The history of the Olympic Games has more than 2 thousand years. They originated in ancient Greece. At first, the games were part of the festivities in honor of the god Zeus. The first Olympiad was held in ancient Greece. Once every four years, athletes gathered in the city of Olympia in the Peloponnese, a peninsula in the south of the country. Only running competitions were held at a distance of one stadium (from the Greek stages = 192 m). Gradually, the number of sports increased, and the games became an important event for the entire Greek world. It was a religious and sports holiday, during which a mandatory "sacred peace" was declared and any military action was prohibited.
History of the first Olympiad
The period of truce lasted a month and was called ekecheiriya. It is believed that the first Olympiad took place in 776 BC. e. But in 393 AD. e. Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games. By that time, Greece lived under the rule of Rome, and the Romans, having converted to Christianity, believed that the Olympic Games, with their worship of pagan gods and the cult of beauty, were incompatible with the Christian faith.
The Olympic Games were remembered at the end of the 19th century, after they began to carry out excavations in ancient Olympia and discovered the ruins of sports and temple facilities. In 1894, at the International Sports Congress in Paris, the French public figure Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) proposed organizing the Olympic Games on the model of the ancient ones. He also came up with the motto of the Olympians: "The main thing is not victory, but participation." De Coubertin wanted only male athletes to compete in these competitions, as in ancient Greece, but women also participated in the second Games. Five multi-colored rings became the emblem of the Games; colors were chosen that are most often found on the flags of various countries of the world.
The first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896 in Athens. In the XX century. the number of countries and athletes participating in these competitions has grown steadily, and so has the number of Olympic sports. Today it is already difficult to find a country that would not send at least one or two athletes to the Games. Since 1924, in addition to the Olympic Games, which take place in the summer, Winter Games have also been organized so that skiers, skaters and other athletes who are involved in winter sports can compete. And since 1994, the Winter Olympic Games have been held not in the same year as the summer ones, but two years later.
Sometimes the Olympic Games are called the Olympics, which is incorrect: the Olympics is a four-year period between consecutive Olympic Games. When, for example, they say that the 2008 Games are the 29th Olympiad, they mean that from 1896 to 2008 there were 29 periods of four years each. But there were only 26 Games: in 1916,1940 and 1944. There were no Olympic Games - world wars interfered.
The Olympic Games, the Games of the Olympiad are the largest international complex sports competitions of our time, which are held every four years. The tradition that existed in ancient Greece was revived at the end of the 19th century by a French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896, with the exception of years during World Wars. In 1924, the Winter Olympic Games were established, which were originally held in the same year as the summer ones. However, since 1994 the time of the Winter Olympic Games has been shifted by two years from the time of the Summer Games.
Ancient Olympic Games
The Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were a religious and sporting festival held in Olympia. Information about the origin of the games is lost, but several legends have survived describing this event. The first documented celebration dates back to 776 BC. e., although it is known that the games were held before. At the time of the games, a sacred truce was declared, at which time it was impossible to wage war, although this was repeatedly violated.
The Olympic Games essentially lost their importance with the advent of the Romans. After Christianity became the official religion, the games began to be seen as a manifestation of paganism, and in 394 A.D. e. they were banned by the emperor Theodosius I.
The revival of the Olympic idea
The Olympic idea did not disappear completely even after the ban on ancient competitions. For example, in England during the 17th century, "Olympic" competitions and competitions were repeatedly held. Later, similar competitions were organized in France and Greece. However, these were small events that were, at best, regional in nature. The first true predecessors of the modern Olympic Games are the Olympia, which were held regularly during the period 1859-1888. The idea of reviving the Olympic Games in Greece belonged to the poet Panagiotis Sutsos, brought it to life by a public figure Evangelis Zappas.
In 1766, as a result of archaeological excavations in Olympia, sports and temple facilities were discovered. In 1875, archaeological research and excavations continued under German leadership. At that time, romantic-idealistic ideas about antiquity were in vogue in Europe. The desire to revive the Olympic mindset and culture spread fairly quickly throughout Europe. French baron Pierre de Coubertin (fr. Pierre de Coubertin) said then: “Germany unearthed what was left of ancient Olympia. Why can't France restore its old grandeur?
Baron Pierre de Coubertin
According to Coubertin, it was precisely the weak physical condition of the French soldiers that became one of the reasons for the defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. He seeks to change the situation by improving the physical culture of the French. At the same time, he wanted to overcome national selfishness and contribute to the struggle for peace and international understanding. The Youth of the World was to face off in sports, not on the battlefield. The revival of the Olympic Games seemed in his eyes the best solution to achieve both goals.
At a congress held June 16-23, 1894 at the Sorbonne (University of Paris), he presented his thoughts and ideas to the international public. On the last day of the congress (June 23), it was decided that the first modern Olympic Games should be held in 1896 in Athens, in the country of origin of the Games - Greece. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded to organize the Games. Greek became the first president of the Committee Demetrius Vikelas, who was president until the end of the 1st Olympic Games in 1896. Baron became general secretary Pierre de Coubertin.
