Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are a multi-sport event taking place every fourth year.
Originally held in ancient Greece, they were revived by French Baron Pierre
de Coubertin in the late 19th century. The Games of the Olympiad, better
known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every fourth year since 1896,
with the exception of the years during the World Wars. A special edition for
winter sports, the Winter Olympic Games, started in 1924; since 1994 these
are no longer held in the same year as the Games of the Olympiad.

Ancient History

A Greek legend tells of the great Heracles (or Hercules, in Latin) who won a
race at Olympia and then decreed that the race should be re-enacted every
four years. Another legend says that Zeus had instated the festival after
his defeat of Cronus. According to yet another legend, King Iphitos of
Elidos consulted the Pythia (oracle of Delphi) to try and save his people
from war in the 9th century BC. The prophetess advised him to organise games
in honour of the gods. The Spartan adversary of Ipitos then decided to stop
the war during these games, which were called Olympic, after Mount Olympus,
the mountain on which the Greek gods were said to live. The last version is
probably the most accurate, although the Games likely originated from
locally held games. Another possible source of the Games is the legend of
Oenomaus, who challenged his daughter's suitors to a chariot race and killed
the losers. The fourteenth suitor, Pelops, cheated by bribing Oenomaus'
charioteer, Myrtilus, who loosened a lynchpin, killing Oenomaus. Pelops
married the princess, Hippodamia.

The Games were held in Olympia, a worshipping place for the Greek gods near
the town of Elis. Located in Olympia was a 12 m high statue in ivory and
gold of Zeus, the main god, created by Phidias. The statue was one of the
ancient Seven Wonders of the World.

The first written accounts of the Olympic Games date from 776 BC, although
it is sure that these Games were not the first ones to be held. The only
competiton held then was the stadion race, a race over about 190 meters,
measured after the feet of Hercules. The word stadium is derived from this
foot race. The Olympic Games were held in four year intervals, and later the
Greek method of counting the years even referred to these Games, using the
term Olympiad for the period between two Games.

Over the years, other events were added: boxing, wrestling, pankration
(combination of boxing and wrestling), chariot racing, several other running
events (the diaulos, hippios, dolichos, and hoplitodromos), as well as a
pentathlon, consisting of wrestling, stadion, long jump, javelin throw and
discus throw (the latter three were not separate events). The addition of
these events meant the festival grew from 1 day to 5 days, 3 of which were
used for competition. The other 2 days were dedicated to religious rituals.
On the final day, there was a banquet for all of the participants,
consisting of 100 oxen that had been sacrificed to Zeus on the first day.

The winners of an Olympic event were awarded an olive branch, and was often
received with much honour in his home town (and outside). (See Milo of
Croton.) Sculptors would create statues of Olympic victors (see Ageladas).

The ancient Olympic Games were abandoned in AD 394 by the Roman emperor
Theodosius I, who considered the Games to be a savage celebration.

It is often said that wars were halted during the Games, but this is not
true; however, athletes, who were often soldiers, were permitted to leave
the army to participate in the Games, and were guaranteed safe passage
through enemy territory.

The Olympic Games were part of the Panhellenic Games, four separate games
held at two- or four-year intervals but arranged so that there was one set
of games every year. The Olympic Games were the most important and most
prestigious of these.

Modern History

Revival

De Coubertin, founding of IOC

Games of the Olympiad

   * 1896 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece
   * 1900 Summer Olympics, Paris, France
   * 1904 Summer Olympics, St. Louis, United States
   * 1906 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece
   * 1908 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom
   * 1912 Summer Olympics, Stockholm, Sweden
   * 1916 Summer Olympics, Berlin, Germany (not held)
   * 1920 Summer Olympics, Antwerp, Belgium
   * 1924 Summer Olympics, Paris, France
   * 1928 Summer Olympics, Amsterdam, Netherlands
   * 1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, United States
   * 1936 Summer Olympics, Berlin, Germany
   * 1940 Summer Olympics, Helsinki, Finland (not held)
   * 1944 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom (not held)
   * 1948 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom
   * 1952 Summer Olympics, Helsinki, Finland
   * 1956 Summer Olympics, Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
     (equestrian events)
   * 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome, Italy
   * 1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo, Japan
   * 1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico
   * 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich, West Germany.
   * 1976 Summer Olympics, MontrŽal, Canada
   * 1980 Summer Olympics, Moscow, Soviet Union
   * 1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, United States
   * 1988 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea
   * 1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain
   * 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, United States
   * 2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia
   * 2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece
   * 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China
   * 2012 Summer Olympics, Bids are being made.

(The candidates are Rio de Janeiro, Moscow; New York; London; Paris; Madrid,
Spain; Havana, Cuba; Leipzig, Germany; and Istanbul, Turkey. The IOC vote is in 2005).

