THE HISTORY OF OLYMPIC GAMES THE HISTORY OF OLYMPIC GAMES Ceremonies Opening Cermenony As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. [92] [93] Most of these rituals were established at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. [94] The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. [92] [93] The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture. [94] The artistic presentations have grown in scale and complexity as successive hosts attempt to provide a ceremony that outlasts its predecessor's in terms of memorability. The opening ceremony of the Beijing Games reportedly cost $100 million, with much of the cost incurred in the artistic segment. [95] After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation. Greece is traditionally the first nation to enter in order to honor the origins of the Olympics. Nations then enter the stadium alphabetically according to the host country's chosen language, with the host country's athletes being the last to enter.

During the 2004 Summer Olympics , which was hosted in Athens, Greece , the Greek flag entered the stadium first, while the Greek delegation entered last. Speeches are given, formally opening the Games. Finally, the Olympic torch is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final torch carrier—often a well-known and successful Olympic athlete from the host nation—who lights the Olympic flame in the stadium's cauldron. [92] [93] Closing Ceremony The closing ceremony of the Olympic Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Flag-bearers from each participating country enter the stadium, followed by the athletes who enter together, without any national distinction. Three national flags are hoisted while the corresponding national anthems are played: the flag of Greece, to honor the birthplace of the Olympic Games; the flag of the current host country, and the flag of the country hosting the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games. [96] The president of the organizing committee and the IOC president make their closing speeches, the Games are officially closed, and the Olympic flame is extinguished.

[97] In what is known as the Antwerp Ceremony, 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 city hosting the next Olympic Games. [98] After these compulsory elements, the next host nation briefly introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of its culture. Medal presentation A medal ceremony is held after each Olympic event is concluded. The winner, second and third-place competitors or teams stand on top of a three-tiered rostrum to be awarded their respective medals. [99] After the medals are given out by an IOC member, the national flags of the three medalists are raised while the national anthem of the gold medalist's country plays. [100] Volunteering citizens of the host country also act as hosts during the medal ceremonies, as they aid the officials who present the medals and act as flag-bearers. [101] For every Olympic event, the respective medal ceremony is held, at most, one day after the event's final.

For the men's marathon, the competition is usually held early in the morning on the last day of Olympic competition and its medal ceremony is then held in the evening during the closing ceremony. Posted 13th September 2011 by Admin Technical glitch at Olympic opening ceremony leaves one ring unlit | Fox News Technical glitch at Olympic opening ceremony leaves one ring unlit Published February 07, 2014 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Email Print Feb. 7, 2014 - One of the rings forming the Olympic Rings fails to open during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP) Feb. 7, 2014 - In a photo taken with a fisheye lens, spectators arrive at the Fisht Olympic Stadium prior to the start of the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP) Feb. 7, 2014 - Fireworks are seen over Olympic Park during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Previous Next Russian and Western music, dancing, and a light show highlighted the Olympic opening ceremony in Sochi Friday, but many will remember the technical glitches that left one of the five famous rings in the dark. The opening ceremony on the edge of the Black Sea and subsequent games are Russia's chance to tell its story, and dispel the anger, fear and suspicion that has marred the buildup to these most expensive Olympics ever. Five large, glowing snowflakes emerged from a whimsical opening meant to depict the four seasons. They floated to the top of Fisht arena and, one by one, started to morph into the rings. But only four joined together while the fifth remained a snowflake, apparently stuck. The five rings were supposed to join together and erupt in pyrotechnics to get the party started. Instead, they were eventually darkened and moved out of the arena, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was introduced.

Just after the sun set over the Caucasus Mountains and along the seashore just outside Fisht Stadium in the wet-paint-fresh Olympic Park, Russian TV star Yana Churikova shouted to a crowd still taking their seats: "Welcome to the center of the universe!" For the next two weeks, it certainly is for the 3,000 athletes who will compete in 98 events, more people and contests than ever at the Winter Games. Russian police sang Daft Punk, a pop band belted out Queen in Russian, and two emcees led the crowd in a round of the wave as the host country tried to reach out to visitors from the West. But every athlete who makes it to Sochi is honored with the title Olympian, and a satellite image of the earth was projected on the floor of Fisht Stadium as they entered during the parade of nations, the map shifting so the athletes emerged from their own country. The athletes from the Cayman Islands even arrived in shorts. After Greece, traditionally first as the birthplace nation of Olympic competition, the teams marched into the stadium in Russian alphabetical order, putting the U.S. between Slovenia and Tajkistan.