The first Games of our time were indeed a great success. Despite the fact that only 241 athletes (14 countries) took part in the Games, the Games were the largest sporting event ever held since ancient Greece. Greek officials were so pleased that they put forward a proposal to hold the Games of the Olympiad "forever" in their homeland, Greece. But the IOC introduced a rotation between different states, so that every 4 years the Games change the venue.
After the first success, the Olympic movement experienced the first crisis in its history. The 1900 Games in Paris (France) and the 1904 Games in St. Louis (Missouri, USA) were combined with the World Exhibitions. Sports competitions dragged on for months and almost did not enjoy the interest of the audience. Almost only American athletes participated in the Games in St. Louis, since it was very difficult to get from Europe across the ocean in those years for technical reasons.
At the 1906 Olympic Games in Athens (Greece), sports competitions and results again came out on top. Although the IOC originally recognized and supported these "Intermediate Games" (just two years after the previous ones), these Games are not now recognized as Olympic Games. Some sports historians consider the 1906 Games to be the salvation of the Olympic idea, as they prevented the games from becoming "meaningless and unnecessary".
Modern Olympic Games
The principles, rules and regulations of the Olympic Games are defined by the Olympic Charter, the foundations of which were approved by the International Sports Congress in Paris in 1894, which, at the suggestion of the French teacher and public figure Pierre de Coubertin, decided to organize the Games on the model of the ancient ones and to create the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
According to the charter of the Games, the Olympiad “…unite amateur athletes of all countries in fair and equal competitions. In relation to countries and individuals, no discrimination is allowed on racial, religious or political grounds ... ". Games are held in the first year of the Olympiad (4-year period between games). The Olympiads have been counted since 1896, when the first Olympic Games took place (I Olympiad - 1896-99). The Olympiad also receives its number in cases where games are not held (for example, VI - in 1916-19, XII-1940-43, XIII - 1944-47). The symbol of the Olympic Games is five fastened rings, symbolizing the unification of the five parts of the world in the Olympic movement, the so-called. Olympic rings. The color of the rings in the top row is blue for Europe, black for Africa, red for America, in the bottom row yellow for Asia, green for Australia. In addition to Olympic sports, the Organizing Committee has the right to include demonstration competitions in 1-2 sports that are not recognized by the IOC. In the same year as the Olympics, since 1924 the Winter Olympic Games have been held, which have their own numbering. Since 1994, the dates for the Winter Olympic Games have been shifted by 2 years relative to the summer ones. The venue of the Olympics is chosen by the IOC, the right to organize them is granted to the city, not the country. Duration no more than 15 days (winter games - no more than 10).
The Olympic movement has its own emblem and flag, approved by the IOC at the suggestion of Coubertin in 1913. The emblem is the Olympic rings. The motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius (faster, higher, stronger). The flag - a white cloth with the Olympic rings, has been raised at all the Games since 1920.
Among the traditional rituals of the Games:
* lighting the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony (the flame is lit from the sun's rays in Olympia and delivered by the torch relay to the host city of the Games);
* pronouncing by one of the outstanding athletes of the country in which the Olympics takes place, the Olympic oath on behalf of all participants in the games;
* pronouncement on behalf of the judges of the oath of impartial refereeing;
* presentation of medals to the winners and prize-winners of competitions;
* raising the national flag and playing the national anthem in honor of the winners.
Since 1932, the host city has been building the "Olympic Village" - a residential complex for participants in the Games. According to the charter, the Games are competitions between individual athletes and not between national teams. However, since 1908 the so-called. unofficial team standings - determination of the place occupied by teams by the number of medals received and points scored in competitions (points are awarded for the first 6 places according to the system: 1st place - 7 points, 2nd - 5, 3rd - 4, 4 -e - 3, 5th - 2, 6th - 1). The title of Olympic champion is the most honorable and desirable in the career of an athlete in those sports in which Olympic tournaments are held. The exception is football, since the title of world champion in this sport is much more prestigious.
Olympic Games(Olympics) - the largest modern international complex sports competitions, held every four years. The Summer Olympic Games have been held since 1896 (only during the World Wars, these competitions were not held). The Winter Olympic Games, established in 1924, were originally held in the same year as the summer ones. But in 1994, it was decided to move the time of the Winter Olympics by two years from the time of the Summer Olympics.
According to Greek myths, Hercules established the Olympics after the successful completion of one of the glorious deeds-feats: cleaning the Augean stables. According to another version, these competitions marked the successful return of the Argonauts, who, at the insistence of Hercules, swore to each other in eternal friendship. In order to adequately celebrate this event, a place was chosen above the Alpheus River, where a temple was later erected to the god Zeus. There are also legends that Olympia was founded by an oracle named Yam or by the mythical hero Pelops (son of Tantalus and ancestor of Hercules, king of Elis), who won the chariot race of Enomaus, king of the city of Pisa.