Olympic Winter Games

   * I Olympic Winter Games - 1924, Chamonix, France
   * II Olympic Winter Games - 1928, St. Moritz, Switzerland
   * III Olympic Winter Games - 1932, Lake Placid, United States
   * IV Olympic Winter Games - 1936, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
   * V Olympic Winter Games - 1948, St. Moritz, Switzerland
   * VI Olympic Winter Games - 1952, Oslo, Norway
   * VII Olympic Winter Games - 1956, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
   * VIII Olympic Winter Games - 1960, Squaw Valley, United States
   * IX Olympic Winter Games - 1964, Innsbruck, Austria
   * X Olympic Winter Games - 1968, Grenoble, France
   * XI Olympic Winter Games - 1972, Sapporo, Japan
   * XII Olympic Winter Games - 1976, Innsbruck, Austria
   * XIII Olympic Winter Games - 1980, Lake Placid, United States
   * XIV Olympic Winter Games - 1984, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
   * XV Olympic Winter Games - 1988, Calgary, Canada
   * XVI Olympic Winter Games - 1992, Albertville, France
   * XVII Olympic Winter Games - 1994, Lillehammer, Norway
   * XVIII Olympic Winter Games - 1998, Nagano, Japan
   * XIX Olympic Winter Games - 2002, Salt Lake City, United States
   * XX Olympic Winter Games - 2006, Turin, Italy
   * XXI Olympic Winter Games - 2010, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Sports

A large number of sports have been conducted at the Olympic Games. The
following sports are currently on the program of the Games of the Olympiad.

   * Archery (1900-1908, 1920, 1972-2000)
   * Athletics (track and field) (1896-2000)
   * Badminton (1992-2000, demonstrated in 1972)
   * Baseball (1992-2000, demonstrated in 1912, 1936, 1956, 1964, 1984 and
     1988)
   * Basketball (1936-2000)
   * Beach volleyball (1996-2000)
   * Boxing (1904-1908, 1920-2000)
   * Canoeing (1936-2000, demonstrated in 1924)
   * Cycling (1896-2000)
   * Diving (1904-2000)
   * Equestrianism (1900, 1912-2000)
   * Fencing (1896-2000)
   * Football (1900-1928, 1936-2000)
   * Gymnastics (1896-2000)
   * Handball (1936, 1972-2000)
   * Hockey (1908, 1920-2000)
   * Judo (1964, 1972-2000)
   * Modern pentathlon (1912-2000)
   * Rhythmic gymnastics (1984-2000)
   * Rowing (1900-2000)
   * Shooting (1896-1924, 1932-2000)
   * Softball (1996-2000)
   * Swimming (1896-2000)
   * Synchronised swimming (1984-2000)
   * Table tennis (1988-2000)
   * Taekwondo (2000, demonstrated in 1988 and 1992)
   * Tennis (1896-1924, 1988-2000, demonstrated in 1968 and 1984)
   * Trampolining (2000)
   * Triathlon (2000)
   * Volleyball (1964-2000)
   * Water polo (1900-1904, 1908-2000)
   * Weightlifting (1896, 1904-1906, 1920-2000)
   * Wrestling (1896, 1904-2000)
   * Yachting (1900, 1908-2000)

The following sports have been on the program, but are no longer held:

   * Cricket (1900)
   * Croquet (1900)
   * Golf (1900-1904)
   * Jeu de Paume (1908)
   * Lacrosse (1904-190, demonstrated in 1928, 1932 and 1948)
   * Motorboating (1908)
   * Pelota (1900, demonstrated in 1924, 1968 and 1992)
   * Polo (1900, 1908, 1920-1924, 1936)
   * Racquets (1908)
   * Rugby (1900, 1908, 1920-1924)
   * Tug of war (1900-1920)

Sports held as a demonstration, or of which the Olympic status is disputable (d):

   * American football (1904d and 1932)
   * Australian rules football (1956)
   * Ballooning (1900d)
   * Baseball (1904d)
   * Basketball (1904d)
   * Bowls (1900d)
   * Budo (1964)
   * Gliding (1936)
   * Korfball (1928)
   * Lifesaving (1900d)
   * Longue-Paume (1900d)
   * Motorboating (1900d)
   * Motorsport (1900d)
   * Roller hockey (1992)
   * Roque (1904d)
   * Water polo (1904d)
   * Water skiing (1972)

The following sports are on the program of the Winter Olympic Games:

   * Alpine skiing (1936-2002)
   * Biathlon (1960-2002)
   * Bobsleigh (1924-1956, 1964-2002)
   * Cross country skiing (1924-2002)
   * Curling (1998-2002, demonstrated in 1924, 1932, 1988 and 1992)
   * Figure skating (1924-2002, also held at the 1908 and 1920 Games of the
     Olympiad)
   * Freestyle skiing (1992-2002, demonstrated in 1988)
   * Ice hockey (1924-2002, also held at the 1920 Games of the Olympiad)
   * Luge (1964-2002)
   * Nordic combined (1924-2002)
   * Short-track speed skating (1992-2002, demonstrated in 1988)
   * Skeleton (1928, 1948, 2002)
   * Ski jumping (1924-2002)
   * Snowboarding (1998-2002)
   * Speed skating (1924-2002)

The following sports have been held as a demonstration, but have never made
it as an Olympic winter sport:

   * Bandy (1952)
   * Eisstockschie§en (1936, 1964)
   * Military patrol (1924, 1928, 1936, 1948)
   * Skijšring (1928)
   * Sled-dog racing (1932)
   * Speed skiing (1992)
   * Winter pentathlon (1948)

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Olympic is also the name the public sometimes uses for the Greek national
airline, Olympic Airways. Olympic uses varous types or airplanes, like the
Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 for international routes, and the Boeing 727 and
Boeing 737 for domestic routes.

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