How often are the olympic games held
How often are the olympic games held
How Often Are the Olympics?
Pyeongchang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Editorial credit: SiHo / Shutterstock.com
Modern Olympics or Olympic Games are the top international sporting event comprising of both winter and summer sports competitions where numerous athletes from different countries across the world participate in various competitions. With over 200 participating countries, the event is considered the foremost competition for sports in the world. The Olympic Games are held after four years but the winter and Summer Olympic Games alternate, each being held every four years but two years part.
Ancient Olympics
The Winter and Summer Olympic Games was an idea that was inspired by the ancient Olympics. The ancient Olympics were initially hosted in Olympia, a site found in Greece between the eighth century BCE and the fourth century CE. Established in 1894, by its founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) became the Olympics’ governing body. Founding of the IOC resulted in the first modern Olympics which were held in Athens, Greece. The International Olympic Committee is the Olympic Movement’s governing body while the Olympic Charter defines its authority and structure.
History of the Modern Olympics
Greece held the 1st modern Olympic in 1896, with the games taking place every 4 years thereafter. The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France in 1924 before the Olympic Games in Paris. The games were held on a four-year interval until 1936, and then interrupted by World War II. No games were held in 1940 and 1944, but they resumed in 1948. The Winter Olympic Games and the Summer Olympic Games were held in the same year until 1986, when a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) schedule the two games on separate four-year intervals. As such, the Summer and Winter Olympics are now held every four years, but two years apart.
Evolution of the Olympic Movement
The Olympic Movement’s evolution between the 20th and 21st centuries led to many changes in the Olympic Games. For instance, the introduction of the Paralympics for athletes with disabilities such as visually and intellectually impaired, people with paraplegia, athletes with impaired muscle power, and many others. Other adjustments include the creation of the Youth Olympic Games for athletes who are teenagers and the Winter Olympics for winter and ice sports. The IOC also endorses Special Olympics and Deaflympics. Similarly, the IOC has been faced with the challenge of adapting to different technological, economic, and political adjustments. At present, more than 13,000 athletes participate in almost 400 events and 33 different sports during the Winter and Summer Olympic Games. All the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in every Olympic Game are awarded a gold, silver, and bronze medal respectively.
Upcoming Olympics
There are five cities in line to host upcoming Summer and Winter Olympics. Pyeongchang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. In 2022, Beijing will host the Winter Olympics and therefore become the only city to have hosted both the Summer and Winter versions of the Olympic games. Paris and Los Angeles will host the 2024 and 2028 Olympics respectively.
Olympic Games
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The Olympic Games are an athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and were revived in the late 19th century. They are the world’s foremost sports competition and include athletes from all over the world.
The first Olympic Games had achieved major importance in Greece by the end of the 6th century BCE. They began to lose popularity when Greece was conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BCE, and the Games were officially abolished about 400 CE because of their pagan associations. The Olympics were revived in the late 19th century, with the first modern Games being held in Greece is 1896.
The Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games are each held every four years. After 1992, when both a Summer and Winter Games were held, they have been held on a staggered two-year schedule so that the Olympic Games occur every two years in either summer or winter.
The International Olympic Committee chooses the location of each Olympic Games. The choice is based on applications made by the chief authority of a city, with support of the national government.
In individual Olympic events the award for first place is a gold medal, for second place a silver medal, and for third place a bronze medal. Diplomas are awarded for fourth through eighth places, and all competitors and officials receive a commemorative medal.
Winning a bid to host the Olympic Games has been considered a major boon for any city, but not all agree. Proponents believe that hosting the Olympic Games can increase valuable tourism, boost local economies, and grow a host country’s global trade and stature. Others maintain, however, that the Olympics are a financial drain on host cities and force them to create expensive infrastructure and buildings that fall into disuse. Learn more at ProCon.org.
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Olympic Games, athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and was revived in the late 19th century. Before the 1970s the Games were officially limited to competitors with amateur status, but in the 1980s many events were opened to professional athletes. Currently, the Games are open to all, even the top professional athletes in basketball and football (soccer). The ancient Olympic Games included several of the sports that are now part of the Summer Games program, which at times has included events in as many as 32 different sports. In 1924 the Winter Games were sanctioned for winter sports. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition.
The ancient Olympic Games
Origins
Just how far back in history organized athletic contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago. However ancient in origin, by the end of the 6th century bce at least four Greek sporting festivals, sometimes called “classical games,” had achieved major importance: the Olympic Games, held at Olympia; the Pythian Games at Delphi; the Nemean Games at Nemea; and the Isthmian Games, held near Corinth. Later, similar festivals were held in nearly 150 cities as far afield as Rome, Naples, Odessus, Antioch, and Alexandria.