Modern archaeologists believe that competitions similar to the Olympic ones were held in Olympia (western Peloponnese) around the 9th - 10th centuries. BC. And the most ancient document, which describes the Olympic Games dedicated to the god Zeus, is dated 776 BC. According to historians, the reason for such a high popularity of sports competitions in ancient Greece is extremely simple - the country at that time was divided into small city-states that were constantly at war with each other. Under such conditions, in order to defend their independence and win the battle, both soldiers and free citizens were forced to devote a lot of time to training, the purpose of which was to develop strength, agility, endurance, etc.
The list of Olympic sports initially consisted of only one discipline - sprinting - 1 stage (190 meters). The runners lined up at the starting line at full height, stretching their right hand forward, and waited for the signal of the judge (ellanodic). If one of the athletes was ahead of the starting signal (i.e., there was a false start), he was punished - the judge beat the offending athlete with a heavy stick reserved for this purpose. Somewhat later, competitions appeared in long-distance running - in stages 7 and 24, as well as running in full combat weapons and running after a horse.
In 708 B.C. javelin throwing (the length of the wooden javelin was equal to the height of the athlete) and wrestling appeared in the program of the Olympic Games. This sport was distinguished by rather cruel rules (for example, tripping, grabbing the opponent by the nose, lip or ear, etc. were allowed) and was extremely popular. The winner was declared the wrestler who managed to knock the opponent to the ground three times.
In 688 B.C. fisticuffs were included in the list of Olympic sports, and in 676 BC. added a chariot race drawn by four or two horses (or mules). At first, the owner of the team himself was obliged to manage the animals, later it was allowed to hire an experienced driver for this purpose (regardless of this, the owner of the chariot received the wreath of the winner).
A little later, long jump competitions began to be held at the Olympics, and the athlete, after a short run, had to push off with both legs and sharply throw his arms forward (in each hand, the jumper held a kettlebell, which were supposed to carry him along). Also, the list of Olympic competitions included competitions of musicians (harpists, heralds and trumpeters), poets, orators, actors and playwrights. At first, the festival lasted one day, later - 5 days. However, there were times when the celebrations dragged on for a whole month.
To ensure the safety of the participants in the Olympiads, three kings: Cleosthenes (from Pisa), Ifit (from Elis) and Lycurgus (from Sparta) concluded an agreement according to which any hostilities ceased for the duration of the games - messengers were sent from the city of Ellis announcing a truce ( to revive this tradition already today, in 1992, the IOC tried to call on all the peoples of the world to refrain from hostilities for the duration of the Olympics. the official closing of the Games". The corresponding resolution was approved in 2003 by the UN General Assembly, and in 2005 the above-mentioned call was included in the "Millennium Declaration", signed by the leaders of many countries of the world).
Even when Greece, having lost its independence, became part of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games continued to exist until 394 AD, when Emperor Theodosius I banned this type of competition, because he believed that the festival dedicated to the pagan god Zeus could not be held in empire whose official religion is Christianity.
The revival of the Olympics began about a hundred years ago, when in 1894 in Paris, at the initiative of the French teacher and public figure Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the International Sports Congress approved the foundations of the Olympic Charter. It is this charter that is the main constitutional instrument that formulates the fundamental rules and main values of Olympism. The organizers of the first revived Olympics, who wanted to give the competitions a "spirit of antiquity", experienced many difficulties in choosing sports that could be considered Olympic. For example, football, after long and heated debates, was excluded from the list of competitions of the 1st Olympiad (1896, Athens), as the IOC members argued that this team game was very different from ancient competitions - after all, in ancient times, athletes competed exclusively in individual competitions.
Sometimes quite exotic types of competitions were ranked as Olympic. For example, at the II Olympiad (1900, Paris), competitions were held in swimming under water and swimming with obstacles (athletes overcame a distance of 200 meters, diving under anchored boats and bending around logs submerged in water). At the VII Olympiad (1920, Antwerp) they competed in javelin throwing with both hands, as well as in club throwing. And at the V Olympiad (1912, Stockholm), athletes competed in long jumps, high jumps and triple jumps from a place. Also, for a long time, tug-of-war and cobblestone pushing competitions were considered an Olympic sport (which was replaced only in 1920 by the core, which is still used today).
The judges also had many problems - after all, in each country at that time there were different competition regulations. Since it was impossible to draw up uniform requirements for all participants in a short time, the athletes were allowed to compete in accordance with the rules to which they were accustomed. For example, runners at the start could stand in any way (assuming a high start position, with the right arm extended forward, etc.). The “low start” position, generally accepted today, was taken by only one athlete at the first Olympics - the American Thomas Bark.
