Once every year the Olympics take place. The birth of the Olympic Games. The first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. What was included in the Olympic Games program

Olympic Games - the most significant in the world sport competitions. They are held every four years. Every athlete dreams of winning these competitions. The origins of the Olympic Games date back to ancient times. They were carried out as early as the seventh century BC. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? In which country were they held for the first time?

The myth of the birth of the Olympic Games

In ancient times these were the greatest national festivals. Who is the founder of the ancient Olympic Games is unknown. Myths and legends played a significant role in the social and cultural life of the ancient Greeks. The Hellenes believed that the origin of the Olympic Games dates back to the time of Kronos, the son of the first god Uranus. In a competition between mythical heroes, Hercules won the race, for which he was awarded an olive wreath. Subsequently, the winner insisted that sports competitions be held every five years. Such is the legend. There are, of course, other legends about the origins of the Olympic Games.

To historical sources confirming the holding of these festivals in Ancient Greece, refers to Homer's Iliad. This book mentions a chariot race organized by the inhabitants of Elis, the region in the Peloponnese where Olympia was located.

Holy Truce

A mere mortal who played a significant role in the development of the ancient Greek Olympic Games was King Iphitus. During his reign, the interval between competitions was already four years. Having resumed the Olympic Games, Iphit declared a sacred truce. That is, during these celebrations it was impossible to wage war. And not only in Elis, but also in other parts of Hellas.

Elis was considered a sacred place. It was impossible to wage war with her. True, later the Eleans themselves invaded neighboring regions more than once. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? Firstly, the holding of these competitions was associated with names of the gods who highly revered by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, the aforementioned truce was declared for a month, which had a special name - ἱερομηνία.

Scientists have still not come to a consensus about the types of sports in the Olympic Games held by the Hellenes. There is an opinion that initially athletes competed only in running. Later, wrestling and chariot racing were added to the sports in the Olympic Games.

Participants

Among the citizens in Ancient Greece there were those who were subjected to public dishonor and contempt of others, that is, atymia. They could not become participants in competitions. Only dear Hellenes. Of course, barbarians, who could only be spectators, did not take part in the ancient Olympic Games. An exception was made only in favor of the Romans. At the ancient Greek Olympic Games, a woman did not even have the right to attend unless she was a priestess of the goddess Demeter.

The number of both spectators and participants was huge. If at the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece (776 BC) competitions were held only in running, then later other sports appeared. And over time, poets and artists got the opportunity to compete in their skills. During the celebrations, even deputies competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to mythical deities.

From the history of the Olympic Games it is known that these events had quite an important social and cultural significance. Deals were made between merchants, artists and poets introduced the public to their creations.

Competitions were held on the first full moon after the summer solstice. Lasted five days. A certain part of the time was devoted to rituals with sacrifices and a public feast.

Types of competitions

The history of the Olympic Games, as already mentioned, is full of tales and legends. However, there is reliable information regarding the types of competitions. At the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, athletes competed in running. This sport was represented by the following varieties:

• Distance running.
• Double run.
• Long run.
• Running in full armor.

First fist fight took place at the 23rd Olympics. Later, the ancient Greeks added martial arts such as pankration, wrestling. It was said above that women had no right to take part in competitions. However, in 688 BC, special competitions were created for the most purposeful inhabitants in Ancient Greece. The only one a sport in which they could compete, there were horse races.

In the fourth century BC, a competition between trumpeters and heralds was added to the program of the Olympic Games - the Hellenes believed that aesthetic pleasure and sport had a logical connection. Artists exhibited their works on the market square. Poets and writers, as mentioned above, read their works. Sometimes, after the completion of the Games, sculptors were commissioned to create statues of the winners, and lyricists composed songs of praise in honor of the strongest and most dexterous.

Ellanodon

What were the names of the judges who observed the progress of the competition and awarded awards to the winners? Ellanodons were appointed by lot. The judges not only presented the award, but also managed the organization of the entire event. At the first Olympic Games there were only two of them, then nine, and even later ten. Beginning in 368 BC, there were twelve Hellanodons. However, later the number of judges was reduced. Ellanodons wore special purple clothing.

How did the competition begin? The athletes proved to the spectators and judges that they had devoted the previous months exclusively to preliminary preparation. They took an oath in front of the statue of the main ancient Greek god - Zeus. Relatives of those wishing to compete - fathers and brothers - also took an oath. A month before the competition, the athletes demonstrated their skills in front of judges in the Olympic Gymnasium.

The order of the competition was determined by drawing lots. Then the herald publicly announced the name of the person entering the competition. Where were the Olympic Games held?

Sanctuary of Ancient Greece

Where the Olympic Games took place is clear from the name. Olympia is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. This was once located here temple-cultural complex and sacred grove of Zeus. On the territory of the ancient Greek sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, athletic facilities and the houses in which participants and guests lived. This place was the center of Greek art until the fourth century BC. Later they were burned by order of Theodosius II.