Competition and status
Boxing was introduced in 688 bce and chariot racing eight years later. In 648 bce the pancratium (from Greek pankration), a kind of no-holds-barred combat, was included. This brutal contest combined wrestling, boxing, and street fighting. Kicking and hitting a downed opponent were allowed; only biting and gouging (thrusting a finger or thumb into an opponent’s eye) were forbidden. Between 632 and 616 bce events for boys were introduced. And from time to time further events were added, including a footrace in which athletes ran in partial armour and contests for heralds and for trumpeters. The program, however, was not nearly so varied as that of the modern Olympics. There were neither team games nor ball games, and the athletics (track and field) events were limited to the four running events and the pentathlon mentioned above. Chariot races and horse racing, which became part of the ancient Games, were held in the hippodrome south of the stadium.
In the early centuries of Olympic competition, all the contests took place on one day; later the Games were spread over four days, with a fifth devoted to the closing-ceremony presentation of prizes and a banquet for the champions. In most events the athletes participated in the nude. Through the centuries scholars have sought to explain this practice. Theories have ranged from the eccentric (to be nude in public without an erection demonstrated self-control) to the usual anthropological, religious, and social explanations, including the following: (1) nudity bespeaks a rite of passage, (2) nudity was a holdover from the days of hunting and gathering, (3) nudity had, for the Greeks, a magical power to ward off harm, and (4) public nudity was a kind of costume of the upper class. Historians grasp at dubious theories because, in Judeo-Christian society, to compete nude in public seems odd, if not scandalous. Yet ancient Greeks found nothing shameful about nudity, especially male nudity. Therefore, the many modern explanations of Greek athletic nudity are in the main unnecessary.
Olympic games
The Olympic Games (often referred to simply as The Olympics) are the worlds premier multi-sport international athletic competition held every four years in various locations. Separate summer and winter games are now held two years apart from each other. Until 1992, they were held in the same year.
The original Olympic Games began in c. 776 B.C.E. in Olympia, Greece, and were hosted for nearly a thousand years, until 393 C.E.. The Greek games were one of the splendors of the ancient world, so much so that warring factions took breaks so their athletes could compete. The games gradually lost popular support, however, as the ascendant Roman Empire hosted far bloodier and more spectacular gladiatorial combat, and the later Christianized empire saw the games as recalling pagan festivals.
Greek philanthropist Evangelos Zappas sponsored the first modern international Olympic Games in 1859. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894, and the first of the IOC’s Olympic Games were the 1896 Summer Olympics, held in Athens. Participation in the Olympic Games has increased to include athletes from nearly all nations worldwide. With the improvement of satellite communications and global telecasts of the events, the Olympics have grown into a global media phenomenon, with cities worldwide vying for the coveted opportunity to host the games.
Contents
When the modern Olympics resumed in 1896, there was hope that such grand-scale athletic competition could be a force for peace. Competitive sports showcase human excellence, self mastery, and cooperative teamwork. Sports are played in remote villages and great cities on every continent and provide a bridge across religious, social, and ethnic divides. For a time the Olympic dream lasted, yet as world war twice engulfed nations in the twentieth century, and the Cold War divided peoples and states, the Olympics succumbed to nationalistic triumphalism, cheating scandals, and crass commercialism. The Olympics continue to engender pride in human accomplishment and respect for political adversaries, yet the promise of the Olympics to rise above about political divisions and exemplify human ideals remains to be realized.
Ancient Olympics
According to legend, the divine hero Heracles was the creator of the Olympic Games and built the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings as an honor to his father Zeus, after completing his 12 labors. According to that legend he walked in a straight line for 400 strides and called this distance a «stadion» (Greek: «Στάδιον»), which later also became a distance calculation unit. This is also why a modern stadium is 400 meters in circumference length. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of ἐκεχειρία (ekecheiria) or Olympic Truce, in which a solemn truce was enacted between warring city-states to allow athletes to compete in the Games. The date of the Games’ is often reconstructed as 776 B.C.E., although scholarly opinion ranges between dates as early as 884 B.C.E. and as late as 704 B.C.E.
The Games quickly became an important institution throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E.. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honoring both Zeus (whose colossal statue stood at Olympia), and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia, famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honor the games were held.
At first involving only a foot race, then wrestling and the pentathlon, the number of events increased to 20, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly admired and were immortalized in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an ‘Olympiad’. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in the sixth century B.C.E., wrestler Milo of Croton, the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics.
The Games gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power in Greece. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a pagan festival in discord with Christian ethics, and in 393 C.E. the emperor Theodosius I outlawed the Olympics, ending a thousand-year tradition.
During ancient times normally only young men could participate. Competitors were usually naked, as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would not only have the prestige of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of olive leaves.