Many athletes decided to stay off their feet for the opening ceremony because they'll be on their skates or skis the next day. Several figure skaters say they're skipping the ceremony's spectacular but tedious parade of athletes to rest up for their competition Saturday. The ceremony was crafted as a celebration of Russia and is presenting Putin's version: a country with a rich and complex history emerging confidently from a rocky two decades and now capable of putting on a major international sports event. And it didn't take long for that classic Russian pride in their nation to come shining through. As Churikova rallied the crowd to scream "louder than ever," she told the 40,000 fans in their cool blue seats their keepsakes from the night would last 1,000 years.

When explaining the show would be hosted in English, French and Russian, she joked that it didn't matter, because in Sochi, everyone "speaks every language in the world." The official ceremony opened with the Russian alphabet projected on the stadium floor, as a young girl told the story of her country's heroes and their globally renowned achievements: composer Tchaikovsky; artists Kandinsky, Chagall and Malevich; writers Tolstoy, Pushkin and Chekhov; Mendeleev and his periodic table; the first spaceship Sputnik and Russia's space stations. There was a glitch, too, as the lighting of the five Olympic Rings overshadowed the singing of the Russian national anthem. Five stars on cables drifted together above the stadium, and four of them turned into Olympic rings -- but the fifth never unfurled and they all failed to erupt into white flames as planned, marring what's traditionally a key moment in the ceremony. Two Russian Olympic greats, Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina, were given the honor of sparking the cauldron that will burn throughout the Olympics.

Tretiak was a star on the great Soviet Union hockey teams of the 1970s and '80s and is usually called the best goalie ever, and Rodnina is an innovative figure skater who won three straight Olympic pairs titles The pair was handed the Olympic torch from Alina Kabayeva, a former Olympic champion gymnast who has been linked romantically with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although the Kremlin has denied it. In a nod to Russia's long history, the anthem was sung by the 600-year-old Sretensky Monastery Choir, a symbol of an increasing rapprochement between the state and the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian singers Tatu performed "Not Gonna Get Us" -- steering clear of the very real anger over a Russian law banning gay "propaganda" aimed at minors that is being used to discriminate against gays.

The women in Tatu put on a lesbian act that is largely seen as an attention-getting gimmick, but on this night, they merely held hands, stopping short of the groping and kissing of their past performances This time, their lead-in act was the Red Army Choir MVD signing Daft Punk's Grammy-winning "Get Lucky." Putin waved from his booth alongside IOC President Thomas Bach at the ceremony's opening. The unveiling of the rings is always one of the most iconic moments of an opening ceremony. The broken snowflake isn't the first opening ceremony blunder in Olympic history, of course. Vancouver, Sydney and Seoul all had issues with the torch lighting. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Olympic Games Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com Youth Olympic Games The Olympic Games are an important international event featuring summer and winter sports. Olympic Games are held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games taking turns. Each seasonal games happens every four years. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 5th century AD. The first "modern" Olympics happened in 1896 in Athens, Greece.

People choose to play in the Olympics to represent the place they are from. Over time the Olympics have become bigger. The Winter Games were created for ice and snow sports. The Paralympic Games were created for athletes with physical disabilities. As well, the Olympics became bigger with the addition of the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. World War I and World War II led to the cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games. As the decision-making body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for choosing the host city for each Olympic Games. The IOC is also responsible for choosing what sports are in the games. The celebration of the Games includes many rituals and symbols, such as Olympic flag and torch, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. The first, second, and third place finishers in each event receive gold, silver, and bronze medals. Contents Stadium in Olympia, Greece The Ancient Olympic Games was a series of competitions held between representatives of several city-states and kingdoms from Ancient Greece , which featured mainly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events. During the Olympic games all struggles against the participating city-states were postponed until the games were finished.

