"to have been trained to play fairly, to play cleanly, to be firm, to be careful of temptations, but to have respect for the other person's point of view, respect for the sports process, fellow athletes and opponents, respect for the fans and the environment.
The stopwatch teaches meritocracy, the referee's whistle teaches trust and the rules of sports teach our limits in society."
- Governments
- Sports Organizations and Associations.
- Parents, Teachers, Coaches, Agents, Journalists, Doctors.
More specifically: Governments have the following responsibilities:
- To encourage the adoption of high ethical standards in all aspects of society within which sport operates.
- To encourage and support organizations and individuals who demonstrate integrity in sport.
- Include the promotion of sports and "fair play" as a key objective of the general physical education program.
- To encourage and reward research both nationally and internationally on issues related to "fair play"
Sports Federations and Associations have the following obligations:
- To give clear instructions on what is considered ethical or unethical behavior at all levels of participation and engagement, consistently giving appropriate incentives and penalties.
- To promote "fair play" with information programs, awards and educational materials.
- To support and encourage the media to promote good behavior.
- To ensure the special requirements of the child as well as the teenager, providing the possibility of engaging in sports at levels starting from recreational and ending in competitive sports.
- Modify the sportsmanship rules of certain sports to meet the needs of very young athletes, emphasizing "fair play" and not just competitive success.
- To put in place protection and security measures, in order to avoid the exploitation of those children who show prematurely developed abilities.
- Ensure that all those responsible for children and young people are qualified to direct, educate, train and coach them, taking into account the biological and psychological changes associated with children's maturation .
Parents:
They are among the most important socialization factors in youth sports. A lot of research has been done regarding the attitude of parents towards "Eu Agonizesthai". Nevertheless, in practice we find:
- Many times the parents themselves pushed their children into unsportsmanlike behavior.
- Many parents misbehaved at sports matches by verbally accusing referees, opposing team athletes and even team coaches.
- The attitude of parents, the way they approach sports and present it to their children has a huge impact on their children's future sports orientation. There are three categories of parents.
A. Those who do not attend:
- They withdraw, rather than push their children into sports
- They don't watch games
- They provide little material and emotional support
- They don't understand their role
- They usually have little knowledge of the obligations that sport requires
B. Those who are overworked:
- Their children's activities may be at the center of family life.
- These parents are overprotective, follow practices and games fanatically, often interfere with the coach and the coach-athlete relationship.
- They are not satisfied with the performance of their children, they constantly criticize the coach and often, not infrequently, disagree with the judges. They are often unable to maintain a balance.
- Identifying with their children leads to manipulation of young athletes, putting enormous pressure on them
- Their excessive interest in their child's success becomes a source of stress for young athletes.
C. Healthy Employment
- They encourage their children to be involved in sports and to understand "what success means".
- They encourage their children to develop their athletic potential, in an atmosphere that emphasizes participation, personal development, joy and fun.
- They maintain a cooperative communication with the coaches
- They openly discuss with their child his successes and failures and his sporting experiences in general.
- They understand the importance of their role as a role model for their child by showing self-control and sportsmanship.
The triptych The relationship of the sports triptych parent-athlete-coach is a valuable component of the balance, necessary for the acquisition of good sports experiences for young people. Coaches should always work with parents as they are an inevitable part of the social system in youth sports.
But definitely:
- Parents must understand that they should not interfere in the way of training and in general in the sports preparation of their children.
- Parents should attend the club's sporting and cultural events.
- Parents must not interfere in the administrative or competitive program of the club.
All this must be made clear to parents from the first day they enroll their children in the club. For everybody's sake.
A committee is useful
Among the Committees operating in the clubs, it would be good to create the Sports Spirit Committee for the cultivation and dissemination of the social messages of Sports and the Olympic Philosophy to young sportsmen and women. The main objective of the Committee is to introduce the club's athletes to the principles of Philanthropy and to help them shape a character with a deep sense of communication, cooperation and contribution not only within the club, but also in the wider society. To help them become the "pioneers", those who will not only implement, but also pass on the principles of "Eu Agonizesthai".
It is not difficult for someone to understand that the only country in which deviance is not forgiven is Greece, at a time when it is known worldwide that we were the first to teach the Sports Spirit and Olympism. Each club, depending on its special and wider environment, will shape its way of expression and communication and will choose the executives who will best carry out this mission. The Committee should be made up of representatives of the club, coaches, athletes. We insist on the athletes because they will be given the opportunity to participate actively not as passive receivers but as transmitters, expressing their point of view with concrete and practical interventions. It is also recommended to participate outside the association of famous people, who have distinguished themselves in social,
- Monthly events and speeches to inform and raise awareness among young athletes about the importance of exercise and the value of good sportsmanship.
- Creation of a library in the club with sports and educational material.
- Circulation of information forms and photocopies on the action of the Commission and related issues.
- Awards to athletes for exemplary sportsmanship.
The Golden Rules of "YOU COMPETE"
- I take victory in stride. I never humiliate the opponent.
- I deny victory by illegal means
- I appreciate the opponent's good play.
- I want to participate on equal terms in the fight with the opponent and rely only on my ability and talent.
- I know the rules and I follow them.
- I deny any verbal or physical violence.
- I keep my dignity in every situation.
- I fight for the joy of sport.
- I'm trying to make progress.
- I am always honest and sincere
- I give my best to the races even when victory is out of my hands.
- Congratulate the winner after the game is over.
- As my performance improves, it is my duty to protect the principles of Sportsmanship. Only in this way will I become an example for my classmates and for the younger children.
- I lead my team when chosen without arrogance.
- I single out my teammates without looking down on the rest.
MYNHMATA
Just as during the day there is no star in the sky warmer and brighter than the sun... so there is no sports competition superior to the Olympic Games.
