medals per country, but the media often does. A comparison between countries would be unfair to countries with fewer inhabitants, so some have made calculations of medals per number of inhabitants, such as [http://abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/57a31759b55dc970ca2568a1002477b6/be9f47591541e29eca256ef40004f25a!OpenDocument] for the 2004 Olympics and [http://simon.forsyth.net/olympics.html] for a few more. A problem here is that for a very small country, gaining just one medal could mean the difference between the very top and the very bottom of the list (a point illustrated by the [[Bahamas]]' per capita number one position in 2004). On the other hand, a large country may not be able to send a number of athletes that is proportional to its size because a limit is set for the number of participants per country for a specific sport.
 
 
 
A comparison of the total number of medals ''over time'' is further complicated by the fact that the number of times that countries have participated is not equal, and that many countries have gained and lost territories where medal-winning athletes come from. A point in case is the [[USSR]], which not only participated relatively rarely (18 times, versus 44 times for the [[USA]] and 45 times for the [[UK]]), but also ceased to exist in 1991. The resulting [[Russian Federation]] is largely, but not entirely equal to the former USSR. Also, one would have to use population statistics ''at the time''.  
 
 
 
The IOC medal tally chart is based on the number of gold medals for country. Where states are equal, the number of silver medals (and then bronze medals) are counted to determine rankings.
 
Since 1996, the only countries that have appeared in the top 10 medal tallies for summer Olympics have been the [[Russian Federation]], [[United States]], [[China]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Australia]] and [[Italy]]. Since 1994, the only countries that have appeared in the top 10 medal tallies for winter Olympics have been the Russian Federation, United States, [[Canada]], Germany, [[Austria]] and Italy.
 
 
 
==Olympic Games host cities==<!--
 
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Mention bidding process!
 
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>
 
By 2010, the Olympic Games will have been hosted by 41 cities in 22 countries. In 2012, London will become the first city to have hosted the Olympic Games three times.
 
 
 
The number in parentheses following the city/country denotes how many times that city/country had then hosted the games. This table excludes modern international Olympic Games held before the foundation of the International Olympic Committee.
 
 
 
{| bgcolor="#f7f8ff" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 90%; border: gray solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse;"
 
|+'''Olympic Games host cities'''
 
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center"
 
!colspan="4" width="50%"| '''[[Summer Olympic Games]]'''
 
!colspan="4" width="50%"| '''[[Winter Olympic Games]]'''
 
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
 
|| ''Year'' || ''№'' || ''Host city'' || ''Country'' || ''№'' || ''Host city'' || ''Country''
 
|- bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
| 1896 || [[1896 Summer Olympics|I]] || [[Athens]] (1) || {{flag|Greece|old}} (1)|| || ||
 
|-
 
|1900 || [[1900 Summer Olympics|II]] || [[Paris]] (1) || {{flag|France}} (1)|| || ||
 
|- bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1904 || [[1904 Summer Olympics|III]] || [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], [[Missouri]]<sup>('''[[#WWI|1]]''')</sup> (1) || {{flag|United States|1896}} (1) || || ||
 
|-
 
|1906 || [[1906 Summer Olympics|Int'd]] || [[Athens]] || {{flag|Greece|old}} || || ||
 
|- bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1908 || [[1908 Summer Olympics|IV]] || [[London, England|London]], [[England]] (1) || {{flag|United Kingdom}} (1)|| || ||
 
|-
 
|1912 || [[1912 Summer Olympics|V]] || [[Stockholm]] (1) || {{flag|Sweden}} (1) || || ||
 
|- bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|''1916'' || ''[[1916 Summer Olympics|VI]]'' <sup>('''[[#WWI|2]]''')</sup> || ''[[Berlin]]'' || ''{{flag|Germany|empire}}'' || || ||
 
|-
 
|1920 || [[1920 Summer Olympics|VII]] || [[Antwerp]] (1) || {{flag|Belgium}} (1) || || ||
 
|- bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1924 || [[1924 Summer Olympics|VIII]] || [[Paris]] (2) || {{flag|France}} (2) || [[1924 Winter Olympics|I]] || [[Chamonix]] (1) || {{flag|France}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1928 || [[1928 Summer Olympics|IX]] || [[Amsterdam]] (1) || {{flag|Netherlands}} (1) || [[1928 Winter Olympics|II]] || [[St Moritz]] (1) || {{flag|Switzerland}} (1)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1932 || [[1932 Summer Olympics|X]] || [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]](1) || {{flag|United States|1912}} (2)|| [[1932 Winter Olympics|III]] || [[Lake Placid, New York|Lake Placid]], [[New York]] (1) || {{flag|United States|1912}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1936 || [[1936 Summer Olympics|XI]] || [[Berlin]] (1) || {{flag|Germany|Nazi}} (1) || [[1936 Winter Olympics|IV]] || [[Garmisch-Partenkirchen]] (1) || {{flag|Germany|Nazi}} (1)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|''1940'' || ''[[1940 Summer Olympics|XII]]'' <sup>('''[[#WWII|3]]''')</sup> || ''[[Tokyo]]→<br/>[[Helsinki]]'' || ''{{flag|Japan}}''→<br/>''{{flag|Finland}}'' || ''[[1940 Winter Olympics|V]]'' <sup>('''3''')</sup> || ''[[Sapporo]]→<br/>[[St Moritz]]→<br/>[[Garmisch-Partenkirchen]]'' || ''{{flag|Japan}}''→<br/>''{{flag|Switzerland}}''→<br/>''{{flag|Germany|Nazi}}''
 
|-
 
|''1944'' || ''[[1944 Summer Olympics|XIII]]'' <sup>('''[[#WWII|3]]''')</sup> || ''[[London, England|London]]'', [[England]] || ''{{flag|United Kingdom}}''|| ''[[1944 Winter Olympics|V]]'' <sup>('''3''')</sup> || ''[[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]'' || ''{{flag|Italy}}''
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1948 || [[1948 Summer Olympics|XIV]] || [[London, England|London]], [[England]] (2) || {{flag|United Kingdom}} (2) || [[1948 Winter Olympics|V]] || [[St Moritz]] (2) || {{flag|Switzerland}} (2)
 
|-
 
|1952 || [[1952 Summer Olympics|XV]] || [[Helsinki]] (1) || {{flag|Finland}} (1) || [[1952 Winter Olympics|VI]] || [[Oslo]] (1) || {{flag|Norway}} (1)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1956 || [[1956 Summer Olympics|XVI]] || [[Melbourne]] (1) +<br/>[[Stockholm]] (2)<sup>('''[[#Stockholm|4]]''')</sup> || {{flag|Australia}} (1) +<br/>{{flag|Sweden}} (2)|| [[1956 Winter Olympics|VII]] || [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]] (1) || {{flag|Italy}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1960 || [[1960 Summer Olympics|XVII]] || [[Rome]] (1) || {{flag|Italy}} (1) || [[1960 Winter Olympics|VIII]] || [[Squaw Valley Ski Resort|Squaw Valley]], [[California]] (1) || {{flag|United States|1959}} (2)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1964 || [[1964 Summer Olympics|XVIII]] || [[Tokyo]] (1) || {{flag|Japan}} (1) || [[1964 Winter Olympics|IX]] || [[Innsbruck]] (1) || {{flag|Austria}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1968 || [[1968 Summer Olympics|XIX]] || [[Mexico City]] (1) || {{flag|Mexico}} (1) || [[1968 Winter Olympics|X]] || [[Grenoble]] (1) || {{flag|France}} (2)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1972 || [[1972 Summer Olympics|XX]] || [[Munich]] (1) || {{flag|West Germany}} (2) || [[1972 Winter Olympics|XI]] || [[Sapporo]] (1) || {{flag|Japan}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1976 || [[1976 Summer Olympics|XXI]] || [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] (1) || {{flag|Canada}} (1) || [[1976 Winter Olympics|XII]] || [[Innsbruck]] (2) || {{flag|Austria}} (2)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1980 || [[1980 Summer Olympics|XXII]] || [[Moscow]] (1) || {{flag|Soviet Union}} (1) || [[1980 Winter Olympics|XIII]] || [[Lake Placid, New York|Lake Placid]], [[New York]] (2) || {{flag|United States}} (3)
 