The modern Olympic movement has a motto - "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ("Faster, Higher, Stronger") and its emblem - five intersecting rings (this sign was found by Coubertin on one of the Delphic altars). The Olympic rings are a symbol of the unification of the five continents (blue symbolizes Europe, black - Africa, red - America, yellow - Asia, green - Australia). Also, the Olympic Games have their own flag - a white flag with Olympic rings. Moreover, the colors of the rings and the flag are chosen so that at least one of them is found on the national flag of any country in the world. Both the emblem and the flag were adopted and approved by the IOC at the initiative of Baron Coubertin in 1913.
Baron Pierre Coubertin was the first to propose the revival of the Olympic Games. Indeed, thanks to the efforts of this man, the Olympics has become one of the largest sports competitions in the world. However, the idea of reviving this type of competition and bringing them to the world stage was expressed somewhat earlier by two more people. Back in 1859, the Greek Evangelis Zapas organized the Olympics in Athens with his own money, and the Englishman William Penny Brooks in 1881 suggested that the Greek government hold competitions simultaneously in Greece and England. He also became the organizer of the games called "Olympic Memory" in the town of Much Wenlock, and in 1887 - the initiator of the nationwide British Olympic Games. In 1890, Coubertin attended the games at Much Wenlock and praised the Englishman's idea. Coubertin understood that through the revival of the Olympics it was possible, firstly, to raise the prestige of the capital of France (it was in Paris, according to Coubertin, that the first Olympics was to be held, and only persistent protests from representatives of other countries led to the championship being given to the homeland of the Olympic Games - Greece), and secondly, to improve the health of the nation and create a powerful army.
The motto of the Olympics was coined by Coubertin. No, the Olympic motto, consisting of three Latin words - "Citius, Altius, Fortius!" was first pronounced by the French priest Henri Didon at the opening ceremony of sports competitions in one of the colleges. Coubertin, who was present at the ceremony, liked the words - in his opinion, this phrase expresses the goal of athletes all over the world. Later, at the initiative of Coubertin, this statement became the motto of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic flame marked the beginning of all the Olympics. Indeed, in ancient Greece, competitors would light fires on the altars of Olympia to honor the gods. The honor to personally light a fire on the altar to the god Zeus was given to the winner of the running competition - the most ancient and revered sports discipline. In addition, in many cities of Hellas, competitions of runners with lit torches were held - Prometheus, dedicated to the mythical hero, the god-fighter and protector of people Prometheus, who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to people.
At the revived Olympic Games, the fire was first lit at the IX Olympiad (1928, Amsterdam), and, according to researchers, it was not delivered, according to tradition, by relay from Olympia. In fact, this tradition was revived only in 1936 at the XI Olympiad (Berlin). Since then, the run of the torchbearers, delivering the fire lit by the sun in Olympia, to the venue of the Olympics has been a solemn prologue to the games. The Olympic flame travels thousands of kilometers to the competition site, and in 1948 it was even transported across the sea to give rise to the XIV Olympics, held in London.
The Olympics have never been the cause of conflicts. Unfortunately, they did. The fact is that the sanctuary of Zeus, in which the games were usually held, was under the control of the city-state of Ellis. According to historians, at least twice (in 668 and 264 BC) the neighboring city of Pisa, using military force, attempted to capture the sanctuary, hoping in this way to gain control over the Olympics. After some time, a panel of judges was formed from the most revered citizens of the above-mentioned cities, which evaluated the performance of the athletes and decided which of them would get the winner's laurel wreath.
In ancient times, only Greeks participated in the Olympics. Indeed, in ancient Greece, only Greek athletes were allowed to compete - barbarians were not allowed to enter the stadium. However, this rule was abolished when Greece, which lost its independence, became part of the Roman Empire - representatives of different nationalities began to be allowed to participate in the competition. Even emperors condescended to participate in the Olympics. For example, Tiberius was a champion in chariot races, and Nero won the competition of musicians.
Women did not participate in the ancient Olympics. Indeed, in ancient Greece, women were not only forbidden to participate in the Olympic Games - beautiful ladies were not even allowed into the stands (an exception was made only for the priestesses of the goddess of fertility Demeter). Therefore, sometimes especially gambling fans indulged in tricks. For example, the mother of one of the athletes - Kalipateria - to watch her son's performance, dressed as a man and perfectly played the role of a coach. According to another version, she participated in the competition of runners. Calipateria was identified and sentenced to death - the brave athlete was to be thrown off the Tithian rock. But, given that her husband was an olympionist (i.e., the winner of the Olympics), and her sons were winners in youth competitions, the judges pardoned Kalipateria. But the board of judges (Hellanodics) obliged the athletes to continue to compete naked in order to avoid a repetition of the above incident. At the same time, it should be noted that girls in Ancient Greece were by no means averse to playing sports, and they loved to compete. Therefore, games dedicated to Hera (wife of Zeus) were held in Olympia. In these competitions (which, by the way, men were not allowed to), only girls participated, competing in wrestling, running and chariot racing, which took place in the same stadium a month before or a month after the competition of male athletes. Also, female athletes took part in the Isthmian, Nemean and Pythian games.