Olympic Stadium was built gradually. He became the first in Ancient Greece. In the fifth century BC this stadium hosted about forty thousand spectators. For training, a gymnasium was used - a structure treadmill which was equal in length to the one located in the stadium itself. Another platform for preliminary preparation - palaestra. It was a square building with a courtyard. Mostly athletes who competed in wrestling and fist fighting trained here.

Leonidoion, which performed the functions, was built in the fifth century BC according to the design of a famous architect in Ancient Greece. The huge building consisted of a courtyard surrounded by columns and included many rooms. The Olympic Games played an important role in the religious life of the Hellenes. Therefore, local residents erected several temples and sanctuaries here. The structures fell into disrepair after an earthquake that occurred in the sixth century. The racetrack was finally destroyed during a flood.

The last Olympic Games in Ancient Greece took place in 394. Banned by Emperor Theodosius. In the Christian era, these events were regarded as pagan. The revival of the Olympic Games took place two millennia later. Although already in the 17th century, competitions reminiscent of the Olympic ones were held repeatedly in England, France and Greece.

Revival of ancient Greek traditions

The predecessors of the modern Olympic Games were the Olympias, held in the mid-19th century. But they, of course, were not so large-scale and had little in common with the competitions, which in our time are held once every four years. The French Pierre de Coubertin played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games. Why did Europeans suddenly remember the traditions of the ancient Greeks?

In the middle of the 17th century, archaeological research was carried out in Olympia, as a result of which scientists discovered the remains of temple buildings. The work continued for more than ten years. At this time, everything related to Antiquity was popular in Europe. The desire to revive olympic traditions Many public and cultural figures became infected. At the same time, the French showed the greatest interest in the culture of sports competitions in Ancient Greece, although the archaeological discoveries belonged to the Germans. This can be easily explained.

In 1871, the French army suffered a defeat, which significantly undermined the patriotic spirit in society. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the reason was the weak physical training soldier. He did not try to inspire his countrymen to fight Germany and other European powers. The French public figure spoke a lot about the need to improve physical culture, but also advocated for overcoming national egoism and establishing international understanding.

The first Olympic Games: modern times

In June 1894, a congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which Coubertin presented to the world community his thoughts on the need for revival ancient Greek traditions. His ideas were supported. On the last day of the congress, it was decided to hold the Olympic Games in two years. They were supposed to take place in Athens. The committee for holding international competitions was headed by Demetrius Vikelas. Pierre de Coubertin took over as secretary general.

The 1896 Olympic Games were the largest sporting event. Greek statesmen put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games exclusively in their homeland. However, the committee decided otherwise. The location of the Games changes every four years.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Olympic movement was not widely popular. This is partly due to the fact that at that time the World Exhibition was being held in Paris. Some historians believe that the Olympic ideas were saved thanks to the intermediate games of 1906, held again in Athens.

Differences between modern Games and ancient Greek ones

The competitions were resumed on the model of ancient sports competitions. The modern Olympic Games unite athletes from all countries; discrimination against individuals on religious, racial or political grounds is not allowed. This, perhaps, is the main difference between the modern Games and the ancient Greek ones.

What did the modern Olympic Games borrow from the ancient Greek ones? First of all, the names themselves. The frequency of competitions was also borrowed. One of the purposes of the modern Olympic Games is to serve peace and establish mutual understanding between countries. This is consistent with the ideas of the ancient Greeks about a temporary truce during the days of the competition. The Olympic flame and torch are symbols of the Olympics, which arose, of course, in antiquity. Some terms and rules for conducting competitions were also borrowed from the ancient Greeks.

There are, of course, several significant differences between modern Games and antique. The ancient Greeks held sports competitions exclusively in Olympia. Today the Games are organized each time in a different city. In Ancient Greece there was no such thing as the Winter Olympic Games. And the competitions were different. In antiquity in the Olympic Not only athletes, but also poets participated in the games.

Symbolism

Everyone knows what the symbol of the Olympic Games looks like. Five fastened rings of black, blue, red, yellow and green. However, few people know that these elements do not belong to any specific continent. sounds in Latin, translated into Russian means “faster, higher, stronger.” The flag is a white panel with the image of rings. It has been lifted at every Games since 1920.

Both the opening and closing of the Games are accompanied by a grandiose, colorful ceremony. The best organizers are involved in developing the scenario mass events. Famous actors and singers strive to take part in this spectacle. The broadcast of this international event attracts tens of millions of viewers around the world to television screens.

If the ancient Greeks believed that in honor of the Olympic Games it was worth suspending any military action, then in the twentieth century the opposite happened. Sports competitions canceled due to armed conflicts. The games were not held in 1916, 1940, 1944. The Olympics have been held in Russia twice. In 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi.

