THE ORGIN OF THE OLYMPICS
...s until the 1920 games in Antwerp, Belgium. Baron got the design after seeing a similar one on an ancient artifact from Greece. The five rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. “The colors for the flag were chosen because every major county has at least one of the five colors (from left to right): blue, yellow, black, green, and red,” (Wallechinsky, source 5). Following the end of the games the mayor of the host-city takes the flag and gives it to the mayor of the next host-city. The flag is then hung on the flag pole at the town hall until the opening ceremony of the next Olympic Games. Another major symbol of the Olympic Games is the Olympic Torch. In ancient Greek games a flame was lit by the sun and then burned on throughout the games. The modern Olympic torch relay began in 1936 in Berlin. The torch begins in Olympia, Greece where the torch is lit by the sun (as in the ancient games) and then is passed from runner to runner to the host-city. Once the torch has arrived at the host-city the flame is used to ignite a fire in a cauldron at the Olympic stadium during opening ceremonies. As in the ancient games the flame burns on through the Games and then it is extinguished at the closing ceremony. When the games first started in 776 BC there were only a limited number of events to participate in. In fact for the first thirteen games the only event was a foot race 600 feet long. More and more events were gradually added and then in the 5th BC the Olympic Games consisted of a five-day program. There were three foot races: stadion, diaulos, and dolichos. Then there was also the pentathalon which had consisted of a total of five contests: discus, javelin, long jump, wrestling, and a foot race. The five day games also included: “pugme (boxing), pale (wrestling), pankration, and the hoplitodromos,” (Ross, pg. 28). Today the Olympic Games include many sports: “Aquatic, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Canoe/Kayak, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Modern, Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting, and Wrestling,” (Wallechinsky, source 5). When the Olympic Games were established so was the National Olympic Committee (NOC). There job is to “propagate the fundamental principles of Olmpism at a national level within the framework of sports activity,” (Source 2). Currently there are 202 NOC members spread throughout five continents. At least once every two years the NOC meets to exchange information and experience to consolidate their role within the Olympic movement. The NOC helps to decide what events and/or sports will be involved. They also decide what city will host the Olympic Games. The members of the NOC were originally elected in for life, but because of a rule change in 1995, a member must retire b...