[1] The origin of these Olympics is shrouded in mystery and legend [2] According to legend, it was Heracles who first called the Games "Olympic" and established the custom of holding them every four years. [3] The most widely accepted date for the beginning of the Ancient Olympics is 776 BC; this is based on inscriptions, found at Olympia, of the winners of a footrace held every four years starting in 776 BC. [4] The Ancient Games featured running events, a pentathlon (consisting of a jumping event, discus and javelin throws, a foot race and wrestling), boxing, wrestling, and equestrian events. [5] [6] There is no consensus on when the Games officially ended, but many historians think it is 393 AD, when the emperor Theodosius I declared that all religious practices should end. [7] Another date cited is 426 AD, when his successor Theodosius II ordered the destruction of all Greek temples. [8] After the demise of the Olympics, they were not held again until the late 19th century.

Modern Games Baron Pierre de Coubertin An attempt to copy the ancient Olympic Games was the L'Olympiade de la République, a national Olympic festival held annually from 1796 to 1798 in Revolutionary France . [9] The competition had several sports from the ancient Greek Olympics. [9] Greek interest in bringing back the Olympic Games began with the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821. It was first proposed by poet and newspaper editor Panagiotis Soutsos in his poem "Dialogue of the Dead", published in 1833. [10] Evangelis Zappas, a wealthy Greek-Romanian philanthropist, first wrote to King Otto of Greece, in 1856, offering to fund a permanent revival of the Olympic Games. [11] Zappas sponsored the first Olympic Games in 1859, which was held in Athens. Athletes from Greece and the Ottoman Empire participated. Zappas funded the restoration of the ancient Panathenaic stadium so that it could host all future Olympic Games.

[11] Between 1862 and 1867, Liverpool held an annual Grand Olympic Festival. It was created by John Hulley and Charles Melly, with support from Dr. Brookes. These games were unfair in nature since only Men could compete. [12] [13] [14] In 1865 Hulley, Dr. Brookes and E.G. Ravenstein founded the National Olympian Association in Liverpool, a forerunner of the British Olympic Association . Its articles of foundation provided the framework for the International Olympic Charter . [15] Dr. Brookes copied the sports which were in the Olympics held in Athens in 1859 in future Wenlock Olympian Games (Brookes created this first as a class in 1850 and then as an event in 1856.). In 1866, a national Olympic Games in Great Britain was organized by Dr. Brookes at London's Crystal Palace . [16] The Panathinaiko Stadium hosted Olympics in 1870 and 1875.

[17] Thirty thousand spectators attended that Games in 1870, although no official attendance records are available for the 1875 Games. [18] In 1890, after attending the Olympian Games of the Wenlock Olympian Society, Baron Pierre de Coubertin created the International Olympic Committee . [19] Coubertin built on the ideas and work of Brookes and Zappas with the aim of creating an Olympic Games that would occur every four years in a different country. [19] He presented these ideas during the first meeting of the newly created International Olympic Committee (IOC). This meeting was held from June 16 to June 23, 1894, at the Sorbonne University in Paris . On the last day of the meeting, it was decided that the first Olympic Games, to be controlled by the IOC, would take place two years later in Athens. [20] The IOC elected the Greek writer Demetrius Vikelas as its first president.

[21] 1896 Games Stamp from first Olympic stamp set The opening ceremony in the Panathinaiko Stadium The first Games held under the IOC was hosted in the Panathenaic stadium in Athens in 1896. These Games brought 14 nations and 241 athletes who competed in 43 events. [22] Zappas and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas had left the Greek government money to fund future Olympic Games. This money was used to pay for the 1896 Games. [23] [24] George Averoff paid for the refurbishment of the stadium in preparation for the Games. [25] The Greek government also provided money, which was paid back through the sale of tickets. Money was also paid back through the sale of the first Olympic commemorative stamp set. [25] The Greek officials and public were excited about hosting these Games. This feeling was shared by many of the athletes, who even demanded that Athens be the host of the Olympic Games on a permanent basis. The IOC did not approve this request. The IOC stated that each games would be held in a different country.

