Beginning of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games - from antiquity to the present

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 Greek city of Olympia today attracts crowds of tourists who want to look at the ruins of the ancient city excavated by archaeologists with the remains of the temples of Zeus, Hera and visit the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

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 Heracles, 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, at the Olympics, competitions in long jumps began to be held, and after a short run, the athlete 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. 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, on 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 had the right to participate in competitions - barbarians were forbidden 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 panel 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 daily free of charge in the city administration.

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 can’t 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. Instruments 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 were held 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 pole vaulters - 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.

Modern society is spoiled with a huge variety of available entertainment and therefore pretentious. It is easily carried away by new amusements and just as quickly loses interest in them in pursuit of new, still unfamiliar toys. Therefore, those pleasures that managed to hold the attention of a windy audience for a long time can be considered truly powerful attractions. A vivid example is sports competitions of a different nature, from team games to pair martial arts. And the title of the main "watchdog" is rightfully worn by the Olympic Games. For several millennia, these multi-species competitions have attracted the attention of not only professional athletes, but also fans of various sports, as well as just fans of a colorful, memorable show.

Of course, the Olympic Games have not always been as costly and high-tech as they are today. But they have always been spectacular and fascinating, starting from their very appearance in Antiquity. Since then, the Olympic Games have been suspended several times, they have changed their format and set of competitions, and have been adapted for athletes with disabilities. And by now, a regular two-year organizational system has been established. How long? History will show it. But now the whole world looks forward to each new Olympic Games. Although few of the spectators, following the intense rivalry of their sports idols, guess how and why the Olympic Games appeared.

The birth of the Olympic Games
The cult of the body inherent in the ancient Greeks caused the appearance of the first sports games on the territory of the ancient city-states. But it was Olympia that gave the holiday its name, which has been fixed for centuries. Beautiful and strong bodies were sung from the stage, immortalized in marble and flaunted in sports arenas. The oldest legend says that the Games were first mentioned by the Delphic oracle around the 9th century BC. BC e., which saved Elis and Sparta from civil strife. And already in 776 BC. The first all-Greek Olympic Games were held, founded by the god-like hero Hercules himself. It was a truly large-scale event: a celebration of physical culture, religious worship and simply the affirmation of life.

Even the sacred wars for the Hellenes were suspended for the duration of the Olympic competitions. The seriousness of the event was arranged accordingly: the date of its holding was set by a special commission, which, through ambassadors-spondophores, announced its decision to the inhabitants of all Greek city-states. After that, their best athletes went to Olympia to train and polish their skills for a month under the guidance of experienced mentors. Then, for five days in a row, athletes competed in the following types of physical exercises:
This set can be considered the first composition of the Olympic sports of Antiquity. Their champions, the winners of the competitions, received truly divine honors and, until the next Games, enjoyed special respect from their compatriots and, according to rumors, from Zeus the Thunderer himself. At home, they were greeted with songs, sung in hymns and honored at banquets, bringing obligatory sacrifices on their behalf to the supreme gods. Their names became known to every Greek. But the competition was tough, the competition was serious, and the level of physical fitness of the competitors was very high, so few managed to keep the winner's laurels for the next year. The same unique heroes who turned out to be the best of the best three times were erected a monument in Olympia and equated with demigods.

A distinctive feature of the ancient Olympic Games was the participation of not only athletes, but also artists. The ancient Greeks did not divide human achievements into categories at all and enjoyed life in all its manifestations. Therefore, the Olympic Games were accompanied by performances of poets, actors and musicians. Moreover, some of them did not refuse to show themselves in sports - for example, Pythagoras was a champion in fisticuffs. Artists sketched key events and images of athletes, the audience admired the combination of physical and spiritual beauty, enjoyed the abundance of delicious food and drinks. Sounds like a modern workout, doesn't it? But the original Olympic Games were still far from the modern level of organization. This is confirmed by the unfortunate termination of their story, albeit a temporary one.