|-
 
|1984 || [[1984 Summer Olympics|XXIII]] || [[Los Angeles]], [[California]] (2) || {{flag|United States}} (3) || [[1984 Winter Olympics|XIV]] || [[Sarajevo]] (1) || {{YUG}} (1)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1988 || [[1988 Summer Olympics|XXIV]] || [[Seoul]] (1) || {{flag|South Korea}} (1) || [[1988 Winter Olympics|XV]] || [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]] (1) || {{flag|Canada}} (1)
 
|-
 
|1992 || [[1992 Summer Olympics|XXV]] || [[Barcelona]] (1) || {{flag|Spain}} (1) || [[1992 Winter Olympics|XVI]] || [[Albertville]] (1) || {{flag|France}} (3)
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1994 || || || || [[1994 Winter Olympics|XVII]] || [[Lillehammer]] (1) || {{flag|Norway}} (2)
 
|-
 
|1996 || [[1996 Summer Olympics|XXVI]] || [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] (1) || {{flag|United States}} (4)|| || ||
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|1998 || || || || [[1998 Winter Olympics|XVIII]] || [[Nagano]] (1) || {{flag|Japan}} (2)
 
|-
 
|2000 || [[2000 Summer Olympics|XXVII]] || [[Sydney]] (1) || {{flag|Australia}} (2)|| || ||
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|2002 || || || || [[2002 Winter Olympics|XIX]] || [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]] (1) || {{flag|United States}} (4)
 
|-
 
|2004 || [[2004 Summer Olympics|XXVIII]] || [[Athens]] (2) || {{flag|Greece}} (2)|| || ||
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|2006 || || || || [[2006 Winter Olympics|XX]] || [[Turin]] (1) || {{flag|Italy}} (2)
 
|-
 
|2008 || [[2008 Summer Olympics|XXIX]] || [[Beijing]] (1) <sup>('''[[#Hong Kong|5]]''')</sup> || {{flag|China}} (1)|| || ||
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|2010 || || || || [[2010 Winter Olympics|XXI]] || [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] (1) || {{flag|Canada}} (2)
 
|-
 
|2012 || [[2012 Summer Olympics|XXX]] || [[London, England|London]], [[England]] (3) || {{flag|United Kingdom}} (3)|| || ||
 
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
 
|2014 || || || || [[2014 Winter Olympics|XXII]] || [[Sochi]] (1) || {{flag|Russia}} (1)
 
|-
 
|}
 
<div id="WWI"><sup>'''1'''</sup> Originally awarded to [[Chicago]], but moved to [[St. Louis]] to coincide with the [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|World's Fair]]
 
 
 
<div id="WWI"><sup>'''2'''</sup> Canceled due to [[World War I]]
 
 
 
<div id="WWII"><sup>'''3'''</sup> Canceled due to [[World War II]]
 
 
 
<div id="Stockholm"><sup>'''4'''</sup> [[equestrianism|Equestrian]] events were held in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]].
 
 
 
<div id="Hong Kong"><sup>'''5'''</sup> Equestrian events will be held in [[Hong Kong]].
 
 
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Olympic stadiums]]
 
* [[Bids for Olympic Games]]
 
* [[Bids for Olympic Games (ballots)]]
 
* [[Olympic pins]]
 
 
 