PINDAR
"Sports is not a luxury item, an idler's activity, nor a muscular substitute for mental work. It is for every man a source of inner perfection, it is the adornment of all to the same extent, without its lack being able to be made up for. In the fields of struggle there are neither friends, nor enemies, politicians or socialites. Only people who compete and face each other in a sport."
Pierre de Coubertin
"If each one of us could do a positive deed for Olympism by returning to his homeland, many of the "dragons", the fears, the ghosts that haunt us, would disappear."
Dr. JOHN POWELL
"Every person, but especially the teachers and the workers, the beautiful struggle for strengthening in the modern ideologically divided society, in the new morally, elastic world, in the bureaucracy and technocracy that tends to dry up in people every source of higher inspiration, high ideals, of real love and universality, must see in Olympism a higher pedagogical reality and moral value".
NIKOS NISIOTIS
"The institution of the Olympic Games is not addressed to a social class, to a city, to a people. It is addressed to the entire world. It addresses man and asks to elevate him through noble athletic competition with a moral teaching that refines morals and unites the human race in a wider scale of solidarity. This moral mission was recognized by the Greeks in the institution of the games and they believed that the cultural importance of the games comes from it".
KLEANTHIS PALEOLOGOS
"Every athlete's victory, whether Greek or not, equally honors Greece and should be greeted with enthusiasm."
DIMITRIOS VIKELAS
"Education and treatment go hand in hand. Physical exercises are just as important as lessons."
DIMITRIOS VIKELAS
"Much can be gained by the world and the peace of the world from the Olympic spirit, because "it has a divine inspiration and a divine mission".
POPE PAUL VI
"Mother Olympia of gold-crowned races, lady of truth..."
PINDAR
"We are convinced that our continuous activity in educating young people through sports, from their earliest years, without any kind of racial discrimination and guided by the Olympic Spirit, allows to create responsible citizens with mutual understanding, a spirit of friendship, solidarity and their principle is "Eu Agonizesthai".
JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH
"The Olympic Movement is an educational movement since the founder of the International Olympic Committee and reviver of the modern Olympic games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was a distinguished educator. I believe that education is the best tool that one can have at one's disposal, and as the successor of Pierre de Coubertin I support any initiative related to education."
JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH
"The Olympic Games, which are held every four years, enjoy worldwide recognition and convey the vision of peaceful coexistence among all the peoples of the world. So let's dedicate the second centenary to children, to Olympic and Sports education. Let's make the great messages of the Olympics and true Sports slogans that can be taught from kindergarten if possible and let the children of the whole world receive them."
Olympic Games : (in ancient times) the most important Panhellenic sports games, which were dedicated to Zeus and were held every four years in Olympia, and had such great prestige that during their duration military operations were interrupted (truce). The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
Winter Olympics : the games held in the winter of the Olympic year and include skiing events. The first Winter Olympics were held in France (Chamony) in 1924.
Paralympics : the Olympiad in which persons with special needs compete. The first Paralympic Games were held in 1960 in Rome.
The European Youth Olympic Festival , which started in 1990 under the name "European Youth Olympic Days", is the only multi-sport European event and is an initiative of the Union of European Olympic Committees (EOC).
Held in winter and summer every two odd years, the European Youth Olympic Festivals are top events for young European athletes looking to gain international experience. These festivals show participating athletes all aspects of the true Olympic Games.
Historical reference
The ancient written sources refer to 776 BC as the starting year of the games . The list of Olympians also begins from this year (which, of course, was completed much later). The Pisates organized the games from 688 to 572 BC. In 570 BC the Ileans captured Pisa (a city not far from Olympia) and put under their control the organization of the games. In the 5th c. e.g. the races reached the height of their glory. In the Hellenistic era, however, they lost their original character and turned into professional sporting events, something that was consolidated in the Roman era. The great historical events that took place over the centuries in the Greek area had their impact on the sporting ideals of the Olympic games, resulting in a gradual decline of moral values, which worsened noticeably from 146 AD, when the main Greece was submitted to the Roman state and the Ilians lost their independence. The 2nd c. AD, when the right of Roman citizenship was granted to all the inhabitants of the Roman empire, an internationalization of the games was also observed. Finally, they were abolished by Theodosius I in 393 AD. (293rd Olympiad), when by his decree the operation of all pagan Sanctuaries was prohibited.
With the Olympic games, the national, racial and spiritual unity of the Greeks was forged. The games combined the deep religious spirit with the heroic past of the Greeks, the maximum degree of cultivation of the body, mind and soul with universal philosophical values and the promotion of the individual and the cities with the highest ideal of freedom. Their supranational character survives in the modern Olympic Games, which, after a 15-century hiatus, were organized in Athens in 1896 , and have since been held every four years.
The Touching of the Olympic Flame takes place traditionally in Ancient Olympia and is responsible for its conduct by the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
It was done for the first time in 1936 , for the Olympic Games in Berlin with the help of a concave mirror. According to the ritual, the Touch is made by the Prothieria in the area of the temple of Hera (Heraion), which is located opposite the temple of Zeus, in the archaeological site of Olympia. There the priestess asks for the help of the sun god Apollo to light the torch while reciting the invocation.
