Olympic Games

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, is an international multi-sport event taking place every two years and alternating between Summer and Winter Games. Originally held in ancient Greece, they were revived by a French nobleman, Pierre Frèdy, Baron de Coubertin in the late 19th century. The Games of the Olympiad, better known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every fourth year since 1896, with the exception of the years during the World Wars.

Olympic symbols

The Olympic movement uses many symbols, most of them representing Coubertin's ideas and ideals. The best known symbol is probably that of the Olympic Rings. These five intertwined rings represent the unity of five continents. They appear in five colours on a white field on the Olympic Flag. These colours, white (for the field), red, blue, green, yellow, and black were chosen such that each nation had at least one of these colours in its national flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games it flew at was Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.

Related Topics:
Olympic Rings - Olympic Flag - 1914 - Antwerp, 1920

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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:

Related Topics:
Olympic Motto - Latin - Olympic Creed

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:"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."

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The Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia and brought to the host city by runners carrying the torch in relay. There it plays an important role in the opening ceremonies. Though torches have played a part historically, the relay was introduced in 1936.

Related Topics:
Olympic Flame - 1936

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Opening ceremonies

Various traditional elements frame the opening ceremonies of a celebration of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies typically start with the performing of the host country's national anthem. The traditional part of the ceremonies starts with a parade of nations, during which most participating athletes march into the stadium country by country. One honoured 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. Traditionally (starting at the 1928 Summer Olympics) Greece marches first, because of their historical status as the origin of the Olympics, while the host nation marches last. (Exceptionally, in 2004 when the Games were held in Greece, Greece marched last as host nation rather than first, although the Flag of Greece was carried in first.) Between these two, all other participating nations march in alphabetical order of the dominant language of the host country, or in English alphabetical order if the host country does not write its dominant language using an alphabet. After all nations have entered, the president of the host country's Olympic Organising Committee makes a speech, followed by the IOC president, who at the end of his speech, introduces the organising country's head of state, who in turn formally opens the Olympics.

Related Topics:
1928 Summer Olympics - Flag of Greece

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Next, the Olympic Anthem is played, and the Olympic Flag rises in the stadium. Then, the flag bearers of all countries circle around a rostrum, where one athlete (since the 1920 Summer Olympics) and one referee (since the 1972 Summer Olympics) speak the Olympic Oath, declaring they will compete and judge according to the rules. Finally, the penultimate runner in the Olympic Flame relay brings a torch into the stadium, passing the flame to the last carrier. The last carrier of the torch, often a well-known athlete from the host nation, then lights the fire in the stadium's cauldron. (The Olympic Flame has been lit since the 1928 Summer Olympics, but the torch relay didn't start until the 1936 Summer Olympics.) The lighting of the Olympic Flame is followed by the release of doves, symbolising peace; this was first done at the post–World War I 1920 Summer Olympics and discontinued after several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame during the 1988 Summer Olympics opening.

Related Topics:
Olympic Anthem - 1920 Summer Olympics - 1972 Summer Olympics - Olympic Oath - Olympic Flame - 1928 Summer Olympics - 1936 Summer Olympics - Dove - World War I - 1988 Summer Olympics

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Apart from these traditional elements, the host nation ordinarily presents artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of that country.

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Closing ceremonies

The closing ceremonies have, since the 1956 Summer Olympics, become less structured than the opening ceremonies. The athletes again march into the stadium, but they march in random order, not divided by country, symbolising the unity of all participants at the end of the Games. The IOC president then gives a speech, which nowadays include giving a verdict on the success of the Games, presenting the Olympic Order award to the organisers of the Games, and declaring the Games closed.

Related Topics:
1956 Summer Olympics - Olympic Order

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The host city of the next Olympic Games is then introduced; traditionally three flags are raised - the flag of Greece, the flag of the host nation of the current Games, and the flag of the host nation of the next Games. A fringed Olympic Flag is presented to the mayor of the host city of the next Olympic Games.

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Afterwards the Olympic Anthem is played while the Olympic Flag is lowered, and the Olympic Flame is then extinguished.

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