Ban on the Olympic Games
So, cheerfully and amicably, exactly 293 ancient Olympiads were held in 1168 years. Until in 394 AD. Roman emperor Theodosius the first "Great" did not ban the Olympic Games by his decree. According to the Romans, who brought and imposed Christianity on the Greek lands, shameless and noisy sports competitions were the embodiment of a pagan, and therefore unacceptable, way of life. You could even say that they were right in their own way. After all, religious ceremonies in honor of the gods of Olympus were an integral part of the Games. Each athlete considered it his duty to spend several hours at the sacrificial altar, offering prayers and offering sacrifices to divine patrons. Mass rituals were accompanied by the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, as well as the awarding of the winners and their triumphant return home.

The Greeks even adjusted the calendar to hold their favorite sports, cultural and entertainment event, creating the so-called "Olympic calendar". According to him, the holiday was supposed to be held in the "holy month", starting on the first full moon after the summer solstice. The cycle was 1417 days, or the Olympics - that is, the ancient Greek “Olympic year”. Of course, the militant Romans were not going to put up with this state of affairs and free-thinking in society. And although the Olympic Games still continued after Rome conquered the lands of Hellas, but the pressure and oppression of Greek culture inevitably affected them, gradually leading to a complete decline.

A similar fate befell other, less significant, but similar in principle, sporting events. They, starting from about the 6th century. BC. they were regularly held in honor of various gods and named after the venue: the Pythian Games, the Isthmian Games, the Nemean Games, etc. Mentions of them, along with the Olympic Games, can be found in Herodotus, Plutarch, Lucian and some other ancient authors. But none of these competitions went down in history so firmly, did not influence the development of European culture so much and were not subsequently restored in their rights as the Olympic Games.

Revival of the Olympic Games
Christian dogmas ruled over the European continent for more than one and a half thousand years, during which there was no question of holding the Olympic Games in their classical format. Even the Renaissance, which revived ancient values and cultural achievements, was powerless in this matter. And only at the end of the 19th century, that is, relatively recently, the restoration of the rights of the ancient Greek traditions of physical culture became possible. This event is associated with the name of Pierre de Coubertin. This 33-year-old French baron, who has succeeded in his teaching and literary career and social activities, considered regular sports competitions an excellent opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding around the world in general and raise the national consciousness of his compatriots in particular.

In June 1894, de Coubertin spoke at the international congress at the Sorbonne with a proposal to revive the Olympic Games. The proposal was received with enthusiasm, at the same time the International Olympic Committee was created, and de Coubertin himself was appointed Secretary General. And already two years later, which had gone into preparation, in 1896 in Athens, the capital of the cradle of the Olympic Games, the first modern Olympic Games were held. And with great success: 241 athletes from 14 countries of the world, and the leaders of these countries, and the flattered Greek government were very pleased with the sporting event. The IOC immediately established a rotation of venues for the Olympics and a 4-year gap between the Games.

Therefore, the second and third Olympic Games were held already in the twentieth century, in 1900 and 1904, in Paris (France) and St. Louis (USA), respectively. Even then, their organization adhered to the Charter of the Olympic Games, approved by the International Sports Congress. Its main provisions remain unchanged today. In particular, those related to the serial numbering of the Games, their symbols, venues and some other technical and organizational issues. As for the Olympic sports, their list is not constant and changes from time to time, either including or excluding some individual items. But basically today it is 28 (41 disciplines) sports:

rowing
Badminton
Basketball
Boxing
Wrestling
Freestyle wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling
Cycling
Track cycling
Mountain bike (Mountain bike)
road cycling
Swimming
Water polo
Diving
Synchronized swimming
Volleyball
Beach volleyball
Handball
Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Trampolining
Golf
Rowing and canoeing
Rowing slalom
Judo
dressage
Jumping
Triathlon
Athletics
Table tennis
Sailing
Rugby
Modern pentathlon
Archery
Tennis
Triathlon
taekwondo
Weightlifting
Fencing
Football
Field hockey

By the way, the modern pentathlon was also created on the initiative of de Coubertin. He also founded the tradition, later enshrined in the Olympic Charter, to hold demonstration competitions in 1-2 sports not recognized by the IOC. But the idea of the baron to hold art competitions at the Olympic Games did not take root. But to this day, the nominal Pierre de Coubertin Medal is awarded by the International Olympic Committee for "outstanding manifestations of the sports Olympic spirit." This award is a special honor for an athlete, and many value it much more than an Olympic gold medal.