Even though the bearing of a torch formed an integral aspect of many Greek ceremonies, the ancient Olympic Games did not include it, nor was there a symbol formed by interconnecting rings. These Olympic symbols were introduced as part of the modern Olympic Games.
Revival
In the early seventeenth century, an «Olympick Games» sports festival was run for several years at Chipping Campden in the English Cotswolds, and the present day local Cotswold Games trace their origin to this festival. In 1850, an «Olympian Class» was begun at Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England. This was renamed «Wenlock Olympian Games» in 1859 and continues to this day as the Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games. A national Olympic Games was organized by their founder, Dr William Penny Brookes, at Crystal Palace in London, in 1866.
Meanwhile, a wealthy Greek [[philanthropy|philanthropist], Evangelos Zappas, sponsored the revival of the first modern international Olympic Games. The first of these were held in an Athens city square in 1859. Zappas paid for the refurbishment of the ancient Panathenian stadium, which was first used for an Olympic Games in 1870 and then again in 1875. The revival included athletes from two countries, representing very different cultures: Greece and the Ottoman Empire.
The interest in reviving the Olympics as an international event grew further when the ruins of ancient Olympia were uncovered by German archaeologists in the mid-nineteenth century. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee, and at a congress at the Sorbonne University, in Paris, held from June 16 to June 23, 1894, it was decided that the first IOC Olympic Games would take place in 1896 in Athens, in the country of their birth. To organize the Games, Demetrius Vikelas was named as the IOC’s first president. The Panathenian stadium that was used for Olympic Games in 1870, and 1875 was refurbished and used again for the Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.
The total number of athletes at the first IOC Olympic Games, less than 250, seems small by modern standards, but the games were the largest international sports event ever held until that time. Greek officials and the public were very enthusiastic and proposed to have the monopoly over organizing the Olympics. The IOC decided differently, however, and the second Olympic Games took place in Paris. This was also the first Olympic Games where women were allowed to compete.
Modern Olympics
After the initial success, the Olympics struggled. The celebrations in Paris (1900) and St. Louis (1904) were overshadowed by the World’s Fair exhibitions in which they were included. The 1906 Intercalated Games (so called because of their off-year status) were held in Athens. Although originally the IOC recognized and supported these games, they are currently not recognized by the IOC as official Olympic Games. The 1906 Games, however, again attracted a broad international field of participants—in 1904 at St. Louis, 80 percent had been American—and of great public interest, thereby marking the beginning of a rise in popularity and size of the Games.
From the 241 participants from 14 nations in 1896, the Games grew to more than 11,000 competitors from 202 countries at the 2004 Summer Olympics, again held in Athens. The number of competitors at the Winter Olympics is much smaller than at the Summer Games; at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin Italy, 2,633 athletes from 80 countries competed in 84 events.
The Olympics are one of the world’s largest media events. In Sydney in 2000 there were over 16,000 broadcasters and journalists, and an estimated 3.8 billion viewers watched the games on television. The growth of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today. Although allowing professional athletes and attracting sponsorships from major international companies solved financial problems in the 1980s, the large number of athletes, media and spectators makes it difficult and expensive for host cities to organize the Olympics.
At last count, 203 nations participated in the Olympics. This is a noticeably higher number than the number of countries recognized by the United Nations, which is only 193. This is because the IOC allows colonies and dependencies to sponsor their own Olympic teams and athletes even if such competitors hold the same citizenship as another member nation.
Amateurism and professionalism
The English public schools of the second half of the nineteenth century had a major influence on many sports. They subscribed to the Ancient Greek and Roman belief that sport formed an important part of education.
Initially, professional athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. A short-lived exception was made for professional fencing instructors. This exclusion of professionals has caused several controversies throughout the history of the modern Olympics. The 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon champion, Jim Thorpe, was disqualified when it was discovered that he played semi-professional baseball prior to winning his medals. He was restored as a champion on compassionate grounds by the IOC in 1983. Swiss and Austrian skiers boycotted the 1936 Winter Olympics in support of their skiing teachers, who were not allowed to compete because they earned money with their sport and were considered professionals.
It gradually became clear to many that the amateurism rules had become outdated, not least because the self-financed amateurs of Western countries often were no match for the state-sponsored «full-time amateurs» of Eastern-bloc countries. In addition, many of the world’s best athletes could not participate in important spectator sports, reducing the popularity of some Olympic contests.
In the 1970s, amateurism requirements were dropped from the Olympic Charter, leaving decisions on professional participation to the international federation for each sport. As of 2004, the only sport in which no professionals compete is boxing; and in men’s football (soccer), the number of players over 23 years-of-age is limited to three per team.