== Notes ==
 
{{reflist|2}}
 
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
* {{cite book |last= Buchanan |first= Ian |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Historical dictionary of the Olympic movement |year= 2001 |publisher= Scarecrow Presz |location= Lanham |isbn= 978-0-8108-4054-6 }}
+
* Buchanan, Ian. ''Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement''. Scarecrow Press, 2001. ISBN 9780810840546
* {{cite book |last= Kamper |first= Erich |authorlink= |coauthors= Mallon, Bill |title= The Golden Book of the Olympic Games |year= 1992 |publisher= Vallardi & Associati |location= Milan |isbn= 978-88-85202-35-1 }}
+
* Kamper, Erich. ''The Golden Book of the Olympic Games''. Vallardi & Associati, 1993. ISBN 9788885202351
* {{cite book |last= Simson |first= Vyv |authorlink= |coauthors= Jennings, Andrew |title= Dishonored Games: Corruption, Money, and Greed at the Olympics |year= 1992 |publisher= S.P.I. Books |location= New Tork |isbn= 978-1-56171-199-4 }}
+
* Preuss, Holger. ''The Economics of Staging the Olympics: A Comparison of the Games 1972-2008''. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2004. ISBN 9781843768937
* {{cite book |last= Wallechinsky |first= David |authorlink= David Wallechinsky |coauthors= |title= The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Sydney 2000 Edition |year= 2000 |publisher= Overlook Press |location= |isbn= 978-1-58567-033-8 }}
+
* Wallechinsky, David. ''The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Athens 2004''. SportClassic Books, 2004. ISBN 9781894963329
* {{cite book |last= Wallechinsky |first= David |authorlink= David Wallechinsky |coauthors= |title= The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City 2002 Edition |year= 2001 |publisher= Overlook Press |location= |isbn= 978-1-58567-195-3 }}
+
* Wallechinsky, David. ''The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Turin 2006''. SportClassic Books, 2005. ISBN 9781894963459
* {{cite book |last= Wallechinsky |first= David |authorlink= David Wallechinsky |coauthors= |title= The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Athens 2004 Edition |year= 2004 |publisher= SportClassic Books |location= |isbn= 978-1-894963-32-9 }}
 
* {{cite book |last= Wallechinsky |first= David |authorlink= David Wallechinsky |coauthors= |title= The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Turin 2006 Edition |year= 2005 |publisher= SportClassic Books |location= |isbn= 978-1-894963-45-9 }}
 
* {{cite book |last= Preuss |first= Holger |authorlink= |coauthors= Marcia Semitiel García |title= The Economics of Staging the Olympics: A Comparison of the Games 1972-2008 |year= 2005 |publisher= Edward Elgar Publishing |location= |isbn= 978-1-84376-893-7 }}
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
{{commons|Olympic Games}}
+
All links retrieved November 17, 2022.
{{portal|Olympics}}
 
=== Official websites ===
 
* [http://www.olympic.org/ Official website of the Olympic Games]
 
* [http://www.london2012.org/en Official website of the 2012 Olympics in London]
 
* [http://www.vancouver2010.com/ Official website of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver]
 
* [http://en.beijing2008.com/ Official website of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing]
 
* [http://www.torino2006.org/index.php?lang=en Official website of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin]
 
* [http://www.athens2004.com/ Official website of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens]
 
* [http://www.saltlake2002.com/main.html Official website of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City]
 
  
=== Other links ===
+
*[http://www.olympic.org/ Official website of the Olympic Games]  
* [http://www.aafla.org/ AAF - Amateur Athletic Foundation - Legacy of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games]
+
*[http://www.athensinfoguide.com/olympic.htm The Olympic Games - Facts and Figures]  
* [http://www.aroundtherings.com/ ATR - Around the Rings - the Business Surrounding the Olympics]
 
* [http://www.athensinfoguide.com/olympic.htm The Olympic Games - Facts and Figures]
 
* [http://communications.uwo.ca/western_news/story.html?listing_id=20578 Podiums first used in modern Olympics]
 
* [http://www.marcolympics.org/ All the daily program and the results of the Olympics]
 
* [http://wipo.int/clea/docs/en/wo/wo018en.htm Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol]
 
* [http://www.databaseolympics.com/index.htm Database Olympics]
 
* [http://www.projectshum.org/Olympics/ The Olympics.] A kid's guide to the Summer and Winter Olympic games.
 
* [http://www.nccg.org/375Art-Olympics.html Origin Of The Olympic Games]
 
* [http://www.bladesplace.id.au/olympic-games-candidates.html Candidate Cities for future Olympic Games]
 
* [http://www.erasmuspc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=58 The Cultural Coalition for the Amsterdam Olympic Area (on ErasmusPC)]
 
* [http://www.usolympicteam.com/19116_18922.htm#Olympic Olympic Traditions] FAQs from the U.S. Olympic Committee
 
* [http://www.sydneypinz.com/# Olympic Pins Features pins from many Olympic Games]
 
* [http://www.cokecans.com/olympic Olympic Games Coca-Cola Cans from all over the world]
 
* [http://www.sportsbite.com/index.pl News from all the Olympic sports]
 
 
 
{{Olympic Games}}
 
  
 
{{Credit|153365082}}
 
{{Credit|153365082}}
 
 
[[Category:History]]
 
[[Category:History]]

Latest revision as of 00:34, 18 November 2022


The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp in 1920.