Interestingly, in the Olympic Games, revived in the 19th century, at first only male athletes also competed. Only in 1900 did women take part in competitions in sailing and equestrian sports, tennis, golf and croquet. And the fair sex entered the IOC only in 1981.
The Olympics are just an opportunity to demonstrate strength and prowess, or a veiled way to select and train trained fighters. Initially, the Olympic Games were one of the ways to honor the god Zeus, part of a grandiose cult festival during which sacrifices were made to the Thunderer - out of the five days of the Olympics, two (the first and last) were devoted exclusively to solemn processions and sacrifices. However, over time, the religious aspect faded into the background, and the political and commercial component of the competitions became stronger and brighter.
In ancient times, the Olympic Games contributed to the peaceful coexistence of peoples - after all, wars stopped during the Olympic truce. Indeed, the city-states that participated in the games ceased hostilities for a period of five days (this is how long the Olympics lasted) in order to allow athletes to freely reach the venue of the competition - Elis. According to the rules, contestants and fans had no right to fight among themselves, even if their states were at war with each other. However, this does not mean a complete cessation of hostility - after the end of the Olympic Games, hostilities resumed. And the disciplines themselves, chosen for the competition, were more like training a good fighter: javelin throwing, running in armor and, of course, the extremely popular pankration - a street fight, limited only by the ban on biting and gouging out the eyes of an opponent.
The saying "The main thing is not victory, but participation" was coined by the ancient Greeks. No, the author of the saying "The most important thing in life is not victory, but participation. The essence of an interesting struggle" was Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who in the 19th century revived the tradition of the Olympic Games. And in ancient Greece, victory was the main goal of the competitors. In those days, prizes for second and third places were not even awarded, and the losers, as written sources testify, were very hurt by their defeat and tried to hide as soon as possible.
In ancient times, competitions were fair, only today athletes use doping, etc. to achieve better results. Unfortunately, this is not so. At all times, athletes, striving for victory, used not entirely honest methods. For example, wrestlers rubbed oil on their bodies to make it easier to free themselves from an opponent's grip. Long-distance runners "cut corners" or tripped up an opponent. There were also attempts to bribe judges. The athlete convicted of fraud had to fork out - bronze statues of Zeus were made with this money, which were installed along the road leading to the stadium. For example, in the 2nd century BC, during one of the Olympics, 16 statues were installed, which indicates that even in ancient times, not all athletes played fair.
In ancient Greece, they competed only for the sake of receiving a laurel wreath and unfading glory. Of course, praise is a pleasant thing, and the native city greeted the winner with joy - the Olympionik, dressed in purple and crowned with a laurel wreath, entered not through the gate, but through a specially prepared gap in the city wall, which was immediately repaired, "so that the Olympic glory would not left town." However, not only the laurel wreath and glorification were the goal of the competitors. The very word "athlete" in translation from ancient Greek means "competing for prizes." And the rewards that the winner received in those days were considerable. In addition to the sculpture, installed in honor of the winner, either in Olympia near the sanctuary of Zeus, or in the homeland of the athlete, or even deification, the athlete was entitled to a considerable amount for those times - 500 drachmas. In addition, he received a number of political and economic privileges (for example, exemption from all types of duties) and, until the end of his days, he had the right to dine in the city administration free of charge every day.
The decision to end the duel of wrestlers was made by the judges. This is not true. Both in wrestling and in fisticuffs, the fighter himself, who decided to surrender, raised his right hand with his thumb protruding upwards - this gesture served as a signal for the end of the fight.
Athletes who won the competitions were crowned with laurel wreaths. This is true - it was the laurel wreath that was the symbol of victory in ancient Greece. And they crowned them not only with athletes, but also with horses that provided their owner with victory in the chariot competition.
The people of Elis were the best athletes in Greece. Unfortunately, this is not so. Despite the fact that in the center of Elis there was an all-Hellenic shrine - the temple of Zeus, at which the Olympics were regularly held, the inhabitants of this area were notorious, because they were prone to drunkenness, lies, pederasty and laziness, little corresponding to the ideal of a strong spirit and body of the population. However, you cannot refuse them militancy and foresight - having managed to prove to their neighbors that Elis is a neutral country against which it is impossible to wage war, the Eleans, nevertheless, continued attacks on nearby areas in order to capture them.
Olympia was located near the sacred Mount Olympus. Wrong opinion. Olympus - the highest mountain in Greece, on top of which, according to legend, the gods lived, is located in the north of the country. And the city of Olympia was located in the south - in Elis, on the island of Peloponnese.
In Olympia, in addition to ordinary citizens, lived the most famous athletes of Greece. Only priests lived permanently in Olympia, and athletes and fans, who flocked to the city in huge numbers every four years (the stadium was designed for the presence of 50,000 spectators!), Were forced to huddle in tents, huts, or even just in the open air, made by hand . A leonidaion (hotel) was built only for honored guests.