By the way, the Olympic medal was also born with the modern Olympic Games and can be considered the brainchild of de Coubertin's inexhaustible enthusiasm and ingenuity. After all, the ancient Greeks awarded their athletes not with medals at all, but with any other prizes: olive wreaths, gold coins and other valuables. One of the kings even granted the winning athlete his state. In the modern world, such waste is unthinkable, because all the principles of awarding and the system of awards of the Olympic Games since 1984 have been clearly spelled out in the Olympic Charter.

Development of the Olympic Games. Paralympic and Winter Olympic Games.
The Olympic Charter is a kind of charter containing the rules of the Olympic Games and the activities of the IOC, as well as reflecting the very concept and philosophy of the Olympics. At the beginning of its existence, it still allowed adjustments and amendments. In particular, since 1924 it has also regulated the holding of the Winter Olympic Games, or the "White Olympics", conceived as an addition to the main, summer, games. The first Winter Olympics were held in Sweden, and then for almost a century they were regularly held in the same years as the Summer Olympics. And only in 1994, the tradition began to separate the summer and winter Olympics from each other by a two-year interval. To date, the Olympic Winter Games include the following 7 winter (15 disciplines) sports:

Biathlon
Curling
Skating
Figure skating
Short track
Skiing
Nordic combined
Ski race
ski jumping
Snowboard
Freestyle
Bobsled
luge
Skeleton
Hockey

A little earlier, in 1960, the IOC decided to hold competitions among athletes with disabilities. They got the name of the Paralympic Games in connection with the generalized term for diseases of the spine. But later it was reformulated into the Paralympic Games and explained by "parallelism", equality with the Olympic Games, since athletes with other diseases also began to compete. By their example, they demonstrate the moral and physical strength necessary for a full life and sports victories.

Rules and traditions of the Olympic Games
The scale and significance of the Olympic Games surrounded them with many traditions, nuances and social myths. Each regular competition is accompanied by close attention of the world community, the media and private fans. Over the years, the Games have indeed acquired quite a few rituals, most of which are recorded in the Charter and are strictly observed by the IOC. Here are the most significant of them:

Symbol of the Olympic Games- 5 multi-colored rings fastened together, placed in two rows, implies the union of the five parts of the world. In addition to it, there is the Olympic motto "Faster, higher, stronger!", the Olympic oath and additional symbols that accompany the Games when they are held in each individual country.
Opening and closing of the Olympic Games- this is a grandiose performance, which has become a kind of tacit competition between the organizers in the scope and high cost of this action. The staging of these ceremonies spares no expense, using expensive special effects, inviting the best screenwriters, artists and world celebrities. The inviting party makes great efforts to ensure the interest of the audience.
Funding for the Olympic Games is the responsibility of the organizing committee of the inviting country. Moreover, income from the broadcast of the Games and other marketing activities within their framework are transferred to the IOC.
The country, or rather the city, the next Olympic Games is determined 7 years before their date. But even 10 years before the event, candidate cities submit applications and presentations to the IOC with evidence of their advantages. Applications are accepted for a year, then, 8 years before the finalists are called, and only then the IOC members appoint a new host of the Olympics by secret ballot. All this time, the world has been tensely waiting for a decision.
Most The Olympic Games were held in the USA - 8 Olympiads. France has hosted the Olympics 5 times, and Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada - 3 times each.
Olympic champion title- the most honorable in the career of any athlete. Moreover, it is given forever, there are no “former Olympic champions”.
Olympic Village- this is the traditional habitat of delegations from each country participating in the Olympics. It is being built by the Organizing Committee according to the requirements of the IOC and accommodates only athletes, coaches and staff there. Thus, it turns out a whole town, with its own infrastructure, training grounds, post offices and even beauty salons.

The Olympic Games, starting from their very appearance in the depths of Antiquity, were based on the principles of honesty and equality of participants. They took an oath before the start of the competition and were afraid to even think about breaking it. Modernity makes its own adjustments to ancient traditions, and to the transmission and perception of information. But still, the Olympic Games today, at least formally, remain not only mass entertainment, but also the embodiment of the ideas of health, beauty and strength, as well as fair wrestling and respect for the best of the best.