Olympic sports
Currently, the Olympic program consists of 35 different sports, 53 disciplines, and more than 400 events. The Summer Olympics includes 28 sports with 38 disciplines and the Winter Olympics includes seven sports with 15 disciplines.
Nine sports were on the original modern Olympic program in 1896: athletics, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, weightlifting, shooting, swimming, tennis, and wrestling. rowing events were scheduled as well, but had to be canceled due to bad weather.
Cross country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating have been featured on the program at all Winter Olympics. Figure skating and ice hockey also had been contested as part of the Summer Games before the introduction of separate Winter Olympics.
In recent years, the IOC has added several new sports to the program to attract attention from young spectators. Examples of such sports include snowboarding and beach volleyball. The growth of the Olympics also means that some less popular (modern pentathlon) or expensive (white water canoeing) sports may lose their place on the Olympic program. The IOC decided to discontinue baseball and softball beginning in 2012.
Rule 48.1 of the Olympic Charter requires that there be a minimum of 15 Olympic sports at each Summer Games. However, each sport may have many «events,» such as competitions in various weight classes, styles (as in swimming styles), men’s and women’s events, etc. Following the 2002 Games, the IOC decided to limit the program of the Summer Games to a maximum of 28 sports, 301 events, and 10,500 athletes.
The Olympic sports are defined as those governed by the International Federations listed in Rule 46 of the Olympic Charter. A two-thirds vote of the IOC is required to amend the Charter to promote a Recognized Federation to Olympic status and therefore make the sports it governs eligible for inclusion on the Olympic program. Rule 47 of the Charter requires that only Olympic sports may be included in the program.
The IOC reviews the Olympic program at the first Session following each Olympiad. A simple majority is required for an Olympic sport to be included in the Olympic program. Under the current rules, an Olympic sport not selected for inclusion in a particular Games remains an Olympic sport and may be included again later with a simple majority. The IOC has slated 26 sports to be included in the program for London 2012.
Until 1992, the Olympics also often featured demonstration sports. The objective was for these sports to reach a larger audience; the winners of these events are not official Olympic champions. These sports were sometimes sports popular only in the host nation, but internationally known sports have also been demonstrated. Some demonstration sports eventually were included as full-medal events.
Olympic champions and medalists
The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive «gold medals.» (Though they were solid gold until 1912, they are now made of gilded silver.) The runners-up receive silver medals, and the third-place athletes receive bronze medals. In some events contested by a single-elimination tournament (most notably boxing), a third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the 1896 Olympics only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in 1900. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as «victory diplomas;» since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals.
Athletes and the public often consider Olympic medals as more valuable than world championships and medals from other international tournaments. Many athletes have become heroes in their own country after becoming Olympic champions.
The IOC ranks countries according to a medal tally chart based on the number of gold medals awarded to each country. Where states have equal numbers of gold medals, the number of silver medals, and then bronze medals, are counted to determine rankings.
Olympic Movement
A number of organizations are involved in organizing the Olympic Games. Together they form the Olympic Movement. The rules and guidelines by which these organizations operate are outlined in the Olympic Charter.
At the heart of the Olympic Movement is the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It can be seen as the government of the Olympics, as it takes care of the daily problems and makes all important decisions, such as choosing the host city of the Games, and the program of the Olympics.
Three groups of organizations operate on a more specialized level:
At present, 202 NOCs and 35 IFs are part of the Olympic Movement. OCOGs are dissolved after the celebration of each Games, once all subsequent paperwork has been completed.
More broadly speaking, the term Olympic Movement is sometimes also meant to include everybody and everything involved in the Olympics, such as national sport governing bodies, athletes, media, and sponsors of the Olympic Games.
Olympic symbols
The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing IOC founder Coubertin’s ideals. The best-known symbol is the Olympic Rings. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five inhabited continents (with America regarded as one single continent). They appear in five colors on a white field on the Olympic Flag. These colors, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colors in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown was the Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.
The official Olympic Motto is «Citius, Altius, Fortius,» a Latin phrase meaning «Swifter, Higher, Stronger.» Coubertin’s ideals are probably best illustrated by the Olympic Creed:
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.
The Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia, Greece and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. The torch fire has been featured since 1928, but the relay was not introduced until 1936.
The Olympic mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in 1968. It has played an important part of the games since 1980 with the debut of misha, a Russian bear.
French and English are the two official languages of the Olympic Movement.
Olympic ceremonies
Opening
Apart from the traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the hoisting of the host country’s flag and the performing of its national anthem. The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a «parade of nations» (or of athletes), during which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. One honored athlete, typically a top competitor, from each country carries the flag of his or her nation, leading the entourage of other athletes from that country.
Greece normally marches first, because of its historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. All other participating nations march in alphabetical order based on the dominant language of the host country, or in French or English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language in an alphabet with a set order. For example, in the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, nations entered in English alphabetical.