Countries holding modern Olympic Games
1896: Greece, Athens, 1900: France, Paris, 1904: USA, St. Louis, 1908: United Kingdom, London, 1912: Sweden, Stockholm, 1916: World War I , 1920: Belgium, Antwerp, 1924: France, Paris , 1928: Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1932: USA, Los Angeles, 1936: Germany, Berlin, 1940/1944: World War II , 1948: United Kingdom, London, 1952: Finland, Helsinki, 1956: Australia, Melbourne, 1960: Italy, Rome, 1964: Japan, Tokyo, 1968: Mexico, Mexico City, 1972: Germany, Munich, 1976: Canada, Montreal, 1980: Russia, Moscow, 1984: USA, Los Angeles, 1988: South Korea, Seoul, 1992: Spain, Barcelona, 1996: USA, Atlanta, 2000: Australia, Sydney, 2004: Greece, Athens, 2008: China, Beijing, 2012: United Kingdom, London, 2016: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, 2020: Japan, Tokyo .
The positive meaning of the Olympic Games
- Promotion of the Olympic Ideal . Despite the fact that the modern Olympic Games are not an event capable of ending wars and leading to a - even temporary - truce between conflicting peoples, they are nonetheless an important reminder of those values and ideals that characterized the Olympic Games in ancient times:
Symmetrical development of body and spirit : The ideal model of man is one that aims at the equal cultivation of body and spirit, and does not ignore the value of physical health and physical beauty, in order to unilaterally pursue spiritual development. The man who is indifferent to the exercise of his body cannot in fact achieve that mental and emotional clarity that will offer him the possibility of a harmonious spiritual development.
Pursuit of meritocratic distinction : The Olympic Games offered - initially at least - the opportunity for citizens to pursue their rise based solely on their own strengths; and they pursued it for the sole sake of the praise of their fellow citizens, and not for any monetary gain . Although these principles have now ceased to apply, the Olympic Games continue to be the highest sporting distinction. The athlete is called upon to essentially overcome himself and prove that he had throughout his preparation the required self-control and the necessary will in order to achieve remarkable performances.
The athlete who dedicates himself to championships devotes most of his time to the desire to become the best in his sport. An amazing test of self-control and will, rewarded with the knowledge that yet another transcendence of human limits has been achieved. Rightly so, Olympic women achieve timeless glory and win worldwide admiration.
Noble competition and recognition of universal values : The Olympic Games are an opportunity for a sporting meeting of all nations, in the context of which the competition between them is distinguished by the spirit of noble competition; with mutual respect and mutual appreciation. Athletes, and with them the citizens of their countries, have the opportunity to come into contact with athletes of different religious and political beliefs, different racial origins and different cultural backgrounds, to compete, however, claiming exactly the same distinctions and honoring exactly the same same sports institution. It is, therefore, an excellent opportunity to realize the common basis of the human race, since regardless of the color of the skin or the language of communication, all people have similar virtues and pay respect to similar values.
At one time, of course, this meeting constituted an occasion for the cessation of hostilities between them, but then it concerned the city-states of a single nation. Now that these games have become global, such a request is difficult, if not impossible. We should not, however, miss the fact that the message of harmonious cooperation and mutual admiration for the achievements of each athlete, even if he comes from a hostile country, is a resounding assurance that ordinary citizens understand and respect the value of peaceful coexistence and noble rivalry.
Recognition of key concepts, such as equality and justice : The Olympic Games manage to be respected over time as every possible measure is taken so that the athletes compete in an even manner and without any suspicion that someone is favored over his fellow competitors. Athletes, regardless of their country of origin, are absolutely respected and treated with the same respect whether they come from the most affluent countries or from the poorest.
Although women were not allowed to participate in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, women have been participating since 1900, even if in the first events their number was remarkably small. Their participation rate, of course, has not reached the same level as that of men even nowadays, without this meaning that female participants do not enjoy equal treatment and appreciation with male participants.
- Global promotion of the value of sport . Thanks to the Olympic Games and the huge publicity that this institution has, young people all over the planet experience the amazing excitement of sporting events and have the opportunity to appreciate the value placed on the participants and, of course, the winners. They are, therefore, a significant basis for spreading the sports spirit and a constant trigger for young people to turn to sports, not necessarily with the aim of becoming a champion, but in order to enjoy the benefits of physical health offered by systematic exercise.
The Olympic Games, after all, are an ideal opportunity to spread to a very wide audience even sports that are not equally popular in all countries. A fact that often results in an increase in interest in specific sports in areas that previously did not know them or did not have enough familiarity with them.
- Opportunity to promote the host country . The Olympic Games are clearly global and generate international interest, which means that the host country has a unique opportunity to secure huge advertising exposure and reap significant financial benefits from increased tourism. In order, of course, for the relative benefits to reach the maximum possible performance, the respective organizing country must ensure the proper organization and realization of the games, in a climate of absolute security and without the existence of unpleasant deficiencies or deviations.
Negative aspects of the Olympic Games
The institution of the Olympic Games, due to the extent of its commercialization and the exorbitant financial rewards for the winning athletes, has unfortunately been associated with certain phenomena that tarnish its value.
- Use of anabolic steroids / Doping : Today, doping is changing in nature: first of all, it is not, with exceptions, an individual act of an athlete on the day of the games. These are now methods applied systematically and organized at the level of groups that take advantage of advances in science for unethical purposes, for example by using substances that prevent the detection of anabolic steroids during analyses.
One of the main causes of the growth of doping is the excessive commercialization of sports today, especially the recent explosion of television rights combined with large sponsorship deals. This commercialization and the economic interests derived from it have led to a proliferation of sports competitions and a reduction in the rest time of athletes, which also causes a reduction in the length of a professional athlete's career. It is also appropriate to mention the negative consequences of the contracts entered into between certain sports associations and their sponsors, which provide for remuneration commensurate with results. The athletes' environment as a whole, from the coach to the doctor, team captain and family members, can contribute to the stresses placed on athletes.
The number, for example, of doping cases during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games demonstrated that the use of prohibited substances in sport is, more than ever, a reality that must be combated.