Olympic Games

1 Ancient Olympic Games

2 Revival of the Olympic Games

3 Modern Olympic Games

3.1 Winners of the Summer Olympic Games in the team standings
3.2 Winners of the Winter Olympic Games in the team standings
3.3 Amateur spirit
3.4 Funding
3.5 Venues of the Olympic Games

Olympic Games- the largest international complex sports competitions which are held every four years. The tradition that existed in Ancient Greece, was revived at the end 19th century French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. Olympic Games, also known as Summer Olympics have been held every four years since 1896 , except for the years that fell on world wars. IN 1924 have been established Winter Olympics, which were originally held in the same year as the summer ones. However, starting from 1994, the time of the Winter Olympic Games has been shifted by two years from the time of the Summer Games.

In the same venues of the Olympic Games, two weeks later, Paralympic Games for people with disabilities.

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 myths have survived that describe this event. Many documents, buildings and sculptures of that period have come down to us from history. If you look closely, we will notice that all the statues of that period show the bodies of people and not just any bodies, but beautiful ones. At that period of history, the cult of beautiful forms for buildings and the cult of beautiful bodies were widespread. "A healthy mind in a healthy body" - this is how one of the ideas and reasons for the appearance of such beautiful sculptures can be described. Sports activities and sports competitions began already in this ancient period. The winners of the competitions were revered as heroes in war. The first documented celebration dates back to 776 BC. They were instituted by Hercules, although games are known to have been held before. At the time of the games, a sacred truce (έκεχειρία ), at this 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.

Revival of the Olympic Games

Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The Olympic idea did not disappear completely even after the ban on ancient competitions. For example, in England during 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), later reflecting on the contribution of France, said: “Germany unearthed what was left of ancient Olympia. Why can't France restore its old grandeur?

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 Franco-Prussian War 1870 -1871 . He sought 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 convention held June 16-23, 1894 in Sorbonne(University of Paris), he presented his thoughts and ideas to the international public. On the last day of the congress, it was decided that first modern olympic games to be held in 1896 in Athens, in the parent country of the Games - Greece. To organize the Games, was founded International Olympic Committee(IOC). Greek became the first president of the Committee Demetrius Vikelas who was president until graduation I Olympic Games 1896. Baron Pierre de Coubertin became general secretary.

Poster of the first Olympic Games

The first Games of our time were 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. II Olympic Games 1900 in paris (France) And III Olympic Games 1904 in St. Louis (Missouri, USA) were combined with World exhibitions. Sports competitions dragged on for months and almost did not enjoy the interest of the audience. At the 1900 Olympics in Paris, for the first time, women and a team participated Russian Empire. At the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, almost only American athletes participated, since from Europe to get across the ocean in those years was very difficult for technical reasons.

On the Extraordinary Olympic Games 1906 in Athens (Greece), sports competitions and achievements 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 Olympic Charter, the foundations of which are approved International Sports Congress in paris in 1894 who, at the suggestion of a French educator and public figure, received Pierre de Coubertin the decision to organize the Games on the model of the ancient ones and to create International Olympic Committee(IOC). According to the charter, the Olympic Games “… bring together amateur athletes from all countries in fair and equal competition. In relation to countries and individuals, no discrimination is allowed on racial, religious or political grounds ... ". Apart from Olympic sports, the organizing committee has the right, at its choice, to include demonstration competitions in 1-2 sports not recognized by the IOC in the program.

Olympic Games, also known as Summer Olympics are held in the first year of the 4-year (Olympic) cycle. Olympiads are counted from 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 term "Olympics" officially means a four-year cycle, but unofficially it is often used instead of the name "Olympic Games" . In the same years as the Olympic Games, with 1924 were carried out Winter Olympics, which have their own numbering. In the numbering of the Winter Olympic Games, missed games are not taken into account (after the IV Games 1936 followed by V games 1948 ). 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. The duration of the Games is on average 16-18 days. Taking into account the climatic features of different countries, the Summer Games can be held not only in the "summer months". So XXVII Summer Olympic Games 2000 in Sydney (Australia), due to Australia's location in the Southern Hemisphere, where summer begins in December, were held in September, that is, in autumn.