Not every athlete could become a participant in the games. The law prohibited slaves and barbarians from performing at the Olympics, i.e. to foreigners. Athletes from among free-born Greeks had to register with the judges a year before the opening of the competition. Just before opening olympic games they had to provide evidence that they had spent at least ten months preparing for the competition, maintaining sports uniform daily exercise. Only exceptions were made for the winners of previous Olympic Games. The announcement of the upcoming Olympic Games caused extraordinary excitement among the male population throughout Greece. People were heading to Olympia in droves. True, women were prohibited from attending the games under penalty of death.

Program of the ancient Olympics

Gradually, more and more new sports were added to the games program. In 724 BC. Diaul was added to the race of one stage (stadiodrome) - a race over a distance of 384.54 m, in 720 BC. – dolichodrome or 24-stage run. In 708 BC. The program of the Olympic Games included the pentathlon, consisting of running, long jump, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. At the same time, the first wrestling competitions took place. In 688 BC. Fist fighting was included in the program of the Olympics, after two more Olympics - a chariot competition, and in 648 BC. - most cruel look competitions - pankration, which combined wrestling and fist fighting techniques.

The winners of the Olympic Games were revered as demigods. Throughout their lives, they were given all kinds of honors, and after their death, the Olympian was ranked among the host of “small gods.”

After the adoption of Christianity, the Olympic Games began to be perceived as one of the manifestations of paganism, and in 394 BC. Emperor Theodosius I banned them.

The Olympic movement was revived only at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. And, of course, the first revived Olympic Games took place on Greek soil - in Athens, in 1896.

But the administration of Athens and the Greek government expressed doubts that the necessary funds would be allocated to hold competitions of this rank. The government motivated this attitude by the fact that Athenians are poorly versed in sports and that the city does not have the necessary sports facilities, and the financial situation of Greece does not allow inviting representatives from many countries to the Olympics. Many prominent government and political figures supported the government's statement. For example, the influential politician Stephonos Dratomis wrote that Greece was not able to implement the magnificent idea of ​​​​Pierre de Coubertin and the Games would best be postponed until 1900, as component World Exhibition in Paris.

But Pierre de Coubertin, as well as the Greek Crown Prince Constantine, who supported him, believed that they could only count on help from private individuals. The Crown Prince created a special commission to facilitate the holding of the Olympic Games. He appointed the former mayor of Athens, Philemon, as secretary general of the commission, and also appealed to the people to donate funds to the Olympics preparation fund. Money began to come not only from the residents of Greece, but also from London, Marseille, Istanbul (Constantinople) and other cities where rich Greek colonies existed. With funds received from Alexandria from Georg Averoff, the ancient Olympic stadium was restored. A velodrome and a shooting range were also built in Athens. Located in the city center tennis courts. Athletes were provided with pavilions with boathouses and locker rooms for rowing competitions.

The preparation of the Olympic venues was carried out by the Greek National Olympic Committee, which managed to complete all the preparatory work in one year. The International Olympic Committee and national committees of other countries selected participants for the Games, which turned out to be a difficult task. Here is what Pierre de Coubertin wrote about this: “Most of the gymnastic associations in Germany, France and Belgium are filled with the consciousness of their own exclusivity: the members of these associations do not intend to tolerate in the program of the Games those sports that they do not cultivate. They especially hate the so-called “English” sports... Other associations were ready to send their representatives to Athens only after providing them with information regarding the interest the intended sports festival... The German press, to top it all off, declared that the Olympics were an exclusively Franco-Greek enterprise. Meanwhile, Mr. Kemen in Hungary, Major Balck in Sweden, General Butovsky in Russia, Professor Sloan in the USA, Lord Ampthill in Great Britain and Dr. Gut-Jarkovsky in Bohemia (modern Czech Republic) did everything possible to create interest in the upcoming competitions."

The competition was originally planned to take place in the stadium at Olympia, site of the Ancient Greek Olympic Games. But this idea had to be abandoned because the stadium needed serious restoration. It was decided to hold the Games at the Athens stadium, where athletes competed in ancient times. The opening of the Games took place on April 6 at the Marble Stadium in Athens; the opening ceremony was watched by about 80 thousand spectators (a record figure before the 1932 Olympic Games). After the King of Greece announced the Games of the First Olympiad, a choir of 150 voices performed the Olympic Ode, written especially for this occasion by the Greek composer Samara.

311 athletes from 13 countries took part in the competition: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden. However, more than 70% of the participants competed for Greece. The teams of Germany (21 athletes), France (19), and the USA (14) were quite representative.

Russian athletes were actively preparing for the Olympics, but due to lack of funds Russian team I couldn’t come. Several athletes from Odessa, eager to participate in the Games, decided to travel to Athens on their own, but due to financial problems they had to return back. Kiev resident Nikolai Ritter, however, managed to get to Athens and even applied to participate in wrestling competitions and shooting sports. But he did not compete, later withdrawing his application.