The Olympic Games (often referred to simply as The Olympics) are the worlds premier multi-sport international athletic competition held every four years in various locations. Separate summer and winter games are now held two years apart from each other. Until 1992, they were held in the same year.

The original Olympic Games began in c. 776 B.C.E. in Olympia, Greece, and were hosted for nearly a thousand years, until 393 C.E.. The Greek games were one of the splendors of the ancient world, so much so that warring factions took breaks so their athletes could compete. The games gradually lost popular support, however, as the ascendant Roman Empire hosted far bloodier and more spectacular gladiatorial combat, and the later Christianized empire saw the games as recalling pagan festivals.

Greek philanthropist Evangelos Zappas sponsored the first modern international Olympic Games in 1859. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894, and the first of the IOC's Olympic Games were the 1896 Summer Olympics, held in Athens. Participation in the Olympic Games has increased to include athletes from nearly all nations worldwide. With the improvement of satellite communications and global telecasts of the events, the Olympics have grown into a global media phenomenon, with cities worldwide vying for the coveted opportunity to host the games.

When the modern Olympics resumed in 1896, there was hope that such grand-scale athletic competition could be a force for peace. Competitive sports showcase human excellence, self mastery, and cooperative teamwork. Sports are played in remote villages and great cities on every continent and provide a bridge across religious, social, and ethnic divides. For a time the Olympic dream lasted, yet as world war twice engulfed nations in the twentieth century, and the Cold War divided peoples and states, the Olympics succumbed to nationalistic triumphalism, cheating scandals, and crass commercialism. The Olympics continue to engender pride in human accomplishment and respect for political adversaries, yet the promise of the Olympics to rise above about political divisions and exemplify human ideals remains to be realized.

Ancient Olympics

Athletes trained in this Olympia facility in its ancient heyday.

According to legend, the divine hero Heracles was the creator of the Olympic Games and built the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to his father Zeus, after completing his 12 labors. According to that legend he walked in a straight line for 400 strides and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: "Στάδιον"), which later also became a distance calculation unit. This is also why a modern stadium is 400 meters in circumference length. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of ἐκεχειρία (ekecheiria) or Olympic Truce, in which a solemn truce was enacted between warring city-states to allow athletes to compete in the Games. The date of the Games' is often reconstructed as 776 B.C.E., although scholarly opinion ranges between dates as early as 884 B.C.E. and as late as 704 B.C.E.

Did you know?
The Olympic Games originated in Olympia, Greece, where they were hosted for nearly a thousand years

The Games quickly became an important institution throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E.. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honoring both Zeus (whose colossal statue stood at Olympia), and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia, famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honor the games were held.

At first involving only a foot race, then wrestling and the pentathlon, the number of events increased to 20, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalized in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an 'Olympiad'. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in the sixth century B.C.E., wrestler Milo of Croton, the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics.

The Games gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power in Greece. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a pagan festival in discord with Christian ethics, and in 393 C.E. the emperor Theodosius I outlawed the Olympics, ending a thousand-year tradition.

During ancient times normally only young men could participate. Competitors were usually naked, as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would not only have the prestige of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of olive leaves.

Even though the bearing of a torch formed an integral aspect of many Greek ceremonies, the ancient Olympic Games did not include it, nor was there a symbol formed by interconnecting rings. These Olympic symbols were introduced as part of the modern Olympic Games.

Revival

In the early seventeenth century, an "Olympick Games" sports festival was run for several years at Chipping Campden in the English Cotswolds, and the present day local Cotswold Games trace their origin to this festival. In 1850, an "Olympian Class" was begun at Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England. This was renamed "Wenlock Olympian Games" in 1859 and continues to this day as the Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games. A national Olympic Games was organized by their founder, Dr William Penny Brookes, at Crystal Palace in London, in 1866.

The Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, originally built in the fourth century B.C.E., was restored for use in the 1896 Olympics and updated again for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Meanwhile, a wealthy Greek [[philanthropy|philanthropist], Evangelos Zappas, sponsored the revival of the first modern international Olympic Games. The first of these were held in an Athens city square in 1859. Zappas paid for the refurbishment of the ancient Panathenian stadium, which was first used for an Olympic Games in 1870 and then again in 1875. The revival included athletes from two countries, representing very different cultures: Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

The interest in reviving the Olympics as an international event grew further when the ruins of ancient Olympia were uncovered by German archaeologists in the mid-nineteenth century. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee, and at a congress at the Sorbonne University, in Paris, held from June 16 to June 23, 1894, it was decided that the first IOC Olympic Games would take place in 1896 in Athens, in the country of their birth. To organize the Games, Demetrius Vikelas was named as the IOC's first president. The Panathenian stadium that was used for Olympic Games in 1870, and 1875 was refurbished and used again for the Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.

The total number of athletes at the first IOC Olympic Games, less than 250, seems small by modern standards, but the games were the largest international sports event ever held until that time. Greek officials and the public were very enthusiastic and proposed to have the monopoly over organizing the Olympics. The IOC decided differently, however, and the second Olympic Games took place in Paris. This was also the first Olympic Games where women were allowed to compete.

Modern Olympics

After the initial success, the Olympics struggled. The celebrations in Paris (1900) and St. Louis (1904) were overshadowed by the World's Fair exhibitions in which they were included. The 1906 Intercalated Games (so called because of their off-year status) were held in Athens. Although originally the IOC recognized and supported these games, they are currently not recognized by the IOC as official Olympic Games. The 1906 Games, however, again attracted a broad international field of participants—in 1904 at St. Louis, 80 percent had been American—and of great public interest, thereby marking the beginning of a rise in popularity and size of the Games.

Opening ceremony at the 2004 Games in Athens

From the 241 participants from 14 nations in 1896, the Games grew to more than 11,000 competitors from 202 countries at the 2004 Summer Olympics, again held in Athens. The number of competitors at the Winter Olympics is much smaller than at the Summer Games; at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin Italy, 2,633 athletes from 80 countries competed in 84 events.

The Olympics are one of the world's largest media events. In Sydney in 2000 there were over 16,000 broadcasters and journalists, and an estimated 3.8 billion viewers watched the games on television. The growth of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today. Although allowing professional athletes and attracting sponsorships from major international companies solved financial problems in the 1980s, the large number of athletes, media and spectators makes it difficult and expensive for host cities to organize the Olympics.

At last count, 203 nations participated in the Olympics. This is a noticeably higher number than the number of countries recognized by the United Nations, which is only 193. This is because the IOC allows colonies and dependencies to sponsor their own Olympic teams and athletes even if such competitors hold the same citizenship as another member nation.

Amateurism and professionalism

Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Olympics

The English public schools of the second half of the nineteenth century had a major influence on many sports. They subscribed to the Ancient Greek and Roman belief that sport formed an important part of education.

Initially, professional athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. A short-lived exception was made for professional fencing instructors. This exclusion of professionals has caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics. The 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon champion, Jim Thorpe, was disqualified when it was discovered that he played semi-professional baseball prior to winning his medals. He was restored as a champion on compassionate grounds by the IOC in 1983. Swiss and Austrian skiers boycotted the 1936 Winter Olympics in support of their skiing teachers, who were not allowed to compete because they earned money with their sport and were considered professionals.

It gradually became clear to many that the amateurism rules had become outdated, not least because the self-financed amateurs of Western countries often were no match for the state-sponsored "full-time amateurs" of Eastern-bloc countries. In addition, many of the world's best athletes could not participate in important spectator sports, reducing the popularity of some Olympic contests.

In the 1970s, amateurism requirements were dropped from the Olympic Charter, leaving decisions on professional participation to the international federation for each sport. As of 2004, the only sport in which no professionals compete is boxing; and in men's football (soccer), the number of players over 23 years-of-age is limited to three per team.

Olympic sports

Currently, the Olympic program consists of 35 different sports, 53 disciplines, and more than 400 events. The Summer Olympics includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines and the Winter Olympics includes seven sports with 15 disciplines.

Nine sports were on the original modern Olympic program in 1896: athletics, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, weightlifting, shooting, swimming, tennis, and wrestling. rowing events were scheduled as well, but had to be canceled due to bad weather.