After all nations have entered, the president of the host country’s Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president who, at the end of his speech introduces the person who is going to declare the Games open. Despite the Games having been awarded to a particular city and not to the country in general, the opener is usually the host country’s Head of State.
Next, the Olympic flag is carried horizontally (since the 1960 Summer Olympics) into the stadium and hoisted as the Olympic Anthem is played. The flag bearers of all countries circle a rostrum, where one athlete and one judge speak the Olympic Oath, declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules. Finally, the Olympic Torch is brought into the stadium, passed from athlete to athlete, until it reaches the last carrier of the Torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, who lights the fire in the stadium’s cauldron. The Olympic Flame has been lit since the 1928 Summer Olympics, but the torch relay did not start until the 1936 Summer Olympics. Beginning at the post-World War I 1920 Summer Olympics, the lighting of the Olympic Flame was for 68 years followed by the release of doves, symbolizing peace. This gesture was discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Closing ceremonies
Various traditional elements also frame the closing ceremonies of an Olympic Games, which take place after all of the events have concluded. Flag bearers from each participating delegation enter the stadium in single file, but behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping of nationality. This tradition began at the 1956 Summer Olympics at the suggestion of Melbourne schoolboy John Ian Wing, who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as «one nation.» (In 2006, the athletes marched in with their countrymen, then dispersed and mingled as the ceremonies went on).
Three national flags are each hoisted onto flagpoles one at a time while their respective national anthems are played: The flag of Greece on the right-hand pole (again honoring the birthplace of the Olympic Games), the flag of the host country on the middle pole, and finally the flag of the host country of the next Summer or Winter Olympic Games, on the left-hand pole. (Exceptionally, in 2004, when the Games were held in Athens, only one flag of Greece was raised.)
In what is known as the «Antwerp Ceremony» (because the tradition started during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp), the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Olympic Flag to the president of the IOC, who then passes it on to the mayor of the next city to host the Olympic Games. The receiving mayor then waves the flag eight times. There are three such flags, differing from all other copies in that they have a six-colored fringe around the flag, and are tied with six colored ribbons to a flagstaff:
After these traditional elements, the next host nation introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of that country. This tradition began with the 1976 Games.
The president of the host country’s Olympic Organizing Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech formally closes the Olympics, by saying:
The Olympic Flame is extinguished, and while the Olympic anthem is being played, the Olympic Flag that was hoisted during the opening ceremonies is lowered from the flagpole and horizontally carried out of the stadium.
References
External links
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The Olympic Games in Questions and Answers
1. What is an important symbol of the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games are the world’s number one sporting event. But a chance to win gold and glory isn’t all the Games stand for. They are also an important symbol for billions of people around the globe – a symbol of hope, peace and friendly co-operation between nations.
Physical culture is a component of the culture of humanity. “In a healthy body there is a healthy spirit”. This aphorism came to us from distant ancestors. The Olympic Games are the sport festival where almost all kinds of sports are present in contrast to world championships, for example.
2. Why are the Games called “the Olympics”?
The Games are called the Olympics because they started in Olympia, Greece.
3. What was Olympia?
Olympia was an ancient Greek town. This was the place of the Zeus cult and realization of the Olympic Games.
4. What is Mt. Olympus?
Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece (2911 m). In Greek mythology Olympus is the holy mountain where the Greek Gods (with Zeus at the head) lived. Olympus is the meeting or the assembly of the Olympic Gods, too.
5. Who were the Olympians?
The Olympians were Greek mythological Gods who lived on Mt. Olympus. They were supposed to be indifferent to the sufferings and emotions of people. Hence, a figurative sense of the world “Olympian” developed. It means a man who keeps imperturbable calm – Olympian calm. Olympians are Olympic competitors, too.
6. Where and when did the original Olympic Games begin?
The original Olympic games began in Olympia in Ancient Greece in 776 BC.
7. Who founded the original Olympic games?
According to Greek mythology Heracles had already accomplished his twelve labours, had become free from the service for Eurystheus, when he decided to avenge himself on Augeas for he had not given the promised reward to Heracles. His revenge was terrible. After his victory Heracles gathered his forces and all his rich booty, made sacrifices to the Olympic Gods and founded the Olympic Games. Since that time they have been held in the Holy valley which had been planted by Heracles with olive trees dedicated to the goddess Athena-Pallada.
8. How often were the Olympic Games held?
The Olympic Games were held every four years. They lasted five days. During this period general peace was declared all over Greece. Before beginning and after competing the Olympic Games plentiful sacrifices were made to Zeus.
9. Who competed in the ancient Olympic Games?
Soldiers competed in the ancient games. The early games were limited to men.