Only men took part in the competition.

The program of the first modern Olympic Games included competitions in Greco-Roman wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, athletics, swimming, shooting (bullet), tennis, weightlifting, fencing, in which 43 sets of medals were played. Rowing competitions were also planned, but due to a lack of applications they did not take place.

According to ancient tradition, the Games were started by track and field athletes. The first Olympic champion was the American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 m 71 cm. The champion was a full meter ahead of his closest rival Alexandre Tuffer from France. Harvard University student Connolly arrived at the Olympics without official permission from the administration; moreover, professors and teachers disapproved of the willfulness of the future champion. But after James returned with an Olympic gold medal, the pundits changed their anger to mercy. He was later even awarded an honorary doctorate from Harvard. Connolly became famous not only in sports, becoming the first Olympic champion of our time, but also in journalism, he also has 25 popular novels to his credit.

Second gold medal It was also won by the American athlete, discus thrower Robert Garrett, who literally snatched the highest Olympic award from the hands of the Greek Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos. This circumstance shocked the Greek fans - after all, the Greeks were considered beyond competition in discus throwing!

The happy American told the startled journalists an entertaining story of his victory. While a student at Princeton University, Garrett learned that the Games program included discus throwing, and decided to take part in it. Since in America they knew about this sport only by hearsay, he decided that at the Olympics they would use the same discus that ancient athletes used.

After delving into books, Garrett ordered a similar disc for himself and, having familiarized himself with the technique, began training. Already in Athens, he discovered that modern equipment was so much lighter and more convenient that it was not difficult for him to beat the favorites with a score of 29 m 15 cm.

The next day, fortune once again smiled at the lucky American: in the absence of the main contender, world record holder Dennis Horgan (Ireland), Garrett won another gold medal in the shot put with a result of 11 m 22 cm. Garrett went down in the history of the Olympic Games by paying trip of three athletes of their team.

The central competition was the marathon. The winner, the Greek postman Spyridon Louis, became a national hero and received high honors. Except Olympic awards he received a gold cup established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on inclusion in the Games program marathon running, a barrel of wine, a coupon for free food for a year, free tailoring of a dress and the use of a hairdresser for life, 10 quintals of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 rams.

Pierre de Coubertin described the victory of Spyridon Louis this way: “When Louis appeared at the stadium, the 60 thousand spectators who were waiting for him jumped out of their seats, overcome with extraordinary excitement. A flock of pigeons released from cages took off again... Some spectators, who were closest to Louis, tried to make their way to him in order to carry him out of the field in triumph. Louis would have been strangled in his arms if the Crown Prince and Prince George had not escorted him from the arena.”

The first serious violation of sports ethics was associated with the marathon. Immediately after the finish, the Hungarian athlete Deze Kellner, who came fourth, protested, demanding the disqualification of the Greek runner S. Vasilakos. Kellner claimed that third-place finisher Vasilakos mysteriously disappeared during the marathon and appeared in front of him a few hundred meters before the finish line. The investigation showed that the enterprising Greek covered almost the entire distance on a cart in order to appear at the finish line in the glory of a winner. The Hungarian athlete received his rightful bronze medal, as well as a gold watch, along with an apology from the organizers.

For fraud, Vasilakos was deprived of the right to wear the national costume, he was publicly condemned and disqualified for life.

The outstanding French athlete Paul Masson turned out to be unattainable in the sprint race on the track, as well as at distances of 2000 and 10,000 m. At the first Games, he won the most gold medals. Another French athlete Leon Flament demonstrated an example of sportsmanship and fair fight. Leading the 100-kilometer race, he suddenly noticed that his main rival Georgios Koletis was forced to stop due to a bicycle breakdown. The Frenchman, as a sign of solidarity, decided to wait for the Greek cyclist and resumed the race only after Koletis was able to continue. And despite the delay, Flamand was the first to reach the finish line. He became not only an Olympic champion, but also one of the most popular athletes of the Olympics.

There was no division into wrestling competitions weight categories. All the more honorable was the victory of the athlete from Germany Carl Schumann, who was the lightest of all the participants. In addition to the victory in wrestling, Schumann won 3 more gold medals in gymnastics competitions - vault, as well as in team championship in exercises on parallel bars and horizontal bars.

In the weightlifting competition, the Englishman Launceston Elliott distinguished himself with a result of 71 kg in the exercise with one arm and the Dane Viggo Jensen (111.5 kg with both arms).

In the shooting competitions, Greek athletes were out of competition, winning 3 medals in exercises with a military rifle. In Revolver 2 shooting, the Americans won the highest awards.