U.S. curling team at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy

Cross country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating have been featured on the program at all Winter Olympics. Figure skating and ice hockey also had been contested as part of the Summer Games before the introduction of separate Winter Olympics.

In recent years, the IOC has added several new sports to the program to attract attention from young spectators. Examples of such sports include snowboarding and beach volleyball. The growth of the Olympics also means that some less popular (modern pentathlon) or expensive (white water canoeing) sports may lose their place on the Olympic program. The IOC decided to discontinue baseball and softball beginning in 2012.

Rule 48.1 of the Olympic Charter requires that there be a minimum of 15 Olympic sports at each Summer Games. However, each sport may have many "events," such as competitions in various weight classes, styles (as in swimming styles), men's and women's events, etc. Following the 2002 Games, the IOC decided to limit the program of the Summer Games to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes.

The Olympic sports are defined as those governed by the International Federations listed in Rule 46 of the Olympic Charter. A two-thirds vote of the IOC is required to amend the Charter to promote a Recognized Federation to Olympic status and therefore make the sports it governs eligible for inclusion on the Olympic program. Rule 47 of the Charter requires that only Olympic sports may be included in the program.

The IOC reviews the Olympic program at the first Session following each Olympiad. A simple majority is required for an Olympic sport to be included in the Olympic program. Under the current rules, an Olympic sport not selected for inclusion in a particular Games remains an Olympic sport and may be included again later with a simple majority. The IOC has slated 26 sports to be included in the program for London 2012.

Until 1992, the Olympics also often featured demonstration sports. The objective was for these sports to reach a larger audience; the winners of these events are not official Olympic champions. These sports were sometimes sports popular only in the host nation, but internationally known sports have also been demonstrated. Some demonstration sports eventually were included as full-medal events.

Olympic champions and medalists

Ray Ewry is one of the most successful Olympic athletes with ten modern Olympic titles, but two of them are from the 1906 Intercalated Games, which are not included in the official records.

The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive "gold medals." (Though they were solid gold until 1912, they are now made of gilded silver.) The runners-up receive silver medals, and the third-place athletes receive bronze medals. In some events contested by a single-elimination tournament (most notably boxing), a third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the 1896 Olympics only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in 1900. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as "victory diplomas;" since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals.

Athletes and the public often consider Olympic medals as more valuable than world championships and medals from other international tournaments. Many athletes have become heroes in their own country after becoming Olympic champions.

The IOC ranks countries according to a medal tally chart based on the number of gold medals awarded to each country. Where states have equal numbers of gold medals, the number of silver medals, and then bronze medals, are counted to determine rankings.

Olympic Movement

A number of organizations are involved in organizing the Olympic Games. Together they form the Olympic Movement. The rules and guidelines by which these organizations operate are outlined in the Olympic Charter.

At the heart of the Olympic Movement is the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It can be seen as the government of the Olympics, as it takes care of the daily problems and makes all important decisions, such as choosing the host city of the Games, and the program of the Olympics.

Three groups of organizations operate on a more specialized level:

  • International Federations (IFs), the governing bodies of a sport (e.g. FIFA, the IF for football (soccer), and the FIVB, the international governing body for volleyball.)
  • National Olympic Committees (NOCs), which regulate the Olympic Movement within each country (eg. USOC, the NOC of the United States)
  • Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs), which take care of the organization of a specific celebration of the Olympics.

At present, 202 NOCs and 35 IFs are part of the Olympic Movement. OCOGs are dissolved after the celebration of each Games, once all subsequent paperwork has been completed.

More broadly speaking, the term Olympic Movement is sometimes also meant to include everybody and everything involved in the Olympics, such as national sport governing bodies, athletes, media, and sponsors of the Olympic Games.

Olympic symbols

The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing IOC founder Coubertin's ideals. The best-known symbol is the Olympic Rings. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five inhabited continents (with America regarded as one single continent). They appear in five colors on a white field on the Olympic Flag. These colors, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colors in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown was the Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.

The official Olympic Motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius," a Latin phrase meaning "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Coubertin's ideals are probably best illustrated by the Olympic Creed:

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.

The Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia, Greece and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. The torch fire has been featured since 1928, but the relay was not introduced until 1936.