[26] Changes and adaptations Main page: Summer Olympic Games Following the success of the 1896 Games, the Olympics entered a period of stagnation that threatened their survival. The Olympic Games held at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and the World's Fair at St. Louis in 1904 were side-shows. The Games at Paris did not have a stadium, however this was the first time women took part in the games. The St. Louis Games hosted 650 athletes, but 580 were from the United States. The homogeneous nature of these celebrations was a low point for the Olympic Movement. [27] The Games rebounded when the Intercalated Games (so-called because they were the second Games held within an Olympiad , a period of time lasting four years) were held in Athens. These Games are not officially recognized by the IOC and no Intercalated Games have been held since. These Games were hosted at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens. The games attracted an international field of participants, and generated great public interest. [28] Winter Games Ice hockey game during the 1928 Winter Olympics in St.

Moritz The Winter Olympics were created to feature snow and ice sports that were not part of the Summer Games. Figure skating (in 1908 and 1920) and ice hockey (in 1920) were featured as Olympic events at the Summer Olympics. The IOC wanted to expand this list of sports to encompass other winter activities. At the 1921 Olympic Congress , in Lausanne , it was decided to hold a winter version of the Olympic Games. A winter sports week (it was actually 11 days) was held in 1924 in Chamonix , France; this event was the first Winter Olympic Games . [29] The IOC ruled that the Winter Games to be celebrated every four years on the same year as the summer games. [30] This pattern continued until the 1992 Games in Albertville , France. After this, beginning with the 1994 Games , the Winter Olympics were held on the third year of each Olympiad. Youth Games Main page: Youth Olympic Games Starting in 2010, Youth Games help to develop young athletes for the Olympic Games.

Athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 compete. The Youth Olympic Games were created by IOC president Jacques Rogge in 2001 and approved during the 119th meeting of the IOC. [31] [32] The first Summer Youth Games were held in Singapore from 14–26 August 2010. The first Winter Games will be hosted in Innsbruck , Austria, in 2012. [33] These Games are shorter than the Olympic Games. The summer version will last twelve days and the winter version will last nine days. [34] The IOC will allow 3,500 athletes and 875 officials to take part at the Summer Youth Games. 970 athletes and 580 officials will take part at the Winter Youth Games. [35] [36] The sports to be played will be the same as at the Olympic Games. [37] Olympic Movement Main page: International Olympic Committee IOC headquarters in Lausanne The Olympic Movement includes a large number of national and international sporting organizations and federations.

[38] As the group in charge of the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for selecting the host city. Overseeing the planning of the Olympic Games. Changing the sports involved. Agreeing sponsorship and broadcasting rights. [39] The Olympic Movement is made of three major elements: International Federations (IFs) are the governing bodies that supervise a sport at an international level. For example, the International Federation of Association Football ( FIFA ) is the IF for football (soccer) , and the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball ( FIVB ) is the international governing body for volleyball . There are 35 IFs in the Olympic Movement, representing each Olympic sport. [40] National Olympic Committees (NOCs) represent and regulate the Olympic Movement within each country. For example, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is the NOC of the United States . There are currently 205 NOCs recognized by the IOC. [41] Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) are the temporary groups responsible for the organization of a specific Olympic Games. Each group is dissolved (taken apart) after each Games, once the final report is delivered to the IOC.

French and English are the official languages of the Olympic Movement. The other language used at each Olympic Games is the language of the host country. [42] Controversy In 1998, it was uncovered that several IOC members had taken bribes from members of the Salt Lake City bid committee for the hosting of the 2002 Winter Olympics . This was done to make sure that Salt Lake City won. The IOC pursued an investigation which led to the resignation of four members and six people were sacked. [43] A BBC documentary entitled Panorama: Buying the Games, aired in August 2004, investigated the taking of bribes in the bidding process for the 2012 Summer Olympics . [44] The documentary claimed it was possible to bribe IOC members into voting for a particular candidate city. After being narrowly defeated in their bid for the 2012 Summer Games, [45] Parisian Mayor Bertrand Delanoë accused the British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the London Bid Committee of breaking the bid rules. [46] The Turin bid for the 2006 Winter Olympics was also shrouded in controversy.