To measure the time it took athletes to overcome the distance, in ancient Greece they used clepsydra, and the length of the jumps was measured in steps. Wrong opinion. Devices for measuring time (sunglasses or hourglasses, clepsydra) were inaccurate, and distances were most often measured "by eye" (for example, a stage is 600 feet or the distance that a person can walk with a calm step during the time of full sunrise, i. e. in about 2 minutes). Therefore, neither the time for passing the distance, nor the length of the jumps mattered - the winner was the one who came to the finish line first or jumped the farthest.
Even today, visual observation has been used to assess the achievement of athletes for a long time - until 1932, when a stopwatch and a photo finish were used for the first time at the X Olympiad in Los Angeles, which greatly facilitated the work of judges.
The length of the marathon distance has been constant since ancient times. This is not true. In our time, a marathon (one of the disciplines of athletics) is a race for a distance of 42 km 195 m. The idea of organizing a race was proposed by the French philologist Michel Breal. Since both Coubertin and the Greek organizers liked this proposal, the marathon was included in the list of Olympic sports one of the first. There are road marathon, cross-country running and half marathon (21 km 98 m). The road marathon has been included in the program of the Olympic Games since 1896 for men and since 1984 for women.
However, the length of the marathon distance has changed several times. Legend has it that in 490 BC. Greek warrior Phidippides (Philippides) ran non-stop from Marathon to Athens (about 34.5 km) to please fellow citizens with the news of victory. According to another version, set forth by Herodotus, Phidippides was a messenger sent for reinforcements from Athens to Sparta and covered a distance of 230 km in two days.
At the first modern Olympics, marathon running competitions took place along a 40 km route laid between Marathon and Athens, but in the future, the length of the distance varied over a fairly wide range. For example, at the IV Olympiad (1908, London), the length of the route laid from Windsor Castle (the royal residence) to the stadium was 42 km 195 m. At the V Olympiad (1912, Stockholm), the length of the marathon distance was changed and amounted to 40 km 200 m, and at the VII Olympiad (1920, Antwerp) runners had to cover a distance of 42 km 750 m. The length of the distance changed 6 times, and only in 1921 was the final length of the marathon race established - 42 km 195 m.
Olympic awards are given to athletes who have shown the best results in competitions, after a long struggle with worthy rivals. This is true, but there are exceptions to this rule. For example, gymnast Elena Mukhina, who, a few days before the Olympics, injured her cervical vertebra in one of the training sessions, was awarded the Olympic Order for courage. Moreover, the President of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch personally handed her the award. And at the III Olympiad (1904, St. Louis, Missouri), American athletes became unconditional winners due to the almost complete lack of competition - many foreign athletes who did not have enough money simply could not take part in the competition, giving the palm to the hosts of the Olympics .
The equipment of athletes can affect the results of the competition. It really is. For comparison: at the first modern Olympics, the uniform of athletes was made of wool (available and inexpensive material), shoes, the soles of which were supplied with special spikes, were made of leather. It is clear that this form delivered a lot of inconvenience to the competitors. Swimmers suffered the most - after all, their suits were made of cotton fabric, and, having become heavy from water, they slowed down the speed of athletes. It should also be mentioned that, for example, mats were not provided for high jumpers with a pole - the competitors were forced to think not only about how to overcome the bar, but also about the correct landing.
Nowadays, thanks to the development of science and the emergence of new synthetic materials, athletes experience much less discomfort. For example, suits for track and field athletes are designed to minimize the risk of muscle strain and reduce the force of wind resistance, while the material based on silk and lycra, from which sportswear is sewn, is characterized by low hygroscopicity and ensures rapid evaporation of moisture. For swimmers, special tight-fitting suits with vertical stripes are also being created, which allow them to overcome water resistance as efficiently as possible and develop the highest speed.
A lot contributes to the achievement of high results and sports shoes, specially designed to meet the expected loads. It was thanks to a new shoe model equipped with internal chambers filled with carbon dioxide that American decathlete Dave Johnson showed the best result in the 4x400 m relay in 1992.
Only young, full of strength athletes participate in the Olympic Games. Not necessary. The oldest participant in the Olympic Games - Oskar Swabn, a resident of Switzerland, took second place in shooting competitions at the VII Olympiad (1920, Antwerp) at the age of 72 years. Moreover, it was he who was selected to participate in the 1924 competitions, but for health reasons he was forced to refuse.
Most of the medals at the Olympics were won by athletes of the USSR (later - Russia). No, in the overall standings (according to data on all the Olympic Games, up to 2002 inclusive), the United States excels - 2072 medals, of which 837 gold, 655 silver and 580 bronze. The USSR is in second place with 999 medals, of which 388 are gold, 317 silver and 249 bronze.
Olympic Games - the most significant in the world sport competitions. They are held every four years. Every athlete dreams of winning these competitions. The origin of the Olympic Games dates back to ancient times. They were held as early as the seventh century BC. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? In which country were they first held?