The Olympic mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in 1968. It has played an important part of the games since 1980 with the debut of misha, a Russian bear.

French and English are the two official languages of the Olympic Movement.

Olympic ceremonies

Opening

Opening ceremonies climax with the lighting of the Olympic Flame. For lighting the torch, modern games feature elaborate mechanisms such as this cauldron-spiral-cauldron arrangement lit by the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Apart from the traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the hoisting of the host country's flag and the performing of its national anthem. The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a "parade of nations" (or of athletes), during which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. One honored athlete, typically a top competitor, from each country carries the flag of his or her nation, leading the entourage of other athletes from that country.

Greece normally marches first, because of its historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. All other participating nations march in alphabetical order based on the dominant language of the host country, or in French or English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language in an alphabet with a set order. For example, in the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, nations entered in English alphabetical.

After all nations have entered, the president of the host country's Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president who, at the end of his speech introduces the person who is going to declare the Games open. Despite the Games having been awarded to a particular city and not to the country in general, the opener is usually the host country's Head of State.

Next, the Olympic flag is carried horizontally (since the 1960 Summer Olympics) into the stadium and hoisted as the Olympic Anthem is played. The flag bearers of all countries circle a rostrum, where one athlete and one judge speak the Olympic Oath, declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules. Finally, the Olympic Torch is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier of the Torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron. The Olympic Flame has been lit since the 1928 Summer Olympics, but the torch relay did not start until the 1936 Summer Olympics. Beginning at the post-World War I 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was for 68 years followed by the release of doves, symbolizing peace. This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Closing ceremonies

Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing

Various traditional elements also frame the closing ceremonies of an Olympic Games, which take place after all of the events have concluded. Flag bearers from each participating delegation enter the stadium in single file, but behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping of nationality. This tradition began at the 1956 Summer Olympics at the suggestion of Melbourne schoolboy John Ian Wing, who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as "one nation." (In 2006, the athletes marched in with their countrymen, then dispersed and mingled as the ceremonies went on).

Three national flags are each hoisted onto flagpoles one at a time while their respective national anthems are played: The flag of Greece on the right-hand pole (again honoring the birthplace of the Olympic Games), the flag of the host country on the middle pole, and finally the flag of the host country of the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games, on the left-hand pole. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, only one flag of Greece was raised.)

In what is known as the "Antwerp Ceremony" (because the tradition started during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic Flag to the president of the IOC, who then passes it on to the mayor of the next city to host the Olympic Games. The receiving mayor then waves the flag eight times. There are three such flags, differing from all other copies in that they have a six-colored fringe around the flag, and are tied with six colored ribbons to a flagstaff:

  • The Antwerp flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1920 Summer Olympics by the city of Antwerp, Belgium, and was passed on to the next organizing city of the Summer Olympics until the Games of Seoul 1988.
  • The Oslo flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1952 Winter Olympics by the city of Oslo, Norway, and is passed on to the next organizing city of the Winter Olympics.
  • The Seoul flag: Was presented to the IOC at the 1988 Summer Olympics by the city of Seoul, South Korea, and is passed on to the next organizing city of the Summer Olympics, which was Barcelona, Spain, at that time.

After these traditional elements, the next host nation introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. This tradition began with the 1976 Games.

The president of the host country's Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech formally closes the Olympics, by saying:

«I declare the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games closed and, in accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in ... to celebrate the Games of the ... Olympiad/... Olympic Winter Games.»

The Olympic Flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic Flag that was hoisted during the opening ceremonies is lowered from the flagpole and horizontally carried out of the stadium.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Buchanan, Ian. Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Scarecrow Press, 2001. ISBN 9780810840546
  • Kamper, Erich. The Golden Book of the Olympic Games. Vallardi & Associati, 1993. ISBN 9788885202351
  • Preuss, Holger. The Economics of Staging the Olympics: A Comparison of the Games 1972-2008. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2004. ISBN 9781843768937
  • Wallechinsky, David. The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Athens 2004. SportClassic Books, 2004. ISBN 9781894963329
  • Wallechinsky, David. The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Turin 2006. SportClassic Books, 2005. ISBN 9781894963459

External links

All links retrieved November 17, 2022.

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