The Hungarian swimmer Alfred Hajos won a striking victory. In stormy weather, he managed to get ahead of the other contenders and won the 1200 m swim. Hajos remained in the Olympic annals not only as the first swimming champion: 28 years after his victory in Athens, he again took part in the Olympic Games and won a silver medal in the arts competition in the architecture section - for the stadium project.

Of course, not everything at the Games of the 1st Olympiad, despite the enormous enthusiasm and efforts of the organizers, went smoothly. The result would have been more significant if representatives from not 13, but a larger number of the 34 invited countries had participated in the competition. A number of countries sent weak teams to the Olympic competitions, and some of the strongest athletes did not come to the Games.

However, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of the first international competitions of this scale. Coubertin praised them, noting: “As far as Greece is concerned, the result of the Games seems to be twofold: sporting and political... If one realizes the impact that the activities can have physical culture on the future of the country and on the spiritual strength of the nation as a whole, the question involuntarily arises: did not a new era of its development begin for Greece in 1896? It would be interesting if sport became one of the factors that could influence the solution of the Eastern question!.. These are hypotheses, and the future will confirm or refute the correctness of our forecasts...”

The winners were awarded on the closing day of the Games - April 15. In accordance with the ancient ceremony Olympic champion crowned with a laurel wreath, he was given an olive branch cut from the sacred grove of Olympia, as well as a medal and diploma. Since 1896, the tradition of playing national anthems and raising state flags in honor of the winners has been established.

At the Games of the 1st Olympiad, Greek athletes won the largest number of medals - 46 (10 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze); US Olympians received 19 medals (respectively, 11, 7, 1); German athletes - 14 medals (7, 5, 2). The Olympians of Bulgaria, Chile and Sweden were left without medals.

After the successful hosting of the Games of the First Olympiad, Greece hoped that subsequent Olympic Games would be held in Athens, which would become a modern Olympia. However, the International Olympic Committee decided to give the Games a truly international character and hold them alternately in different countries and on different continents. The International Olympic Committee did not object to major events being held in Greece between the Games. international competitions. Such competitions were planned to be held in 1898, and then in 1902. But for organizational and financial reasons they did not take place.

If yes, you might be very interested to know impressive details of the origins of the Olympic races. The history of the Olympic Games is fascinating and full of surprises. So, let's dive into the uncharted waters of the world Olympiads?

How it all began

The famous Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus originated in Ancient Greece and were held from 776 BC. e. every 4 years in the city of Olympia. Sports competitions were such a great success and of great importance for society that for a while OlimpiyskOuchthe races stopped the wars and ekehiriya - a sacred truce - was established.

People flocked to Olympia from everywhere to watch the competition: some traveled on foot, some on horseback, and some even sailed by ship to distant lands just to get a glimpse of the majestic Greek athletes. Entire tent settlements grew up around the city. To watch the athletes, spectators completely filled the hillsides around the Alpheus River valley.

After the solemn victory and the award ceremony (presentation of a wreath of sacred olives and a palm branch), the Olympian lived happily ever after. Holidays were held in his honor, hymns were sung, statues were made, and in Athens the winner was exempted from taxes and burdensome public duties. And the winner was always given the best seat in the theater. In some places, even the children of an Olympian enjoyed special privileges.

Interesting, what women are on Olympic competitions were not allowed in under pain of death.

The brave Hellenes competed in running, fist fighting (which Pythagoras once won), jumping, javelin throwing, and so on. However, the most dangerous were the chariot races. You won’t believe it, but the winner of equestrian competitions was considered the owner of the horses, and not the poor cab driver who risked his life to win.

There are many legends associated with the Olympic Games. One of them says that the first competitions were allegedly organized by Zeus himself in honor of the victory over his father. Whether this is true or not, it was Homer who first mentioned the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece in literature in the poem “The Iliad.”

Archaeological excavations indicate that in Olympia, 5 rectangular or horseshoe-shaped stadiums with stands for fans were built specifically for the competition.

Unfortunately, nothing is currently known about the time of the champions. It was enough to be the first to reach the finish line to gain the right to light the sacred fire. But legends tell us about Olympians who ran faster than hares, and just look at the talent of the Spartan Ladas, who left no traces on the sand while running.

Modern Olympic Games

Modern international sports competitions, known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896. The initiator was the French baron Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that it was insufficient physical training that prevented French soldiers from winning the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Young people should measure their strength on sports grounds, not on battlefields, the activist argued.

The first Olympic Games were held in Athens. To organize the competition we created International Olympic Committee, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas from Greece.

Since then, the holding of the World Olympiad has become a good tradition. With the backdrop of impressive excavations and archaeological finds, the idea of ​​Olympism spread throughout Europe. Increasingly, European states organized their own sports competitions, which were watched by the whole world.

What about winter sports?

To fill the gap in winter sports competitions, which were technically impossible to hold in the summer, The Winter Olympic Games have been held since January 25, 1924. The first were organized in a French city Chamonix. Except figure skating and hockey, athletes competed in speed skating, ski jumping, etc.