The myth of the origin 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 Greeks believed that the birth 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 on the run, for which he was awarded an olive wreath. Subsequently, the winner insisted that a sporting event be held every five years. Such is the legend. Of course, there are other legends about the origin of the Olympic Games.
The historical sources confirming the holding of these festivities in ancient Greece include Homer's Iliad. This book mentions a chariot race organized by the inhabitants of Elis, the area 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 Ifit. During his reign, the interval between the competitions was already four years. Resuming the Olympic Games, Ifit declared a sacred truce. That is, during these festivities 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 areas more than once. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? Firstly, the holding of these competitions was associated with the names of the gods highly revered by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, the aforementioned truce was announced for a month, which had a special name - ἱερομηνία.
About the sports in the Olympic Games held by the Hellenes, scientists still have not come to a consensus. 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.
Members
Among the citizens in ancient Greece were those who were subjected to public dishonor and contempt by others, i.e. atymia. They could not become participants in competitions. Only respected Hellenes. Of course, the barbarians, who could only be spectators, did not take part in the ancient Olympic Games either. 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 be present if she was not a priestess of the goddess Demeter.
The number of 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 festivities, even deputies competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to mythical deities.
It is known from the history of the Olympic Games that these events had a rather 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. It went on for 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 stories 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.
The first fist fight took place at the 23rd Olympiad. Later, the ancient Greeks added martial arts such as pankration, wrestling. It was said above that women did not have the right to take part in competitions. However, in 688 BC, special competitions were created for the most purposeful inhabitants in ancient Greece. the only 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 writings. Sculptors were sometimes ordered statues of winners after the end of the Games, lyrics in honor of the strongest and most dexterous composed laudatory songs.
Ellanodons
What were the names of the judges who watched the course 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, then nine, and later ten. Beginning in 368 BC, there were twelve Hellanodons. True, later the number of judges decreased. The Ellanodons wore a special purple robe.
How did the competition start? Athletes proved to spectators and judges that the previous months were devoted 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 the judges at the Olympic Gymnasium.
The order of the competition was determined by drawing lots. Then the herald publicly announced the name of the contestant. Where were the Olympic Games held?
Sanctuary of Ancient Greece
Where the Olympic Games were held is already clear from the name. Olympia is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. This was once located temple-cultural complex and sacred grove of Zeus. On the territory of the ancient Greek sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, sports facilities and houses in which the 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.
The Olympic Stadium was built gradually. He became the first in ancient Greece. In the fifth century BC, this stadium received about forty thousand spectators. For training, a gymnasium was used - a structure whose treadmill was equal in length to the one that was located at the stadium itself. Another platform for preliminary preparations - palestra. It was a square building with a courtyard. Mostly athletes who competed in wrestling and fisticuffs trained here.
Leonidoyon, which served as a function, was built in the fifth century BC according to the project of a well-known 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. That is why here the locals erected several temples and shrines. The buildings fell into disrepair after an earthquake that occurred in the sixth century. The hippodrome was finally destroyed during the 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 occurred after two millennia. 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 forerunners of the modern Olympic Games were the Olympia, held in the middle of the 19th century. But they, of course, were not so large-scale and had little in common with the competitions, which in our time take place every four years. French Pierre de Coubertin played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games. Why did the 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 structures. The work continued for more than ten years. At that time, everything related to Antiquity was popular in Europe. Many public and cultural figures became infected with the desire to revive the Olympic traditions. At the same time, the French showed the greatest interest in the culture of holding sports competitions in Ancient Greece, although the archaeological discoveries belonged to the Germans. This can be easily explained.
In 1871, the French army was defeated, which significantly undermined the patriotic spirit in society. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the reason was the poor physical preparation of the soldiers. He did not try to inspire his compatriots to fight against Germany and other European powers. The French public figure spoke a lot about the need to improve physical culture, but also advocated overcoming national selfishness and establishing international understanding.
First Olympic Games: new time
In June 1894, a congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which Coubertin presented to the world community his thoughts on the need to revive the 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 International Competitions Committee was headed by Demetrius Vikelas. Pierre de Coubertin took over as general secretary.
The 1896 Olympic Games were the biggest sporting event ever. Greek statesmen put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games exclusively in their homeland. However, the committee decided otherwise. The venue for 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 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
Competitions were resumed on the model of ancient sports competitions. The modern Olympic Games unite athletes from all states; discrimination against individuals on religious, racial, 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? First of all, the names themselves. The frequency of the competitions was also borrowed. One of the purposes of the modern Olympic Games is to serve the world, to establish mutual understanding between countries. This is in tune with the ideas of the ancient Greeks about a temporary truce during the days of the competition. The Olympic fire and torch are the symbols of the Olympics, which, of course, originated in antiquity. Some terms and rules for holding competitions were also borrowed from the ancient Greeks.