- Loss of pure interest in sports . The entry of multinational companies into the field of sporting events in search of those athletes who will act as promoters of their products thanks to their increased popularity, has been a strong blow to the nature of the sports field. Athletes now know that they can earn huge sums of money thanks to advertising contracts if they manage to stand out and achieve remarkable performances. Thus, unlike the athletes of past decades who had as their main motivation the desire to stand out in the Olympic Games in order to experience the moral apotheosis attributed to the Olympians, the athletes today have as their ultimate goal the financial benefits. An extremely powerful motivation that has led to what we can describe as an escalation of unfair competition and a frenzy of pursuit of ever more superhuman performance.
Professional athletes, either by their own will or because they are under pressure, ignore the negative consequences for their health, but also sports ethics and resort to any means in order to ensure the enhancement of their performances.
Necessary actions to combat pharmacostimulation :
- Creation of an effective system of control of the health of athletes, mainly by establishing a service specialized in providing medical and psychological assistance, as well as informing athletes;- Issuing a directive for the protection of young athletes, especially those who aspire to become professionals;
- Approval of specific provisions for the protection of athletes as workers exposed to special risks;
- Encouragement of epidemiological research on the health of athletes;
- Organization of conferences on doping and the health of athletes, in collaboration with the sports movement;
- Awareness of education professionals in the problem of sports ethics;
- Increased police and judicial cooperation;
- Inclusion in athletes' contracts of clauses related to doping and its prohibition;
- Adoption of a joint statement equivalent to a code of good practice in the field of sport, following an international conference on pharmacostimulation.
Manolis Andronikos "Education or Sleep Education" [excerpt]
"A completely special place is occupied by the Olympic games, which are the supreme expression of the sporting spirit in a gathering of Greeks, which meant for them a universal gathering of free people. From Africa to Macedonia and from Sicily to Asia Minor, the Greeks gather every four years at Alti, to sacrifice at the common altars, to meet their brilliant leaders, to see and listen to their wise men and above ' all to experience the exciting competition of the athletes. Forgetting the biotic concerns, human frailties, their often fatal differences, in a state of divine bliss since man found again in the paradisiacal space of Olympia his ideal humanity: peace reigned in the world, all were free and equal, the strong and rich lords of Sicily had nothing more than the common citizen of Athens, god protected them all. Only for the Greek judges, the judges, there were stone benches. Everyone else watched the games sitting on the stadium mound. And the athletes came naked to compete for victory and for the glorified olive wreath. But they also expected something more: the fame, the honor of the Panhellenic people, which was the most precious crown. It is impossible to feel today the shocking moment when the two sons of Diagoras, both Olympic medalists on the same day, lifted on their shoulders the happy father, many times an Olympic medalist in his youth, in front of the eyes of thousands of Greeks who shouted: "Sit Diagoras! Mount Olympus!” (Die Diagoras! You will not become a god either). Because what else is left to man after such a sublime moment in his life?
This spirit of faith in man, in his physical strength and in his moral appreciation, of democratic equality and universal human solidarity, of universal peace and love, which was born in Greece and was expressed crucially with the Olympic games, wanted to be revived by P. de Coubertin. Perhaps many will think such a vision chimerical; however, those who have enjoyed the global fellowship of athletes that dominates the modern Olympic games, where for a short period of time all the borders that separate peoples are abolished, where language, race and religion they do not raise their barriers among men, where social position, material wealth and state power do not count, where man, stripped of everything else, struggles with his fellow men peacefully and honestly to win the honor of victory alone, as long as they have experienced this event, they hope and believe that the Olympic spirit can illuminate the whole world not only for a few days, but forever."
In the ancient Olympic games a fire was kept burning throughout the games. In the Olympic games held in 1928 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the flame came back as a custom, so throughout the games a fire burns unquenchable in the stadium of the city that hosts the games.
Of course we also watched the ceremony with the talented priestesses invoking Apollo, the god of the sun, to light the flame of the games.
TIME AND PLACE OF
THE FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES
The history of the Olympic games is inextricably linked with Greek history. But as it is lost in the darkness of the distant past, it is extremely difficult to answer with certainty when the Olympic games began.
However, based on evidence from archaeologists as well as various mythical traditions, we can make some assumptions about their origin.
Some argue that their origin goes back to mythical times and consider as their founder the Curite (Cretan) Ideal Finger Hercules or Parastatus. He, together with his brothers Epimedes, Paionaios, Iasos and Akesidas, had undertaken the protection of Zeus until he grew up. When Zeus became a teenager, the Ideal Fingers left Crete and settled in Olympia. There the Ideal Hercules organized road races, where he won.
But others argue that the hero and demigod Heracles, son of Alcmene, founded the Olympic Games after the defeat of King Augeas. Specifically, it is said that Hercules, to celebrate his victory, organized road races.
According to another myth the Olympic games were founded by Pelops, who had been killed by his father, but was resurrected by Zeus and founded the games on his marriage to Hippodamia.
However, no matter how true the above may be, no one knows for sure when exactly the Olympic games began.
The only real first evidence of the start of the Olympic games dates back to 776 BC in the sacred forest of Ancient Olympia. This forest is still called "Holy Altis" today. The first Olympian was Korivos from Ilia.
The Ancient Greeks believed - and not without reason - that the "Holy Altis" was the most beautiful place. Two large rivers, the Alfeios and the Kladeos, meet there. The sacred forest is located under the shadow of the Saturn hill.
The Olympic games were abolished in AD 393-4 by the Emperor Theodosius, because he considered them a means of expressing idolatry. The ivory statue of Zeus was taken to Constantinople, where it accidentally burned in a fire. Some years later the temples of Zeus and Hera were destroyed.