10. What was the first competition?
The first competition was for foot races.
11. What competitions were classical?
Classical competitions were wrestling, javelin-throwing, running, athletics, art competitions and others.
12. How was the main winner honoured?
The main winner was crowned with laurels, and that was the highest honour which a Greek could reach. Four years (Olympiad) were called by his name, hymns were sung to honour him.
13. When did the Ancient Olympic Games end?
In 394 the Ancient Olympic Games were abolished by order of the Roman emperor Theodosius II “to stop this pagan abomination”. In 426 Olympia was burnt by order of the emperor. All luxurious buildings in the place where the Olympic Games took place and the temple of Zeus became ruins. Only the excavations of the 19th century (130 statues, about 13,000 bronze items, about 10,000 inscriptions and others were found) gave us the possibility to get the correct picture of former Olympia and Olympic Games.
14. Who founded the Modern Olympics? When? Where? Why?
The Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympics in Athens in 1896 to reunite the world through sports.
15. What is the principle of the modern Olympic movement?
Merely participating in the Olympic Games is a victory in itself. The failure to win a medal should not diminish the honour of having participated in a contest with the world’s best athletes. The principle of the Olympic movement is contained in the words of Pierre de Coubertin: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well.”
16. What is the Olympic Charter?
It is the name of the regulations of the Olympic Games. The basics were worked out by Pierre de Coubertin and confirmed by the International Sports Congress in 1894 in Paris.
17. When did women start competing?
Women started competing in 1912.
18. Where and when did the Winter Olympic Games begin?
The Winter Olympic Games began in Chamonit (France) in 1924.
19. What sports can be on the Olympic Games programme?
If in 20–25 countries of two-three continents people go in for a definite sport, this sport can be in the Olympic Games programme for women. If in 40 countries of three continents people go in for the sport, this sport can be in the Summer Olympic Games programme for men. These sports are included in the programme of the Olympic Games by the decision of the International Olympic Committee.
The programme of the Summer Olympic Games includes track-and-field events, gymnastics, weight-lifting, football, volleyball, basketball, swimming, diving and water polo, wrestling, shooting, yachting, cycling, boxing, horse racing, equestrian sports, fencing, archery, handball, field hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing and canoeing sports, callisthenics, synchronized swimming, and chess.
20. What is the Olympic symbol?
Five interlocked rings of blue, black, red (the upper row), yellow and green (the lower row) colours symbolize the five continents united into the Olympic movement.
De Coubertin suggested this symbol in 1913 and since 1920 it has been used.
21. What does every ring symbolize?
The blue ring symbolizes Europe, the black ring – Africa, the red ring – America, the yellow ring – Asia, the green ring – Australia.
22. What is the Olympic flag?
The Olympic flag has a white background with no border. In the centre there is placed the Olympic symbol of five interlocked rings. The Olympic flag appeared in Olympic competition for the first time at Antwerp in 1920.
23. What is the Olympics motto? What does it mean?
The Olympics motto is “Citius, altius, fortius”. These Latin words mean: “Faster, higher, stronger”. Since 1920 it has been used in the Olympics.
24. What mascots of the Olympic Games do you know?
The mascot of Moscow 1980 Olympic Games was bear “Misha”. The mascot of Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games was a cartoon dog “Cobi”. The mascot of Athens 2004 Olympic Games for Russian sportsmen was “Cheburashka”.
25. What is the emblem of the anniversary Athens 2004 Olympic Games?
It is the laurel wreath placed on champions heads.
26. What happens at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games?
At the opening ceremony there is a parade of all sportsmen of every nation who take part in the Olympic Games. In the front of every team they carry their national flag. Participators wear different beautiful uniforms. Countries-participators enter in alphabetical order. The team of Greece is the first by tradition, the team of the organizing country of the Olympic Games is the last. The chairman of the Olympic Community makes a speech. The Olympic anthem is played. The Olympic flag is raised on the flag pole. The Olympic flame is lit. One of the sportsmen-participants takes an oath on behalf of all the sportsmen to observe all the principles of the competition. One of the judges takes an oath on behalf of all the judges that the judging will be honest and impartial. After the parade a cultural performance takes place.
27. What do you know about the Olympic flame?
The Olympic flame has been the traditional attribute of the Olympic Games since 1936. It is set aflame by the sun’s rays on Mt. Olympus and then it is carried hand-to-hand by relays of runners from the original site of the Olympic Games of Olympia around the world to the solemn opening at the capital of the Olympic Games where it burns in the special bowl in the stadium. As a symbol of peace among men, the flame represents the basic spiritual significance of this classic competition.
28. Where do sportsmen live during the Olympic Games?
They live in the Olympic Village. This is a complex of dwelling houses for sportsmen-participators. The building of the Olympic Village is a duty of the city-organizer of the Olympic Games.