There are, of course, several significant differences between the modern Games and the ancient ones. The ancient Greeks held sports events 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 Olympics. Yes, the competition was different. In antiquity in the Olympic Games were attended not only by athletes, but also by poets.
Symbolism
Everyone knows what the symbol of the Olympic Games looks like. Five fastened rings in black, blue, red, yellow and green. However, few people know that these elements do not belong to any particular continent. sounds in Latin, translated into Russian means "faster, higher, stronger". The flag is a white cloth with rings. It has been raised at every Games since 1920.
Both the opening and closing of the Games are accompanied by a grandiose, colorful ceremony. The best organizers of mass events are involved in the development of the script. Famous actors and singers strive to participate 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 hostilities, then in the twentieth century the opposite was true. Sports competitions were canceled due to armed conflicts. The games were not held in 1916, 1940, 1944. Russia has hosted the Olympics twice. In 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi.
In Paris, in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne, a commission has gathered to revive the Olympic Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took shape, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.
The first Olympic Games of modern times were originally planned to be held at the same stadium in Olympia, where the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were held. However, this required too much restoration work, and the first revived Olympic competitions took place in Athens, the capital of Greece.
On April 6, 1896, at the restored ancient stadium in Athens, the Greek King George declared the first modern Olympic Games open. The opening ceremony was attended by 60 thousand spectators.
The date of the ceremony was not chosen by chance - on this day, Easter Monday coincided in three directions of Christianity at once - in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. This first opening ceremony of the Games established two Olympic traditions - the opening of the Games by the head of state where the competitions take place, and the singing of the Olympic anthem. However, there were no such indispensable attributes of the modern Games as the parade of the participating countries, the ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame and the pronouncing of the Olympic oath; they were introduced later. There was no Olympic village, the invited athletes provided themselves with housing.
241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the I Olympiad: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary (at the time of the Games, Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary, but Hungarian athletes competed separately), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy , USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.
Russian athletes were quite actively preparing for the Olympics, however, due to lack of funds, the Russian team was not sent to the Games.
As in ancient times, only men took part in the competitions of the first modern Olympiad.
The program of the first Games included nine sports - classical wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, athletics, swimming, bullet shooting, tennis, weightlifting and fencing. 43 sets of awards were played.
According to ancient tradition, the Games began with athletics competitions.
Athletics competitions became the most massive - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - was won by representatives of the United States.
The first Olympic champion was the American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 meters 71 centimeters.
Wrestling competitions were held without uniform approved rules for wrestling, there were also no weight categories. The style in which the athletes competed was close to today's Greco-Roman, but it was allowed to grab an opponent by the legs. Only one set of medals was played among five athletes, and only two of them competed exclusively in wrestling - the rest took part in competitions in other disciplines.
Since there were no artificial pools in Athens, swimming competitions were held in an open bay near the city of Piraeus; the start and finish were marked with ropes attached to the floats. The competition aroused great interest - by the beginning of the first swim, about 40 thousand spectators had gathered on the shore. About 25 swimmers from six countries took part, most of them are naval officers and sailors of the Greek merchant fleet.
The medals were played in four types, all heats were held in "freestyle" - it was allowed to swim in any way, changing it along the distance. At that time, the most popular swimming methods were breaststroke, overarm (an improved way of swimming on the side) and "trend-style". At the insistence of the organizers of the Games, the program also included an applied type of swimming - 100 meters in sailor's clothes. Only Greek sailors participated in it.
In cycling, six sets of medals were played - five on the track and one on the road. Track races were held at the Neo Faliron velodrome specially built for the Games.
Eight sets of awards were played in artistic gymnastics competitions. Competitions were held outdoors, at the Marble Stadium.
In shooting, five sets of awards were played - two in rifle shooting and three in pistol shooting.
Tennis competitions were held on the courts of the Athens Tennis Club. Two tournaments were held - in singles and doubles. At the 1896 Games, there was not yet a requirement that all team members represent one country, and some couples were international.
Weightlifting competitions were held without division into weight categories and included two disciplines: squeezing a ball bar with two hands and lifting a dumbbell with one hand.
In fencing, three sets of awards were played. Fencing became the only sport where professionals were also admitted: separate competitions were held among "maestro" - fencing teachers ("maestro" were also admitted to the 1900 Games, after which this practice ceased).
The culmination of the Olympic Games was the marathon. Unlike all subsequent Olympic competitions in marathon running, the length of the marathon distance at the Games of the I Olympiad was 40 kilometers. The classic length of a marathon distance is 42 kilometers 195 meters. The Greek postman Spyridon Louis finished first with a result of 2 hours 58 minutes 50 seconds, who became a national hero after this success. In addition to the Olympic awards, he received a gold cup, established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on the inclusion of marathon running in the Games program, a barrel of wine, a voucher for free meals throughout the year, free tailoring of dresses and use of hairdresser services throughout life, 10 centners of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 sheep.