The Ancient Greeks wanted to honor the father of gods and men, Olympian Zeus. To show him their great love and adoration, they performed the matches. They believed that the god was pleased with their peaceful manifestations. Before the games the athletes swore to Zeus. Thus a strong bond was created between religion and the Olympic games. The Olympic games were held every four years. The interval between two Olympic games was called "Olympiad". The Ancient Greeks did not measure time like we do today. He was considered the "Olympiads".
The matches took place during the summer.
According to tradition, the first thirteen Olympic Games had only one event. The stage " . the stadium was a distance of 192.7 m., i.e. the length of the ancient stadium. Athletes ran from one end of the stadium and finished at the other.
Little by little other competitions were added such as:
- Diaulos was added from the 14th Olympiad
(two stage road)
- On the 15th, Dolichos (road 4670 m. )
- In the 18th Olympiad, the Pentathlon was added, which included (stadium road, long jump, javelin, discus and wrestling.)
- On the 23rd, Pygmi
- On the 33rd, Pagratio
- In the 65th Olympiad, the Hoplite Road was held on the last day of the games.
Athletes ran in bronze defensive armor. This fight was probably a funeral or to honor a hero.
The road
Road sport is indisputably the oldest form of athletic competition. The mythological invention of the sport is found in myths such as that of Hercules.
The sport is so ancient that it is impossible to ascertain the exact time and place of its appearance. Due to the important presence of street sports in ancient Greek mythology, we are not surprised by the importance attributed to it.
The children were taught from an early age the techniques and philosophy of street, a sport that was established as a permanent element of the children's education.
Equipment
Once upon a time, runners wore a piece of cloth around their waist. This was later abandoned and the athletes ran completely naked. The only exception was the hoplite road , in which athletes wore helmets and shin pads and held shields.
Another important component was the surprise, which ensured
the simultaneous start of runners.
Types and rules of the competition
There were the following types of road:
- the stadium (length of a stadium, 200 m.)
- the bus (length of two stages, 400 m.)
- the dolichos (endurance road between 7-24 stages,
i.e. 1,400-4,800 m.)
- the hoplite road (speed road between 2-4 stages,
i.e. 400-800 m.)
All the runners started at the same time with a certain one
slogan. Those who started early were flogged or even expelled. There was a code of honor that all athletes followed.
Some basic tenets of this code were that they were not allowed to hinder their opponents by pushing, hitting or holding them and, above all, the athletes refrained from bribery or magic.
Characteristics of a good runner
As the road was the most practical and common form of exercise and sport in ancient Greece, there was never a shortage of good athletes in this field. The athletes of this period were famous for their unimaginable endurance, strength and speed.
Chariot races
Chariot racing or chariot racing was an old sport. Initially, however, the chariot was used in war. The chariot drawn by two horses was called "somoris" and the chariot with four horses "tetrippon". In the chariot at the same time one of the two riders was the brigand and the other the "paraivatis", who was also the warrior.
In the Olympic games, the chariot races were originally done with "quadriples". Races with "borders" began 270 years later. It is also mentioned that in the 70th Olympiad a race with "apini", a chariot pulled by two mules, took precedence. The competition was abolished after 15 Olympiads, because these animals were clumsy and caused problems.
In chariot races, the crown of victory was taken by the owner of the horses and not by the driver of the chariot. It was the only event that women could take part in without attending Olympia themselves.
Kyniska, the daughter of King Archidamus and sister of Agesilaus, wanted with all her heart to take part in the Olympic Games. But this was strictly forbidden by the Olympic law. She herself bred horses that took part in the games and won. Then Kyniska, since the horses were hers, was crowned Olympian. Her vision came true and her name went down in history.
Fight
Origin: The first Olympic wrestling match was recorded in 708 BC.
Great value was placed on wrestling, as a form of military exercise without weapons. There were two distinct forms of the contest, which differed in the handles and the method of determining the winner.
Variations: Standing Wrestling The purpose of this type of wrestling was simply to knock the opponent to the ground. Three falls meant a loss for the opponent and the winner called the triactor. The fight continued until one emerged victorious.
Down fight
Victory in this event depended on one athlete admitting defeat. Defeat meant raising his right hand.
Rules of the game:
- Hitting was not allowed.
- Trips were allowed.
- Biting and fighting outside the pit was not allowed.
- There was no differentiation by weight.
Wrestlers were smeared with olive oil and then powdered to make them easier to catch. The match took place in the keromo, a muddy arena.
Characteristics of a good wrestler:
Since there was no provision for the weight of the athletes at the Olympics, it is clear that the sport required a strong and durable build. A special combination of agility, technique and cunning was also necessary.
The jump
The jump was done both long and high, probably also triple jump, although there is no official mention of a triple jump event. There is a simple conclusion, because it was written that an athlete from Laconia, Chionis, jumped 52 feet, about 15.64m, but Fayllos the Crotoniatis had also jumped 55 feet, which corresponds to 16.55 meters, which is a very great achievement of course for they triple.
The jumpers also used "dumbbells" during the jump, weighing 4,629 kg of Olympia and 2,018 kg of Corinth. They held a dumbbell in each hand and when the body was suspended, they threw the dumbbells back to achieve a longer jump.
The disk
The Discus was also a very old event. They threw the discus in the classical way, as can be seen from the famous discus thrower of Myron which is in the museum of Rome. This method was preserved in our time, but it was abolished recently.
The disc was made of stone or of cast iron but also of wood with forged copper. They were circular plates with a diameter of about 17-30 cm and a weight between 1,353 and 4,758 kg. Such discs have been found, but experts claim they are votives.
Pancreas
The most dangerous competition. Pangratio was wrestling and boxing together. The Ancient Greeks attached great importance to the acquisition of martial skills. Pangratio got its name from the word pankratis, which means very strong - almighty. The ancient Greeks usually called Jupiter and Hercules Pagrati.