293 athletes, including 13 women, from 16 countries of the world expressed a desire to compete for championship in the competition. The first Olympic champion of the Winter Games was C. Jutrow from the USA (speed skating), but in the end the leaders of the competition were the teams of Finland and Norway. The race lasted 11 days and ended on February 4.

Attributes of the Olympic Games

Now the symbol and emblem The Olympic Games have five intertwined rings that symbolize the unification of the five continents.

Olympic motto, proposed by the Catholic monk Henri Dido: “Faster, higher, stronger.”

At the opening ceremony of each Olympics they raise flag- white cloth with the emblem (Olympic rings). Lights up throughout the Olympics Olympic fire, which is brought to the venue each time from Olympia.

Since 1968, each Olympiad has its own.

The 2016 Olympic Games are planned to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ukrainian team will present their champions to the world. By the way, the first Olympic champion Figure skater became independent Ukraine Oksana Baiul.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are always a vibrant spectacle, which once again emphasizes the prestige and planetary importance of these global competitions.

OLYMPIC GAMES(Summer Olympic Games, Olympics), the largest international complex sports competitions of our time. The principles, rules and regulations of the Olympic Games are defined Olympic Charter. At the suggestion of P. de Coubertin the decision to organize the Olympic Games in the image of the ancient ones and to create International Olympic Committee(IOC) was adopted by the International Sports Congress in Paris in 1894. The Olympic Games are held in the first year of the Olympiad. The Olympic Games have been counted since 1896, when the first Olympic Games took place. The Olympiad also receives its number in cases where the games are not held (for example, the VI Olympiad in 1916, the XII in 1940, the XIII in 1944). Besides olympic sports, the organizing committee of the Olympic Games (the NOC of the country where the next Olympic Games will be held is created) has the right to choose to include in the program exhibition competitions in 1-2 sports not recognized by the IOC. The duration of the Olympic Games since 1932 has not been more than 15 days. The Olympic Games in Paris (1900) and St. Louis (1904) were timed to coincide with World Exhibitions .

The Olympic movement has its own symbol, emblem and flag, approved by the IOC in 1914 at the suggestion of Coubertin in 1913. The Olympic symbol is 5 intertwined rings of blue, black, red (top row), yellow and green (bottom row) colors, which symbolize the 5 combined in Olympic movement of parts of the world (respectively - Europe, Africa, America, Asia, Australia). The flag is a white cloth with the Olympic rings; it has been flown at all Olympic Games since 1920. Also in 1913, the motto was approved - Citius, Altius, Fortius (faster, higher, stronger), proposed by A. Dido, a friend and ally of Coubertin, and which became part of the Olympic emblem. Olympic symbol and the motto formed the official Olympic emblem(since 1920). The high prestige of the competition is evidenced by the list statesmen and the crowned heads who opened them: Athens, 1896 - George I (King of Greece); Paris, 1900 – there was no opening ceremony; St. Louis, 1904 – David Francis (president of the World's Fair); London, 1908 – Edward VII (King of Great Britain and Ireland); Stockholm, 1912 – Gustav V (King of Sweden); Antwerp, 1920 – Albert I (King of Belgium); Paris, 1924 – Gaston Doumergue (President of France); Amsterdam, 1928 – Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands); Los Angeles, 1932 – Charles Curtis (US Vice President); Berlin, 1936 – Adolf Hitler (Reich Chancellor of Germany); London, 1948 – George VI (King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Helsinki, 1952 – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (President of Finland); Melbourne, 1956 (equestrian competitions held in Stockholm) - Philip Mountbatten (Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - Prince Consort of Great Britain) and Gustav VI Adolf (King of Sweden); Rome, 1960 – Giovanni Gronchi (President of Italy); Tokyo, 1964 – Hirohito (Emperor of Japan); Mexico City, 1968 – Gustavo Diaz Ordaz (President of Mexico); Munich, 1972 – Gustav Heinemann (Federal President of Germany); Montreal, 1976 – Elizabeth II (Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Moscow, 1980 – Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR); Los Angeles, 1984 – Ronald Reagan (US President); Seoul, 1988 – Ro Dae Woo (President of the Republic of Korea); Barcelona, ​​1992 – Juan Carlos I (King of Spain); Atlanta, 1996 – William (Bill) Jefferson Clinton (US President); Sydney, 2000 – William Patrick Dean (Governor General of Australia); Athens, 2004 – Konstantinos Stephanopoulos (President of Greece); Beijing, 2008 – Hu Jintao (General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee); London, 2012 – Elizabeth II (Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Rio de Janeiro, 2016 – Michel Temer (Vice President of Brazil). The only woman to open the Olympic Games is Queen Elizabeth II; As of January 1, 2020, she is the only statesman in the entire history of the Olympic Games who opened them twice (Melbourne, 1956; London, 2012).