Symbol of the Olympic Games- five fastened rings, symbolizing the unification of the five parts of the world in the Olympic movement, i.e. the Olympic rings. The colors of the rings in the top row are blue, black and red. The bottom row is yellow and green. The Olympic Movement has its own emblem and flag, approved by the IOC on the proposal Coubertin in 1913 . The emblem is the Olympic rings. Motto - Citius, Altius, Fortius (lat. "faster, higher, stronger"). Flag- a white flag with Olympic rings, rises at all Games, starting from VII Olympic Games 1920 in Antwerp (Belgium), where it also began to be given for the first time Olympic oath. The parade of national teams under the flags at the opening of the Games is held from IV Olympic Games 1908 in London (Great Britain). FROM 1936 Olympics in Berlin (Germany) relay race is held Olympic flame. Olympic mascots first appeared at the 1968 Summer and Winter Games unofficially, and are approved from the 1972 Olympics.

Among the traditional rituals of the Games (in the order they were held):

grandiose and colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. From year to year, the best of the best from all over the world are involved in the development of scenarios for these spectacles: screenwriters, organizers of mass shows, special effects specialists, etc. Many famous singers, actors and other very famous people strive to take part in this spectacle. Broadcasts of these events break records of viewer interest every time. Each host country of the Olympics strives to surpass all previous ones in scope and beauty of these ceremonies. Scenarios of ceremonies are kept in the strictest confidence until they begin. The ceremonies are held at the central stadiums with a large capacity, in the same place where competitions are held. athletics(Exception: Summer Olympics 2016 where central Stadium, will host football finals, without athletics).

opening and closing begins with a theatrical performance, which should present the audience with the appearance of the country and the city, acquaint them with their history and culture.

solemn passage of athletes and members of delegations through the central stadium. Athletes from each country go in a separate group. Traditionally, the first is the delegation of athletes from Greece - the parent country of the Games. The other groups are in order according to the alphabetical order of the names of the countries in the language of the country hosting the Games. (Or in the official language of the IOC - French or English). Each group is preceded by a representative of the host country, carrying a sign with the name of the respective country in the language of the host country and in the official languages of the IOC. Behind him at the head of the group is the flag bearer - usually an athlete participating in the games, carrying the flag of his country. The right to carry the flag is very honorable for athletes. As a rule, this right is entrusted to the most titled and respected athletes.

delivery of welcoming speeches by the President of the IOC (obligatory), the head or official representative of the state in which the Games are held, sometimes the mayor of the city or the chairman of the Organizing Committee. The latter at the end of the speech should say the words: "(the serial number of the games) I declare the summer (winter) Olympic Games open." After that, as a rule, a cannon volley and many volleys of salute and fireworks are fired.

raising the flag of Greece as the parent country of the Games with the performance of its national anthem.

raising the flag of the host country of the Games with the performance of its national anthem.

utterance by one of the outstanding athletes of the country in which the Olympics take place, Olympic oath on behalf of all the participants of the games about a fair fight in accordance with the rules and principles of sports and the Olympic spirit (in recent years, words about the non-use of prohibited drugs - doping) have also been spoken;

oath of impartial refereeing by several judges on behalf of all judges;

raising the Olympic flag and playing the official Olympic anthem.

sometimes - raising the flag of Peace (a blue cloth, which depicts a white dove holding an olive branch in its beak - two traditional symbols of Peace), symbolizing the tradition to stop all armed conflicts for the duration of the Games.

crowns the opening ceremony Olympic flame. The fire is ignited by the sun's rays Olympia(Greece) in the Temple pagan Greek god Apollo(in ancient Greece Apollo considered the patron saint of the Games). "High Priestess" Hera says a prayer like this: Apollo, the god of the sun and the idea of light, send your rays and light the sacred torch for the hospitable city ... (name of the city) " . “The Olympic torch relay was held until 2007 all over the world. Now, for the purposes of the anti-terrorist campaign, the torch is carried only in the country in which the games are held. The relay is of great interest in all countries through which the path of the Olympic flame lies It is considered a great honor to carry the torch The first part of the relay passes through the cities of Greece The last part of the relay passes through the cities of the host country The torch is delivered to the host city. Athletes from this country deliver the torch to the central stadium at the very end of the ceremony. At the stadium, the torch is carried around the circle several times, passing from hand to hand, until it is given to the athlete who is entrusted with the right to light the Olympic flame. This right is the most honorable .The fire is ignited in a special bowl, the design of which is unique for every Olympics. Also, the organizers always try to come up with an original and interesting way of lighting. The bowl is located high above the stadium. The fire must burn throughout the Olympics and is extinguished at the end of the closing ceremony.