29. What are the Olympic awards?
Olympic awards are medals.
30. What do the winners of the Olympic Games receive?
The first place winner receives a gold medal, the second place winner receives a silver medal and the third place winner receives a bronze medal.
31. What sort of games are the paralympics? Who are these games for?
The paralympics is for people with a physical disability. They were first held in Rome in 1960. The athletes take part in 19 different sports. They play tennis and snooker, do judo and weight lifting, bike, swim, run and jump.
32. When did Russia begin to take part in the Olympic Games?
Russia began to take part in the Olympic Games in 1908.
33. Where and when were the 22nd summer Olympic Games held?
The 22nd summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow in 1980 (from July 19 to August 3). Many athletes, guests, journalists came to Moscow. It was the first time the Olympic Games were held in our country.
34. What medals did our sportsmen win during the 22nd Olympic Games?
Our sportsmen won 80 gold, 69 silver and 46 bronze medals during these Games.
35. What significant event happened on July, 28 during the Olympiad? Why were the stands at the stadium almost empty?
It happened because Moscow buried Vladimir Vysotsky.
36. Do you know when and where the Olympic Games took place?
I – 1896 Athens, Greece
II – 1900 Paris, France
III – 1904 Saint Louis, USA
V – 1912 Stockholm, Sweden
VII – 1920 Antwerp, Belguim
VIII – 1924 Paris, France
IX – 1928 Amsterdam, Netherlands
X – 1932 New York City, USA
XI – 1936 Berlin, Germany
XIV – 1948 London, Great Britain
XV – 1952 Helsinki, Finland
XVI – 1956 Melbourne, Australia
XVII – 1960 Rome, Italy
XVIII – 1964 Tokyo, Japan
XIX – 1968 Mexico, Mexico
XX – 1972 Munich, West Germany
XXI – 1976 Montreal, Canada
XXII – 1980 Moscow, Russia
XXIII – 1984 Los Angeles, USA
XXIV – 1988 Seoul, South Korea
XXV – 1992 Barcelona, Spain
XXVI – 1996 Atlanta, USA
XXVII – 2000 Sydney, Australia
XXVIII – 2004 Athens, Greece
37. Why were the Olympic Games VI, XII, XIII cancelled?
They were cancelled because of World War I and II.
38. Why aren’t the Winter Olympic Games held in leap years now?
In 1992 the Olympic Committee decided to transfer the Winter Olympic Games from a leap-year in an even year in order not to hold two Games in the same year.
By Lyudmila Pechenina, Likhoslavl, Tver Reg.
Урок английского языка по теме » Олимпийские игры»
Учитель английского языка Гридчина Светлана Викторовна
Муниципальное бюджетное общеобразовательное учреждение
« Хотьковская средняя общеобразовательная школа №5»
Конспект открытого урока английского языка по теме
(УМК О.В. Афанасьева, И.В. Михеева, 8-ой класс)
Тип урока: обобщающий
Цель урока: систематизировать знания учащихся по теме «Олимпийские игры»; совершенствовать знания, умения, навыки учащихся в устной речи, чтении и аудирования
— развитие лексических навыков говорения
-совершенствование навыков чтения и аудирования
-активизация употребления изученной лексики по теме
— развитие внимания, воображения, памяти
— развитие коммуникативных способностей путем репродуктивных и частично поисковых методов
— воспитание чувства ответственности перед своими одноклассниками
-воспитание этики взаимоотношений
-физическое развитие учащихся
T: Good morning, boys and girls!
Cl: Good morning!
T: Sit down, please. I am glad to see you and hope you are ready for our lesson and you are in good mood. Let’s begin.
I shall read some sentences and you try to guess the theme of our lesson.
-These games have an interesting and long history.
— It is a holiday which is held every four years.
-These games may be winter and summer.
— It is the most important international sport event.
P- The Olympic Games
T- That’s right. The theme of our lesson is The Olympic Games. Today we are going to speak about them, ask and answer the questions, show the presentations, try to play a game, act the dialogue
T- Image that you are sportsmen and do the warming at first.
T- Translate some phrases.
— важное соревнование – an important competition
— соревноваться в беге на скорость – to compete in a race
-каждые четыре года- every four years
— иметь преимущество над противником- to have an advantage
II Развитие навыков аудирования
Text A- marathon pic. B
Text B – football pic.C
2) 1960 3) 1956 4) 1994 5) the 13 th Winter Olympic Games.
