Earliest and most popular in ancient Greece festivals and contest. They were arranged in the honor of the god of Zeus, according to tradition, from 776 to our era in the Olympiuses once a four years. To the period of the Olympic Games declared required for all Greeks “sacred peace”, at this time in Greece it was not conducted military actions and roads in to Olympius were safe.
The Olympic Games during 5 days were passed: the first and fifth days were dedicated to solemn processions, offerings and ceremonies, rest - to sport contests of men and boys (to 472 to our era of contest was passed one day). In the program of the Olympic Games in the classical time (5-4 centuries. to our era) entered contests in ride on chariots, pentathlon (run, throwing of spear and disk, leaps into length, fight), fist fight, competition of skills and so forth come out could only full-fledged citizens of Greek policies later - also Romans.
Women were not allowed to the place of the Olympic Games. The winners of competitions ([olimpioniki]) were rewarded by garland from the branches of olive and used in Greece honor and respect, sometimes even they idolized themselves. In their cities they usually obtained important economic and political privileges. During the Olympic Games before the gathering appeared the poets, philosophers, speakers. By managers and the judges of games were the selected from the citizens regions Of [elida] of [ellenodiki]. The Olympic Games were abolished with the victory of Christianity by Roman [impepatorom] by Theodosius our I into 394 era.
Largest international complex sport competitions of the present. Principles, rules and positions of the Olympic Games are determined by the Olympic charter, whose bases are affirmed by international sport congress in Paris into 1894, which made by the proposal of French teacher and public figure Pierre de [Kuberten] a decision about the organization of the Olympic Games on the model of antique and about the creation of the International Olympic Committee (MOK).
According to the charter of the Olympic Games “… are united the athlete- amateurs of all countries in the honest and equal competitions. With respect to the countries and the individual persons it is allowed no discrimination on the racial, religious or political motives…”. The Olympic Games. they are carried out in the first year of Olympiad (4- summer period between the games). Calculation to the Olympiads of [vedetsya] from 1896, when took place the first Olympic Games (I Olympiad - 1896-99). Olympiad obtains its number and when games are not conducted (for example, VI - into 1916-19, THE XII -1940-43, XIII - 1944-47).
The forms of sport, acknowledged as MOK (1973), can be included in the program of the Olympic Games: basketball, boxing, fight is free and is classical, cycling, volleyball, handball, gymnastics sport, rowing on the kayaks and [kanoe], [dzyudo], horse sport, the track and field sports, sail sport, floating, leaps into the water and the aqueous sex, contemporary pentathlon, the shooting bullet, bench and from the bow, heavy athletics, fencing, football, hockey on the grass and others. Besides the Olympic forms of sport, the organizational committee of the Olympic Games has the right on its selection to include in program exponential competitions in 1-2 I see sport, by not acknowledged MOK. In the same year as the Olympic Games, from 1924 are conducted the winter Olympic Games, which have their numeration.
The place of conducting the Olympic Games selects MOK, the right of their organization is granted to city, but not to the country. The duration of the Olympic Games is not more than 15 days (winter games - not more than 10). Olympic motion has its emblem and flag, of affirmed to MOK at the proposal [Kubertena] into 1913. The emblem - 5 [perepletennykh] rings of the blue, black, red (upper number), yellow and green (lower number) colors, which symbolize 5 [obedinennykh] in the Olympic motion continents, motto - Citius, Altius, Fortius (more rapid, above, stronger). Flag - white width with the Olympic rings, from 1920 rises on all Olympic Games. Among the traditional rituals of the Olympic Games.: the ignition of Olympic fire on the ceremony of the discovery (fire it ignites from the solar rays in the Olympiuses it is reached by the torch relay race of athletes into the city - organizer of the Olympic Games); utterance one of the outstanding athletes of the country, in which occur the Olympic Games, the Olympic oaths on behalf of all participants in the games; the utterance on behalf of the judges of oath about the impartial judging; the presentation to conquerors and to the prize-winners of the competitions of medals; raising national flag and the performance of national hymn in the honor of conquerors. With 1932 cities - the organizer of the Olympic Games builds so-called Olympic village - the complex of living quarters for participants in the games. According to charter, the Olympic Games are competitions between the individual athletes, but not between the national teams. However, from 1908 won acceptance so-called unofficial [obshchekomandnyy] test - determination of the position, occupied with commands, from a quantity of obtained medals and glasses collected in the competitions.