presentation to the winners and prize-winners of the competition medals on a special podium with a rise state flags and fulfillment of the national anthem in honor of the winners.

During the closing ceremony, there is also a theatrical performance - farewell to the Olympics, the passage of participants, a speech by the President of the IOC and a representative of the host country. However, the closing of the Olympics is announced by the President of the IOC. This is followed by the performance of the country's anthem, the Olympic anthem, while the flags are lowered. The representative of the host country solemnly passes the Olympic flag to the President of the IOC, who in turn passes it to the representative of the Organizing Committee of the next Olympiad. This is followed by a short introduction of the next city hosting the Games. At the end of the ceremony, the Olympic flame is slowly extinguished to lyrical music.

FROM 1932 host city builds" Olympic village» - a complex of residential premises for participants in the games.

The organizers of the Games are developing the symbolism of the Olympics: the official emblem and mascot of the Games. The emblem usually has a unique design, stylized according to the characteristics of a given country. The emblem and mascot of the Games are an integral part of the souvenirs produced on the eve of the Games in large quantities. Souvenir sales can make up a large portion of Olympic revenue, but they don't always cover costs.

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).

Winners of the Summer Olympic Games in the team event

Olympic number	Year	1st place	2nd place	3rd place
			Greece	Germany
		France		Great Britain
			Germany	Cuba
		Great Britain		Sweden
			Sweden	Great Britain
		did not take place due to World War 1
			Sweden	Great Britain
			Finland	France
			Germany	Finland
			Italy	France
		Germany		Hungary

		did not take place due to World War II
			Sweden	France
			the USSR	Hungary
		the USSR		Australia
		the USSR		Italy
			the USSR	Japan
			the USSR	Japan
		the USSR
		the USSR
		the USSR		Bulgaria
			Romania
		the USSR
		United team		Germany
			Russia	Germany
			Russia	China
			China	Russia
		China		Russia
			China	Great Britain

Winners of the Winter Olympic Games in the team event

Olympic number	Year	1st place	2nd place	3rd place
		Norway	Finland	Austria
		Norway		Sweden
			Norway	Sweden
		Norway	Germany	Sweden
		did not take place due to World War II
		did not take place due to World War II
		Norway	Sweden	Switzerland
		Norway		Finland
		the USSR	Austria	Finland
		the USSR	Germany
		the USSR	Austria	Norway
		Norway	the USSR	France
		the USSR		Switzerland
		the USSR
		the USSR
			the USSR
		the USSR		Switzerland
		Germany	United team	Norway
		Russia	Norway	Germany
		Germany	Norway	Russia
		Norway	Germany
		Germany		Austria
		Canada	Germany

Rank Olympic champion is the most honored and desired in a career athlete in the sports for which the Olympic tournaments. Cm. Olympic sports. The exceptions are football, baseball, and other playing sports that take place in open areas, since either youth teams take part in them (football - up to 23 years old), or not the strongest players come because of the tight game schedule.

the USSR participated in the Summer Games since 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, in winter - from 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo. After collapse of the USSR on the Summer Olympics 1992 in Barcelona country athletes CIS, including Russia, participated in the joint team under a common flag, and starting from Winter Olympics 1994 in Lillehammer- in separate teams under their own flags.

A number of Games have been held since Boycott the Olympics for political and other protest reasons. Especially massive was the boycott of summer 1980 Olympics in Moscow(from Western countries) and 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles(from the countries of the socialist camp).

amateur spirit

Coubertin originally wanted to make the Olympic Games amateur a competition in which there is no place for professionals involved in sports for money. It was believed that those who received money for playing sports had an unfair advantage over those who practiced sports as hobby. Not even allowed trainers and those who received cash prizes for participation. In particular, Jim Thorpe in 1913 was deprived of medals - it turned out that he played semi-professional baseball.