III Развитие навыков устной речи (вопросно-ответная работа)
T: Now it is interesting to learn what you know about the Olympic Games. ( the pupils of the first row ask the questions and the pupils of the second row answer them)
1. What are the Olympic Games? (They are an international sports festival)
2. Where did they begin? (They began in ancient Greece)
3. Have these Games got a long history?( Yes, they have)
4. What competitions did the first Olympic Games include?( They included events in racing, boxing, jumping, horse racing and wrestling)
5. How often are the Olympic Games held?( They are held every four years)
6. The Olympic Games became a symbol of peace, didn’t they? ( Yes, they did)
7. When was the International Olympic Committee set up? ( 1896)
8. Where were the Olympic Games held?( They were held in the cities of Europe, America, Asia and Australia)
9. When did our country join the Olympic Games?( in 1952)
10 When were the 22 nd Olympic Games held in Moscow? ( in 1980)
11When did the Winter Olympic Games take place the first time?( 1924 )
12. Are Summer and Winter Games held separately?( Yes, they are)
13 What competitions are there in Winter Games?( in skiing, skating, ice hockey and so on)
14. Are the Olympic Games are probably the most important international sport event?( Yes, they are)
T: OK! It’s wonderful! I see you know a lot about the Olympic Games. Now ask questions about the latest summer games.
1. What city did the latest Olympic Games take place? (London)
2. When did they take place? (July 2012)
3. Which of the countries won the most medals? (The USA, China, Great Britain)
4. What athletes were successful?
T: Go on our work. Please, open your books page 209 excises 10. Read the text and make up titles for the parts.
T: I see you are tired. Let’s do some physical exercises. Who want to be a coach.
Close your eyes and count 1, 2,3,4,5
Open your eyes and look at the window
Look up, look down, look right, look left
Bend your head left, bend your head right
Touch your nose, touch your left ear
Turn your head right, turn youe head right
Thank you very much
T: Thank you our coach. We give the medal to our coach, don’t we?
VI Показ презентаций
(2 учащихся показывают свои подготовленные дома презентации об олимпийских играх)
T: It’s great! The information is very interesting, useful Get the medals. (учитель дает ученикам шоколадные медали ) Today some pupils have an individual task. Masha has prepared a topic about The 22 nd Summer Olympic Games.
T: Masha, are you ready?
P: The 22nd Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow in 1980 from July 19 to August 3. Many athletes, guests, journalists came to Moscow; it was for the first time that the Olympic Games were held in our country. Our Russian sportsmen won 80 gold, 69 silver and 46 bronze medals during these Games.
The 22 nd Olympic Games were the holiday of health, peace and friendship.
T: Thank you very much. Your medal.
T: Lena and Sasha have individual task too. They have prepared the dialogue.
L: Hello Sasha! How are you?
S: Hi! I am OK! Thank you! And how are you?
L: I am fine! Thanks! Sasha, I haven’t seen you for ages!
S: I don’t have free time at all. I go in for sport and spend all time at the stadium, playing football. And what about you? Do you go in for sport?
L: No, I don’t. I only watch sport programmers on TV but I am fond of photography. Look at the photos.
S: It’s great! Wonderful! I like your photos very much. Sorry, I’m hurry. Bye!
L: Bye! Bye! I hope we shall see very soon again.
T: OK! Get your medals.
T: So boys and girls write down your home task and than we shall go on our work.
Cl: No, we haven’t
T: It’s good! Now let ’ s play (учитель вызывает двоих учащихся по желанию, перед ними картинки с видами спорта, другие учащиеся читают описание вида спорта, водящие должны догадаться какой это спорт и кто быстрее показать картинку)
P1 – It’s a team game. Each team has ten players and one goalkeeper. The players try to score a goal to another team. They play at the stadium. What is it?
P2- It’s a team game too. Each team has five players. They play in the gym. The players try to throw a ball into the basket. What is it?
P3- It’s a team game. Each team has five players and one goalkeeper. The sportsmen play on the ice. It’s winter kind of sport. What is it?
P4- It’s a team game. Each team has six players. They throw the ball throw the net.They play in the gym. What is it?
T: Kate has won the score 3:1. She gets a medal.
IX Подведение итогов
T: What theme of our lesson was? CL. The Olympic Games
T: What did we do during our lesson?
P: We answered the questions
P: We read the text
P: We listened to the text.
P: We played the game
P: We showed the presentions.
T: Ok! You have worked very well! I am satisfied with your work. I give excellent marks to…., good marks to ….
T: I give you medals for your work. Thank you very much.
T: Our lesson is over. See you tomorrow.
1.Афанасьева О.В., Михеева И.В. Учебник для общеобразовательных учреждений «Новый курс английского языка для российских школ»- Москва: Дрофа, 2006
2. Афанасьева О.В., Михеева И.В.Рабочая тетрадь№2 «Новый курс английского языка для российских школ»- Москва: Дрофа, 2008
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