A prominent IOC member, Marc Hodler , strongly connected with the rival bid of Sion, Switzerland , alleged bribery of IOC officials by members of the Turin Organizing Committee. These accusations led to a wide-ranging investigation. The allegations also served to sour many IOC members against Sion's bid and potentially helped Turin to capture the host city nomination. [47] Symbols The Olympic flag The Olympic logo also known as the Olympic rings , consists of five intertwined rings and represents the unity of the five inhabited continents (America, Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe). The colored version of the rings—blue, yellow, black, green, and red—over a white field forms the Olympic flag . The flag was adopted in 1914 but flown for the first time at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp , Belgium . The flag has since been flown during every Games. [48] The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, a Latin expression meaning "Faster, Higher, Stronger". Before each Games, the Olympic flame is lit in Olympia in a ceremony that reflects ancient Greek rituals. A female performer, acting as a priestess, lights a torch with the use of the sun.

The woman then lights the torch of the first relay bearer. Starting the Olympic torch relay that will carry the flame to the host city's Olympic stadium. [49] The flame has been an Olympic symbol since 1928 and the torch relay was introduced at the 1936 Summer Games . [48] The Olympic mascot was introduced in 1968 . The mascot is either an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country. [50] Ceremonies A scene from the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. [51] [52] Most of these rituals were established at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. [53] The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. [51] [52] The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture. [53] After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation.

Greece is traditionally the first nation to enter in order to honor the origins of the Olympics. Nations then enter the stadium alphabetically according to the host country's chosen language. The host country's athletes are always the last to enter. During the 2004 Summer Olympics , which was hosted in Athens, Greece . The Greek flag entered the stadium first and last. When it came in to the stadium for the second time it was followed by the athletes. Speeches are then given formally opening the Games. Finally the athletes oath said. Following this the Olympic torch is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final torch carrier who lights the cauldron. [51] [52] Closing Athletes gather in the stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics The closing ceremony of the Olympic Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Flag-bearers from each participating country enter the stadium. They are followed by the athletes who enter together without any national distinction. Three national flags are hoisted while the corresponding national anthems are played. The flag of Greece to honor the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The flag of the current host country.

The flag of the country hosting the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games is also flown. [54] The president of the organizing committee and the IOC president make their closing speeches. The Games are officially closed and the Olympic flame is put out. [55] In what is known as the Antwerp Ceremony (as this tradition was started in Antwerp), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic flag to the president of the IOC. The president then passes it on to the mayor of the city hosting the next Olympic Games. [56] After these compulsory elements, the next host nation briefly introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of its culture. Medal presentation A medal ceremony during the 2008 Summer Olympics A medal ceremony is held after each Olympic event is concluded. The winner, second and third-place competitors or teams stand on top of a three-tiered rostrum to be awarded their respective medals. [57] After the medals are given out by an IOC member, the national flags of the three medalists are raised while the national anthem of the gold medalist's country plays.

[58] Sports Main page: Olympic sports The Olympic Games program consists of 26 sports, 30 disciplines and nearly 300 events. For example, wrestling is a Summer Olympic sport, comprising two disciplines: Greco-Roman and Freestyle . It is broken down into fourteen events for men and four events for women. Each event represents a different weight class. [59] The Summer Olympics program includes 26 sports, while the Winter Olympics program features 15 sports. [60] Olympic sports are governed by international sports federations (IFs) recognized by the IOC as the global supervisors of those sports. There are 35 federations represented at the IOC. [61] Changes can happen to the list of sports in the Olympics. Sports can be added or removed from the list on the basis of a two-thirds majority vote of the members of the IOC. [62] The 114th IOC meeting , in 2002, limited the Summer Games program to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes.

[63] Three years later, at the 117th IOC Session , the first major change to the list was performed. This resulted in the removal of baseball and softball from the list of sports for the 2012 London Games . Since there was no agreement in the promotion of two other sports, the 2012 program will feature just 26 sports. [63] The 2016 and 2020 Games will return to the maximum of 28 sports given the addition of rugby and golf. [64] Amateurism and professionalism Professional NHL players were allowed to participate in ice hockey starting in 1998 (1998 Gold medal game between Russia and the Czech Republic pictured). The exclusion of professionals caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics. The 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon champion Jim Thorpe was stripped of his medals when it was discovered that he had played semi-professional baseball before the Olympics. His medals were restored by the IOC in 1983 on compassionate grounds. [65] As class structure evolved through the 20th century, the definition of the amateur athlete as an aristocratic gentleman became outdated.