Traditional Olympic rituals: 1) lighting olympic flame at the opening ceremony (first lit from the sun's rays in Olympia in 1936 and delivered by a relay of torchbearers to Berlin - the organizer of the Olympic Games); 2) Taking the Olympic oaths. The Olympic oath of athletes (the text was written in 1913 by Coubertin, it was first pronounced in Antwerp in 1920 by the Belgian fencer V. Boin): “On behalf of all athletes, I promise that we will participate in these Games, respecting and observing the rules by which they are held, in a true sporting spirit, for the glory of sport and for the honor of their teams.” Olympic Oath of Judges (included in the opening ceremony at the proposal of the USSR Olympic Committee and carried out since the Olympic Games in Mexico City, 1968): “On behalf of all judges and officials, I promise that we will perform our duties at these Olympic Games with complete impartiality, respecting and observing the rules by which they are conducted, in a true sporting spirit.” At the Olympic Games in London (2012), the Olympic Coaches Oath was made for the first time: “On behalf of all coaches and other people around the athletes, I promise that we will behave in a manner that maintains the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play, in accordance with the basic principles Olympic movement». 3) Presentation of medals to the winners and prize-winners of the competition. For 1st place the athlete is awarded a gold medal, for 2nd place - a silver medal, for 3rd place– bronze. In the case where two athletes (teams) share 1st–2nd places, both are awarded a gold medal; if participants share 2nd–3rd or 2nd–4th places, everyone is awarded silver medals, but bronze ones are not awarded. In boxing competitions, bronze medals are awarded to two athletes who lose in the semi-finals. In 1928, the IOC approved the image on the front side of the medal of the ancient Greek goddess Nike with a laurel wreath in her hand, on the reverse side - the sport, the emblem of the Games and other symbols; 4) raising the state flag and singing the national anthem in honor of the winners. According to the charter, the Olympic Games are competitions between individual athletes and not between national teams. However, the so-called unofficial team standings - determining the place occupied by teams by the number of points received (points are awarded for the first 6 places according to the system: 1st place - 7 points, 2nd - 5 points, 3rd - 4 points, 4th - 3 points, 5th – 2 points, 6th – 1 point). Traditionally, a table is maintained medal count by country with priority for medals of the highest value. An athlete (or team) who wins a gold medal at the Olympic Games or Olympic Games winter games, is awarded the title of Olympic champion. This title is not used with the prefix ex, such as ex-world champion. The largest number of medals in the entire history of the Summer Olympic Games (as of January 1, 2020) were won by athletes from national teams: USA (27 participations; 1022 gold, 794 silver, 704 bronze); Russia; Germany; Great Britain (28; 263, 295, 289); China (10; 227, 164, 152); France (28; 212, 241, 260).

The Olympic movement (as of January 1, 2016) involves 206 countries (including geographical areas), whose national Olympic committees are recognized by the IOC. In the period 1896–2016, 31 Olympic Games were held (three of them did not take place due to world wars); 4 were conducted in the USA; 3 – in Great Britain; 1 each in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Canada, USSR, Republic of Korea, Spain, China, Brazil. According to the Olympic Charter, the honor of hosting the Olympic Games is given to the city, not the country (or territory). The decision to elect an Olympic city (the capital of the Olympic Games) is made by the IOC no later than 6 years before the start of these Games at the IOC session. The application of a candidate city must be approved by the NOC of that country. The city that has put forward its candidacy is obliged to provide the IOC with written guarantees confirmed by the government and make a certain financial contribution (refundable to non-elected cities). Since 1932, the host city of the Olympic Games has been building olympic village– a complex of residential premises for game participants. Among the various obligations olympic city submits for approval to the IOC the program for the Olympic Games, and since 1968 the national cultural program. The tradition of combining physical and artistic culture dates back to the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece, where sports competitions were accompanied by competitions in various types art. The forerunners of the modern cultural program were art competitions (1906–52) and fine arts exhibitions (1956–64). At the Olympic Games in 1968–72, the cultural program was international in nature; since 1976, according to the Olympic Charter, it has been national and covers all types of art, literature, photography, sports philately, etc. More often than other cities in the world, London was chosen as the capital of the Summer Olympic Games (3 times), Athens, Paris, Los Angeles (2 times each).