Famous Olympians of Antiquity
Theageni Thasios (pagratist) Theageni was the son of a priest in the temple of Herakles, in Thassos. Some believed that he was actually the son of some god, who, in disguise, slept with his mother.
Theageni became famous at the age of nine. Then he is said to have stolen the bronze statue of a god from its base and carried it home. Some in Thassos were so enraged by his action that they wanted him to be put to death, but in the end his punishment was to carry the statue back to its place, which he did.
Theageni became an Olympic champion in both boxing and wrestling. He also won innumerable other races throughout Greece, gaining great glory for himself and his native Thassos and making the Thasians proud.
Leonidas the Rhodian (runner)
Leonidas became famous and eventually deified for his victories in the stadium, the bus and the hoplite road. Leonidas won all three events in four consecutive Olympiads.
This is particularly impressive because all three events were road events. It was more difficult to maintain your endurance and speed over such a period of time, than to maintain the strength required by heavy events. For this reason, the feats of Leonidas became more famous than those of others who won successive Olympiads in heavy sports.
Milo the Crotonian (wrestler)
Milo won his first Olympiad in children's wrestling. He later had five wins in men's wrestling.
There are many stories of his exploits, such as when he carried a cow on his shoulders or held the center pillar of a hall while it was falling so that everyone could escape.
When a neighboring city declared war on Crotonus, Milo is said to have come forward and met the enemies with a club, followed by the townspeople. They killed many and put the rest to flight.
Milo lived a glorious life but his end was tragic. One day in the forest he saw a tree trunk that had just been felled, with wedges driven into it with the intention of splitting it open.
He then decided to use his hands to open it, but as he tried, the wedges were thrown and his hands were trapped inside the trunk. He did not manage to free himself and when night came the wild animals killed him
Diagoras of Rhodes (boxer) Diagoras was famous for his many victories as a boxer. But more than that he was famous for his boxing style. Diagoras never shirked a blow and always followed the rules scrupulously. Spectators went crazy for this straight, brave way he boxed. He became known as a man of grace and dignity. His children and grandchildren also became Olympians.
At the 83rd Olympiad, Diagoras was there to see one of his sons become an Olympian in boxing and the other in pancratium.
At the same Olympiad, the gods offered Diagoras an honorable death at the hands of his crowned sons.
Melangomas became famous for his unique boxing technique. He won many victories, but he was never injured, nor did he injure any of his opponents. Melangomas believed that hurting someone or being hurt showed a lack of bravery. Spectators enjoyed watching him defend against his opponent's blows without hitting him.
He would eventually leave his opponents so exhausted and frustrated that they could not hit him, so they would give up and admit defeat.
Herodoros the Megareus (trumpeter) Herodoros was a man known for his enormous size. He was the winner of the trumpet competition for 10 consecutive Olympiads, spanning nearly 40 years and bringing him immense glory.
He also helped King Demetrius the Besieger to capture the city of Argos by blowing two trumpets very loudly at the same time and cheering the soldiers on.
First attempts
In the ancient Greek world, the Olympic Games were a symbol of the unity of all Greek populations. The Greeks have not forgotten this ideal; once the Greek state was established in the early 19th century, many attempts were made in Greece to revive the Olympic Games.
The Idea of Alexandros Soutsos
In 1833, the poet Alexandros Tsoutsos recalled the glorious and peaceful nature of the Olympic Games. His poetry sent the message of the revival of the Olympic Games.From ancient Olympia... The idea of reviving the Olympic Games had been conceived since the beginning of the 19th century. With the establishment of the Greek state, the people of Olympia decided to prove that they were descendants of the ancient Greeks by reviving the Olympic Games.
Zappeian Olympics Contrary to popular belief, the 1896 Olympics were not the first modern Olympics: the Greeks had revived the Olympics long before Coubertin was born. They organized the International Olympic Games in Athens four times, in 1859, 1870, 1875 and 1889.
Why the ancient Olympics were revivedThe idea of reviving the Olympic Games was not a whim of the imagination, but the logical result of a great movement. The 19th century saw a revival of interest in physical exercise everywhere
At the same time, great inventions, the railroad and the telegraph, obliterated distances and people began to live a new way of life, nations came into contact and learned to know each other better and they immediately discover the joy of comparing themselves; and what one race succeeded in wanting the other to try.
World's fairs brought together in the same spot on the globe the products of the most distant countries; philological or scientific conferences brought together the most diverse intellectual forces. So how could the athletes not wish to meet as well, at a time when rivalry is the main foundation of sports and almost its very reason for existence?
In order to elevate the concept of competition and transform it into a noble rivalry, the representatives of all nations chose a method: "the establishment of periodical games in which the representatives of all countries and sports meet under the auspices of the only institution that could to give them grandeur and glory, of classical Antiquity. This meant nothing but the revival of the Olympic Games; the name alone was imposed, nor could another be found. The above text roughly traces what was believed in the 19th century about the revival of the However, it says nothing about the first attempts of the Greeks to revive the Olympic Games, long before Baron de Coubertin was born. Many years later, in 1896, the First International Olympic Games took place in Athens. The choice of Athens
was a symbolic recognition of Greece's contribution to Western civilization. In the 19th century, the social structure of nation states was ideal for the acceptance of the Olympic Idea in a new - national - context. The symbolism of the Olympic Games shows us today the process by which people learned the new concepts of their time.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin
His contribution to the revival of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games would probably have been a distant memory of the past without the vision of Baron Pierre de Cupertin and a few other people of his time. The vision of this enlightened Frenchman and the other visionaries who preceded him, especially E. Zappa, D. Vikela, etc. was to bring the Olympic Games to life again.