[66] The advent of the state-sponsored "full-time amateur athlete" of the Eastern Bloc countries further eroded the ideology of the pure amateur, as it put the self-financed amateurs of the Western countries at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, the IOC held to the traditional rules regarding amateurism. [67] Beginning in the 1970s, amateurism requirements were gradually phased out of the Olympic Charter. After the 1988 Games, the IOC decided to make all professional athletes eligible for the Olympics, subject to the approval of the IFs. [68] As of 2004, the only sport in which no professionals compete is boxing , although even this requires a definition of amateurism based on fight rules rather than on payment, as some boxers receive cash prizes from their National Olympic Committees. In men's football (soccer) , only three professional players over the age of 23 are eligible to participate per team in the Olympic tournament. [68] Controversies Boycotts Map showing the countries that skipped the 1976 (yellow), 1980 (blue) and 1984 (red) Summer Olympics.

There have been many countries deliberately missing the Olympics in order to make political statements. The most famous examples of countries missing the Olympics happened in 1980 and 1984. The Cold War opponents missed each other's Games. 65 nations refused to compete at the Moscow Olympics in 1980 because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan . The Soviet Union and 14 of its Eastern Bloc partners (except Romania) countered by missing the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984. The countries stated that they could not guarantee the safety of their athletes. Soviet officials defended their decision to withdraw from the Games by saying that "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria are being whipped up in the United States". [69] Politics Jesse Owens on the podium after winning the long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics The Olympic Games have been used as a platform to promote political ideologies almost from its inception. Nazi Germany wished to portray the Nationalist Socialist Party as benevolent and peace-loving when they hosted the 1936 Games . [70] The Games were also intended to show the superiority of the Aryan (white) race.

This goal was not met due in part to the achievements of athletes such as Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at this Olympics. [71] Individual athletes have also used the Olympic stage to promote their own political agenda. At the 1968 Summer Olympics , in Mexico City , two American track and field athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who finished first and third in the 200 meter sprint race, performed the Black Power salute on the podium. The runner up Peter Norman wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge in support of Smith and Carlos. IOC President Avery Brundage then told the United States, to either send the two athletes home or withdraw the track and field team. The United States chose to send the pair home. [72] Use of performance enhancing drugs Thomas J. Hicks running the marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics In the early 20th century, many Olympic athletes began using drugs to improve their athletic abilities. For example, the winner of the marathon at the 1904 Games , Thomas J. Hicks, was given strychnine and brandy by his coach.

[73] The only Olympic death linked to doping happened at the Rome Games of 1960 . During the cycling road race, Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen fell from his bicycle and later died. A coroner's inquiry found that he was under the influence of amphetamines. [74] By the mid-1960s, sports federations were starting to ban the use of performance enhancing drugs. The IOC did likewise in 1967. [75] The IOC created the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999. The IOC-established drug testing regimen (now known as the Olympic Standard) has set the worldwide benchmark that other sporting federations around the world attempt to emulate. [76] The first Olympic athlete to test positive for the use of performance enhancing drugs was Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall, a Swedish pentathlete at the 1968 Summer Olympics , who lost his bronze medal for alcohol use. [77] Violence The Olympics have not brought lasting peace to the world, even during the Games. Three Olympic Games were not held due to war.