After the war, with the professionalization of European sports and the emergence of state-subsidized Soviet “amateurs” on the international stage, the requirement for amateurism in most sports fell away. At the moment in the Olympic Games amateur are boxing(fights go according to the rules of amateur boxing) and football(youth team competitions - all players, except for three, must be under 23 years old).

Financing

Financing of the Olympic Games (as well as directly organizing them) is carried out by the Organizing Committee established in the host country. The bulk of the commercial revenues from the games (primarily the major sponsors of the IOC's marketing program and television broadcast revenues) go to the International Olympic Committee. In turn, the IOC directs half of these funds to the organizing committees, and uses the other half for its own needs and the development of the Olympic movement. The Organizing Committee also receives 95% of the proceeds from ticket sales. But the main part of the funding in recent decades has, as a rule, come from public sources, and the main costs are not for hosting the games, but for infrastructure development. Thus, the main part of the costs during the Olympic Games in London in 2012 fell on the reconstruction of areas adjacent to the Olympic Park.

In time immemorial organized by Hercules in the 1210s. They were held once every five years, but then for unknown reasons this tradition was interrupted and was revived under King Ifit.

The first Olympic Games in Greece were not numbered, they were called solely by the name of the winner, and in the then only type of competition - running a certain distance.

Ancient authors, based on materials, began counting the competitions from 776 BC. e., it was from this year that the Olympic Games became known by the name of the athlete who won them. However, there is an opinion that they simply failed to establish the names of the earlier winners, and therefore the holding itself could not be considered a valid and reliable fact at that time.

The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia - a town located in southern Greece. Participants and tens of thousands of spectators from many cities of Hellas traveled to the place by sea or by land.

Runners, as well as wrestlers, throwers of discs or spears, jumpers, fisticuffs participated in competitions in agility and strength. The games were held in the hottest month of the summer, and at this time wars between the policies were forbidden.

Heralds throughout the year carried the news to the cities of all Greece about the announcement of the sacred world and that the roads leading to Olympia were safe.

All Greeks had the right to participate in the competition: the poor, and the noble, and the rich, and the humble. Only women were not allowed to attend them, even as spectators.

The first, as well as the subsequent ones, in Greece were dedicated to the great Zeus, it was an exclusively male holiday. According to legend, a very brave Greek woman in men's clothing secretly entered the city of Olympia to watch her son perform. And when he won, the mother, unable to restrain herself, rushed to him in delight. The unfortunate woman was supposed to be executed according to the law, but out of respect for her victorious offspring, they were pardoned.

Almost ten months before the start of the Olympic Games, everyone who was going to participate in them was required to start training in their cities. Day after day, for ten consecutive months, the athletes practiced continuously, and a month before the opening of the competition they arrived in southern Greece and there, not far from Olympia, continued their training.

Usually, most of the participants in the games were usually wealthy people, because the poor could not afford to train for a whole year and not work.

The first Olympic Games lasted only five days.

On the fifth day, a table made of ivory and gold was set up in front of the temple of the main god Zeus, and awards for the winners were placed on it - olive wreaths.

The winners approached one by one to the supreme judge, who placed these award wreaths on their heads. When publicly announced the name of the athlete and his city. At the same time, the audience exclaimed: “Glory to the winner!”.

The fame of the Olympic Games has survived many centuries. And today every inhabitant of the planet knows five rings, which mean the unity of the continents.

The first Olympic Games of modern times laid the foundation for the tradition of taking the oath. There is also another wonderful tradition: to light the Olympic flame in Greece, as in ancient times, and then carry it in a relay race through the countries in the hands of people devoted to sports, to the venue of the next Olympics.

And although as a result of a strong earthquake all Olympic buildings of antiquity were wiped off the face of the earth, however, in the 18th century, as a result of excavations in ancient Olympia, many attributes of the then games were found.

And already at the end of the 19th century, the permanent and first Baron de Coubertin, inspired by the works of the archaeologist Curtius, revived the games, and also wrote a code that defines the rules for their conduct - the “Olympic Charter”.