Coubertin succeeded in having a permanent Commission for the organization and supervision of the Olympic Games. Thus, on June 23, 1894, he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and shaped the structure of the Olympic Movement. He was President of the IOC from 1896 to 1925.
When he died in 1937, he asked that his heart be buried in Olympia.
Indeed, his heart is buried in a special column in Olympia, as he himself wished.
Zappeian Olympic Games
A wealthy Greek merchant from northern Greece, Evangelos Zappas, inspired by the idea of Alexander Soutsos to revive the ancient Olympic Games, proposed to the Greek government to finance the establishment of the modern Olympics.
A. R. Ragavis, Greek foreign minister and scholar, was against it:
"The spirit of to-day is different from that of Antiquity; the states of to-day compete in industry and products, and not in stadiums."
According to Ragavi, modern Olympians were to focus on agricultural and industrial progress rather than sports.
Therefore, he proposed to Zappa a mixed event including agricultural industrial contests and athletic contests, for entertainment.
In fact, the industrial part of the Zappeian Olympics was organized regularly and attracted more attention and much more money than the sports part.
So what kind of games were these first Olympics? Did they get people involved?
As the renovation of the ancient Stadium had not yet been completed, the 1859 games were held in Ludovikou Square (today's National Resistance Square or Kotzia, in the center of Athens).
They were attended by all the officials, the royal family, members of the government, military and municipal authorities and many thousands of people. As it was one of the first mass gatherings neither the people nor the police had previous experience of how to maintain order for this event.
The fact that it was a new experience makes these matches a very interesting example for the study of the first mass gatherings in the age of modern societies. Sports competitions were more game-like than athletic.
As there were no athletes then, the organizing committee allowed the participation of workers, transporters, etc., who were attracted by the prize money of the games.
According to the press of the time, several funny incidents happened during the games: a policeman, who was there to enforce order, left his post and joined the games. Even a beggar, pretending to be blind, participated in the games!
The next day, the press criticized the games, but the ideal of sportsmanship was generally accepted, and this was the beginning of the whole process of the Olympic Games.
The schedule and rules of the competitions were published on time. The athletes were registered on time and followed special training as a required preparation for the games. Ultimately, 31 athletes were selected to participate in the games. The stadium was renovated and arranged to accommodate the public and officials. The athletes were uniformly dressed: sportswear and skin-colored sandals.
There were nine events: three ancient events of the Classical period, four also ancient but not of the same period, and two modern. The prizes were both monetary and symbolic. There was a philharmonic band that played some Olympic anthem, specially written for the occasion.
The judges were university professors and there was an announcer to announce the winners. The king gave the prize to the winner accompanied by music. The 1870 games were extremely successful and the press devoted glowing articles to both the organization and the conduct of the games.
The third Olympiad was organized by the Director of the Public High School, Ioannis Fokianos. Phocianus passionately believed that the ideal of gymnastics would spread starting from the upper classes, the educated and cultured.
That is why he was interested in the preparation of high school students and college students. All of them were educated at the Public High School of Athens.
Phocianus introduced a series of gymnastic exercises, inspired by the German gymnastic system. The athletes dressed impressively: white trousers and a white shirt with a large blue stripe. Until 1896, this was the official gymnastics uniform.
Despite great preparation and high expectations, these matches were not a success. The royal family was unable to attend. There was not enough space for the large mass of spectators, which eventually filled the stadium. There was dissatisfaction and Fokianos was considered responsible despite his great efforts and the very good preparation of the athletes.
Dimitrios Vikelas
Dimitrios Vikelas was born in Ermoupoli, Syros. From a very young age he had a penchant for letters and a great thirst for learning. From 1872 he settled in Paris and devoted himself to letters. In addition to writing, he developed intense social and national activity.
At the sports congress of Paris in 1894 he represented Greece. He was instrumental in reviving the Olympic Games as well as making the first modern Olympic Games in Greece.
He was the first President of the International Olympic Committee (1894 - 1896). He dedicated his life to the Olympic ideals and to the service of his fellow men.
The journalist Petros Linardos is the man who brought to the fore the decisive contribution of Vikelas to the revival of the Olympic Games.
The Idea of Alexandros Soutsos
In 1883, the newspaper "Helios" published a poem by the poet Alexandros Soutsos that referred to the necessity of reviving the Olympic Games.
The newspaper was published in Nafplio, the first capital of the newborn Greek state.
If it were possible for our shadow to fly in your land, to the Ministers of the Throne he wanted to cry out boldly Leave your petty passions, your vain quarrels, Wretched consider what your Greece used to be. Won't you tell me where your ancient centuries are? Where are the Olympics, you guys? where is your Panathinaia? Your great ceremonies your great theatres? Where images and statues, where altars and where temples? Every city, every forest and every temple above all were once populated
I was raised and silenced by marble statues And his glorious rival was missing in battle."
Foreign nations decorated your altars with offerings of gold, the vulture, and Croesus with a krater and with a silver plate and with precious stones. Leader of the Olympians, the fierce fight flowed into the struggle of the people in a great stream, and the kings descended in this sport, O Hieron and Gelon and Philip and others to Greeks a thousand and four thousand Herodotus shows in his elegant history the recent triumphs
Did Thucydides hear the beautiful harmony of his prose poetry,
Influenced by the ideas of this poem, Evangelos Zappa proposed the revival of the Olympic Games.
Modern symbols, flame, etc.
The symbols used in the movement to revive the Olympic Games represent the ideas of Olympism: peace, brotherhood, noble rivalry.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin conceived the main symbol of the International Olympic Committee, the colored rings.
According to Coubertin, each of the five rings symbolized one of the five continents.