The 1916 Games were cancelled because of World War I , and the summer and winter games of 1940 and 1944 were cancelled because of World War II . Terrorism has also threatened the Olympic Games. In 1972, when the Summer Games were held in Munich , West Germany , eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by the terrorist group Black September. This event is now known as the Munich massacre. The terrorists killed two of the athletes soon after they had taken them hostage and killed the other nine during a failed rescue attempt. A German police officer and 5 terrorists also died. [78] During the Summer Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta , a bomb was detonated at the Centennial Olympic Park, which killed 2 and injured 111 others. Eric Robert Rudolph is currently serving a life sentence for the bombing. [79] Host nations and cities Map of Summer Olympics locations. Countries that have hosted one Summer Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue. Map of Winter Olympics locations. Countries that have hosted one Winter Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

The host city for an Olympic Games is chosen seven years ahead of the event. [80] The process of selection is carried out in two phases that span a two-year period. The process starts when a city wanting to host the games applies to its country's Olympic group. If more than one city from the same country gives a proposal to its NOC, the national group chooses which city will run for host. The first step once the deadline passes (To tell the IOC that you want to hold the Games), is to ask the cities to complete a questionnaire which covers many key points in the organization of the Olympic Games. [81] The evaluation of the filled questionnaires by a group provides the IOC with an idea of each cities project and their potential to host the Games. On the basis of this evaluation, the IOC chooses the applicants that will proceed to the candidature stage. [81] Once the candidate cities are chosen, they must give to the IOC a bigger presentation of their project as part of a candidature file. Each city is analyzed by an evaluation group. This group will also visit the cities. The group give a report on its findings one month prior to the IOC's final decision.

During the interview process the candidate city must also guarantee that it can fund the Games. [80] The IOC members gathered in the meeting have the final vote on the host city. By 2016, the Olympic Games will have been hosted by 44 cities in 23 countries. The United States has hosted four Summer and four Winter Olympics, more than any other nation. Among Summer Olympics host nations, the United Kingdom has been the host of two Games, and will host its third Olympics in 2012 in London. Germany, Australia, France, and Greece are the other nations to have hosted the Summer Olympics twice. Among host cities, only Los Angeles, Paris, Athens and London have played host to the Olympic Games more than once, with each holding that honor twice. With the 2012 Games scheduled to take place in London, the British capital will hold the distinction of hosting the modern Olympics Games three times, more than any other city. In the Winter Olympics, France has hosted three Games, while Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Japan, and Italy have hosted twice. The most recent Games were held in Vancouver , Canada's second Winter Olympics and third overall.

The next Winter Games will be in Sochi , Russia in 2014, which will be the first time this nation has hosted. Olympic Games host cities [82] Year ↑ Originally awarded to Chicago , but moved to St. Louis to coincide with the World's Fair ↑ Not recognized by the IOC ↑ Equestrian events were held in Stockholm , Sweden . Stockholm had to bid for the equestrian competition separately; it received its own Olympic flame and had its own formal invitations and opening and closing ceremonies, as with all its previous Games. "Official Report of the Equestrian Games of the XVIth Olympiad (Swedish & English)" (PDF). Los Angeles 1984 Foundation. . Retrieved 2008-09-03. ↑ Equestrian events were held in China's Hong Kong . Although Hong Kong has an independent National Olympic Committee from China, the equestrian competition was an integral part of the Beijing Games; it was not conducted under a separate bid, flame, etc., as was the 1956 Stockholm equestrian competition. The IOC website lists only Beijing as the host city. References Buchanan, Ian (2001).

Historical dictionary of the Olympic movement. Lanham: Scarecrow Presz. ISBN 978-0-8108-4054-6 . Burkert, Walter (1983). "Pelops at Olympia". Homo Necans. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-05875-5 . Kamper, Erich; Mallon, Bill (1992). The Golden Book of the Olympic Games. Milan: Vallardi & Associati. ISBN 978-88-85202-35-1 . Preuss, Holger; Marcia Semitiel García (2005). The Economics of Staging the Olympics: A Comparison of the Games 1972–2008. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84376-893-7 . Simson, Vyv; Jennings, Andrew (1992). Dishonored Games: Corruption, Money, and Greed at the Olympics. New York: S.P.I. Books.

ISBN 978-1-56171-199-4 . Wallechinsky, David (2004). The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Athens 2004 Edition. SportClassic Books. ISBN 978-1-894963-32-9 . Wallechinsky, David (2005). The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Turin 2006 Edition. SportClassic Books. ISBN 978-1-894963-45-9 . Olympic Opening Ceremony 2016: Most Exciting Features of Traditional Event | Bleacher Report Olympic Opening Ceremony 2016: Most Exciting Features of Traditional Event By Jared Johnson , Featured Columnist Aug 3, 2016 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Buda Mendes/Getty Images 0 Comments This year’s Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be a monumental event for a variety of reasons.