In 1980 the capital Games XXII The Olympics were in Moscow; elected during the 75th IOC session on October 23, 1974 in Vienna. The main stadium of the Moscow Olympics became central Stadium them. V.I. Lenin (approx. 100 thousand seats, modern name “Luzhniki”), where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, competitions in athletics, the final match of a football tournament; a number of competitions were held in the area of ​​Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow - at the Dynamo and Young Pioneers"and in the CSKA sports complex. Built especially for the Olympic Games: sports complex"Olympic" on Mira Avenue, including a multi-purpose indoor stadium(about 35 thousand places; 22 disciplines of the Olympic program) and swimming pool; cycle track "Krylatskoye" (with two stands for 3 thousand seats), near which there is a circular bicycle track and an archery field (here, in 1972–73, the rowing canal "Krylatskoye" was built for the European Rowing Championship; stands - approx. 2.5 thousand places); equestrian complex “Bitsa” (tribune for 5 thousand seats); sports palaces "Izmailovo" (temporary collapsible stand - up to 4 thousand seats; competitions in weightlifting) and Sokolniki (approx. 7 thousand seats; handball tournament games); shooting range "Dynamo" (about 3 thousand places) in the town of Mytishchi near Moscow; Olimpic village. Over 5 thousand athletes from 80 countries competed for 203 sets of medals in 21 sports. Athletes of the USSR national team won the largest number of medals in the history of the Olympic Games - 195 (including 80 gold, 69 silver and 46 bronze). Some competitions authorized by the IOC were held in other cities. Group football tournaments and quarterfinal matches took place in Kyiv, Leningrad and Minsk; sailing regatta took place in Tallinn. (Similar exceptions were allowed before. For example, in 1956, due to quarantine and a ban on the import of horses into Australia, equestrian competitions were held even in another country - in Sweden, in Stockholm.) For political reasons, the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow were boycotted by a number of countries, those who refused to participate. Four years later, the NOC of the USSR and a number of other socialist countries boycotted the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In 1906, the Extraordinary Olympic Games were held in Athens (22.4–2.5) with the participation of 903 athletes from 20 countries. These competitions have not received official recognition from the IOC.

To uphold the Olympic ideals and noble principles of competition at the Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games, in 1968 the IOC and international sports federations established a doping control procedure, which is carried out by special anti-doping commissions. Since 1976, Olympic medalists have undergone special doping tests; if the athlete is convicted of taking doping he is disqualified and loses his awards. To combat doping, on November 10, 1999, with the support of the IOC, it was established World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA). IN last years, without paying attention to the statute of limitations, WADA laboratories recheck the tests of athletes taken during previous Olympic Games (Beijing, 2008; London, 2012), which often leads to the revision of individual results, disqualification of prize-winners and changes in the results in the unofficial team medal standings (see . table in the article World Anti-Doping Agency). Before the start of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (2016), on the initiative of WADA, many were suspended from participation in competitions for various reasons Russian athletes, including all track and field athletes (with the exception of long jumper D.I. Klishina) and weightlifters, most swimmers and rowers, tennis player M. Yu. Sharapova. As a result, the composition of the Russian national team was reduced by almost 50%.

In 6 types of the Olympic program ( cycling, Athletics, swimming, shooting, archery, weightlifting) Olympic records are registered regardless of what stage of the competition (preliminary, qualifying or final) they were set. If the result exceeds the world record, then it is considered both a world and an Olympic record.

Since 1968, the organizers of the Olympic Games have used the Olympic mascot for propaganda and commercial purposes.

To reward particularly distinguished athletes, figures of the Olympic movement and major government figures in the mid-1970s. The Olympic Order was established (it had three degrees) - Gold, Silver and Bronze (now only the first two). The first recipient of the Olympic Golden Order was ex-IOC President E. Brundage. Olympic orders are not awarded to current IOC members.

For the dates and main results of the Summer Olympic Games, see Table 1. For athletes who won the largest number of Olympic awards at the Olympic Games, see Table 2. For athletes who took part in 6 or more Olympics, see Table 3.

Table 1. Main results of the Summer Olympic Games (Athens, 1896 – Rio de Janeiro, 2016).

* United German team.

** United team of the countries of the former USSR.

Table 2. Athletes with the most victories at the Olympic Games (Athens, 1896 – Rio de Janeiro, 2016).

3 gold each olympic medals won the Olympic Games approx. 200 athletes (as of January 1, 2020), including representatives of Russia (including the USSR): A. V. Azaryan, D. V. Bilozerchev, S. L. Boginskaya, O. A. Brusnikina, O. A. Bryzgina , G. E. Gorokhova , A. N. Dityatin , V. V. Ekimov , V. F. Zhdanovich , A. I. Zabelina , V. N. Ivanov, T. V. Kazankina, A. A. Karelin, M. A. Kiseleva, A. I. Lavrov, V. G. Mankin, A. V. Medved, V. I. Morozov, V. A. Nazlymov, V. V. Parfenovich, T. N. Press, V. D. Saneev, E. V. Sadovyi, B. Kh. Saitiev, L. I. Khvedosyuk-Pinaeva, S. A. Chukhrai .

Table 3. Athletes who took part in 6 or more Olympics (as of January 1, 2020).

*The athlete also competed at the Olympic Winter Games.