The binding of the five rings symbolized the union of the continents during the games and represents the ideal of peace and brotherhood of the entire planet.
In 1934, the International Olympic Committee decided to enrich the Olympic Games with the introduction of the Olympic flame.
The transfer of the torch, starting with the Touching of the flame ceremony in ancient Olympia and the transfer to the host city, would be a strong link between the site of the ancient Olympics and the modern host cities.
The flame symbolizes the purity that embodies the eternal youth of the Olympic philosophy. The universal symbol of flame would lead all fighters to understand the need to work towards peace and the lasting unity of humanity.
The modern organization of the Olympic Games is also based on festive ceremonies. These ceremonies symbolize the united spiritual community of all people from different societies. Despite their different socio-cultural origins, they contribute to a peaceful coexistence of nations.
OLYMPIAN - HONOR - GLORY
A greater honor and glory could not be imagined or desired by a Greek in ancient times than to be crowned Olympian. The honors given to the winners of the Olympic games exceeded even their dreams.
The winners were crowned with a wreath of wild olive branch, the "kotino". This was the greatest honor. All the athletes wanted to get this distinction and traveled from far and wide to compete. There was no second and third place, like today.
The Olympian reached his homeland on a triumphal chariot. His compatriots were "tearing down" part of the walls of their city. This in the sense that: "since such men are born in the city, there is no need for walls to protect them".
The Olympian, of course, had many privileges from now on. Among other things were: permanent distinguished position in the theaters and at festivals, exemption from tax obligations, a pension and in fact, for an Athenaeus, according to Solon's law, it reached five hundred drachmae a year, a huge amount for that time.
In Sparta the Olympian was fed at public expense. In case of war, he fought on the side of the King. Finally, great was the honor when he was praised by the best poets.
Contests of preachers and trumpeters
In Olympia, in addition to athletes, heralds and trumpeters were distinguished.
They participated in games introduced in the 96th Olympiad (396 BC) and the winners had a privileged role in the performance of the games.
More specifically, because many skilled heralds and trumpeters claimed the honor of announcing the contests and winners or blowing the trumpets in the hippodrome, competitions were established for them as well.
Thus, those who won gained the privilege of trumpeting and announcing the athletes during the Olympiad.
Olympic anthem
Ancient immortal spirit, pure father of the beautiful, the great and the true, come down, appear, and shine yonder in the glory of your own earth and heaven.
On the road and on the road and on the stone, in the noble races, the momentum shone and with the amaranth he crowned the branch and the iron frame and the worthy body.
Plains, mountains and seas shine with you like a white and purple great temple and run to the temple here your pilgrim, ancient immortal spirit, every people.
Kostis Palamas - Spyros Samaras
"LIGHT OF OLYMPIA"Mercury, gather the peoples from your trumpet,lean into the heart and tell them, tell themfor everyone to start for Olympia.Thousands upon thousands of teenagers,smarmas of bodies white, black, yellow,to go and wash near the Palestra,and then to enter through the wide open gate into the Stadium, to fight.Not with the knife and the burning iron,Not for young dead, young maimed, young unhappy,but for boxing and the javelin, for the jump, the discus,the road, the struggle, for the quadriplegic, for virtue.Beyond in the clearing, Olympia, wide awake, knits day and nightfor each of them and from a wreath of wild Greek peace,Peace of the whole world.
GLOSSARY
Javelin: The ancient Greek javelin was a weapon that had a pole and a metal spike that allowed it to be driven into the ground when it landed.Akon, spearman, hook : The akon is a light pole, hurled by the spearman with the help of the hook, a looped strip of leather, about two meters long.
Dumbbell: A dumbbell is a small weight used by jumpers to improve their performance.
Apini: Chariot type with two halves (appearance 500 BC).
Gymnasium: The gymnasium is an exercise area where athletes practiced naked.
Bus: The bus was a road race that was twice the length of the Stadium.
Dolichos: Dolichos was a distance race.
Truce: A sacred truce that was valid for the entire duration of the Olympic Games.
Piston : A stone or wooden partition used to divide the arena where chariot races were held.
Heraia : A women's road race at Olympia in honor of the goddess Hera
Straps : Strips of oxhide that boxers wrapped around the first locks of the fingers, palms, wrists, and upper arm. Later, strips of tougher leather were added around the locks to make the strikes stronger.
Steeplechase: Steeplechase is a short distance race four furlongs or 800 furlongs long.
Hippodrome: The hippodrome is the arena for equestrian events.
Pangration : The pangration is an ancient Greek contest that combined wrestling and boxing with no restrictions, except for bites and gouges in the eyes.
Palaestra: The palaestra was the place where the athletes practiced for the games.
Pentathlon: Athletic competition with five different events: the stadium, jumping, javelin, discus and wrestling.
Piros: A copper plate that fastened the wheel to the axle of the chariot.
Spondophori: Messengers who carried the announcement of the sacred truce and announced the date of the Olympic Games.
Stadium: A stadium is a special structure for sports matches and other events with an audience. The word originally meant a unit of measurement equivalent to 600 feet, which was the length of the race at the ancient Olympics and the total length of the ancient Greek stadiums.
Stadion : A stadion is 200 ancient feet long. The stadium was originally a unit of measurement 600 feet long, and gave its name to the road race of the same distance.
Scourge : The scourge was a tool used to scrub the skin after bathing. Athletes used it to remove sweat, dust and oil from their skin.
Border : Chariot type with either two horses (starting 408 BC) or two colts (starting 268 BC).
Quadruple: Type of chariot race, either with four horses (starting in 680 BC) or with four foals (starting in 384 BC).
Tripod: A tripod was a three-legged base that was often offered as a prize in ancient Greek games
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