It’s the first time a South American nation has hosted the festivities, two beloved sports (golf and rugby) are returning to the Games after long layoffs and there will still be all the traditional athletic marvels that we love to watch every four years. That’s all the more reason to tune into the opening ceremony, which begins Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Maracana Stadium. Unfortunately, the United States won’t see the presentation until 8 p.m. ET, which is when NBC begins its broadcast, per the Washington Post’s Cindy Boren . With the event rapidly approaching, let’s focus on a few aspects of the ceremony you should be most excited for, even though the entire event is truly must-see television. Parade of Nations One of the most memorable traditions of every opening ceremony is the parade of nations. Every country has its contingent enter to music, with one athlete from each nation leading the group by holding the country’s flag. This year, the parade will begin with Greece, end with Brazil and proceed with the rest of the nations alphabetically in Portuguese. The moment is obviously special for athletes who have put in countless hours to achieve a major accomplishment, but it’s also fun for viewers.

ADRIAN DENNIS/Getty Images The United States team features a lot of the familiar faces, but it's a pleasure to watch all the athletes march with national and personal pride. If you’re a big fan of the Olympics, many of the countries should have at least one recognizable person from the group to spot, if not many more. Even if you hardly recognize any faces from countries outside of the United States, it’s powerful to watch athletes as the reality of their Olympic dream sets in. The United States has yet to choose its flag-bearer. In past opening ceremonies, the person has rarely been one of the most visible athletes on the country’s Olympic roster, but we’ll see who represents the nation this time around. Ralph Lauren designed the United States team’s outfits for this year’s ceremony, and has also made special garb for the yet-to-be-named flag-bearer that features electroluminescent panels that will light up certain features of the uniform, the company announced on TeamUSA.org . Lighting the Cauldron and Releasing the Doves These are technically two different traditional events, but they’re connected in that both are meant to capture different spirits of the Olympics.

The lighting of the cauldron after a monthslong torch relay symbolizes the burning competition at the event, while the releasing of the doves represents the spirit of world peace that is still so important in spite of the fierce competition. Felipe Dana/Associated Press The Olympic torch relay has been a tradition since the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The act of someone running up to a cauldron and lighting it with a torch isn’t that special by itself, but knowing the torch has traveled thousands of miles through numerous different hands is always cool. The doves released into the stadium aren’t real anymore, which is understandable considering the fire hazard. But it’s always fascinating to see how the host country decides to represent doves in the ceremonial presentation. The symbolic aspect of the ritual is always a good opportunity for internal reflection and a cool moment of global harmony at the venue. Artistic Program While most of the ceremony is traditional and includes the same list of events every Olympic year, the hosting nation always prepares a unique presentation. The planning team for Rio has a lot to follow up Friday, considering London's elaborate performance in 2012. The explosive presentation featured several of Great Britain’s best entertainers and a variety of technological marvels.

If early rumors about the performance are true, it should be entertaining, but maybe a little bit uncomfortable at times. The Daily Mail’s Matt Roper reported that 3,000 invited guests watched a rehearsal of the performance at the Maracana, and he also received some details on what will be included in the show. Matt Dunham/Associated Press/Associated Press Paul McCartney closed the opening ceremony in 2012 with a classic performance. According to Roper, the spectacle will be a “brutally honest reflection on life in Rio de Janeiro.” Dramatizations in the performance will highlight the city’s high poverty and crime rates, including a scene where Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen is mugged by an actor. We will see how powerful the performance ends up being, but there’s no doubt that high-quality artists have put a whole lot of planning into it. Roper also said workers have invested an estimated 400,000 man hours on the presentation, which will include 12,000 different costumes, 2,000 light guns and 3,000 kilograms of fireworks.

Question: At the opening ceremony of every Olympic Games when the athletes parade into the stadium, what is traditionally the first nation to enter?
Answer: Greece