10/20/15

Ancient Olympics

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Panhellenic festivals
First Olympics (776 BC)
Honor the gods (Zeus)
Training for war
Qualifications

Personal qualifications
Highest character
Training rules: report 30 days ahead!
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Olympics
Every 4 years
Sacred truce
Honor for winners
Similar program: opening and closing ceremonies
5 days of events
Women not allowed!

Olympics
Male athletes: Dont let my clothes trip me up!
Female athletes (where are you?)

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Roman Olympics
Olympia was conquered and plundered by the Romans
(146-86BC)
Greek athletic events were intermingled with Roman
gladiatorial spectacles
Blood sport
Neros Olympics
Theodosius eventually banned the Olympics in 394 AD
Coliseum

 Female athletes (where are you?)

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1

Roman Olympics
Olympia was conquered and plundered by the Romans
(146-86BC)
Greek athletic events were intermingled with Roman
gladiatorial spectacles
Blood sport
Neros Olympics
Theodosius eventually banned the Olympics in 394 AD

Coliseum

Gladiator: A first-hand look at blood sport

Modern Olympic Games

Revived in 1896 by Pierre de Coubertin
France lost to Prussia
Desire to build a strong military
Influenced by British sport
Influenced by American education
First modern Olympics held in Athens,
Greece
No women allowed

Pierre de Coubertin
the athletic life of modern youth demands the revival of the
Olympic Games; and in that conviction I called for their revival,
thinking not merely of France or England, Greece or Italy, but
of humanity in general.

10/20/15

Essay published in 1908 entitled Why I Revived the Olympic

Games (published in Fortnightly Review)
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Interesting ideas about sport and religion

Coubertin said sport was a kind of religious experience
Ancient games were created as a way of honoring Zeus
Coubertin saw transforming honor from Zeus to loyalty (some
would say worshipping) to ones country.
This emphasis on nationalism naturally led to political
influences, beginning with the very first modern Olympics.

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Politics and the Olympic Games

Quotes from Power, Politics and the Olympic Games by
Alfred Senn
The Olympic games are now the largest, regularly scheduled

Interesting ideas about sport and religion

Coubertin said sport was a kind of religious experience
Ancient games were created as a way of honoring Zeus
Coubertin saw transforming honor from Zeus to loyalty (some
would say worshipping) to ones country.
This emphasis on nationalism naturally led to political
influences, beginning with the very first modern Olympics.

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10/20/15

Politics and the Olympic Games

Quotes from Power, Politics and the Olympic Games by
Alfred Senn

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The Olympic games are now the largest, regularly scheduled

international gathering in the world.
At this competition, appearing before a worldwide audience,
large states have the opportunity to demonstrate their power,
small states can win recognition for special achievements, and
new states, participating in the introductory Parade of Nations,
receive worldwide validation as members of the international
community.
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Politics, cont.
Countries use the Olympic games to make a political
statement
-Countries or individuals can exploit the games for their own
purposes.
-Outside intrusions even carry the threat of bloodshed.

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Munich Olympics

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1936 Olympics-Berlin
Awarded to Germany in 1932
Games were opened by Hitler
His intent?
Politics dominated from the very first march of athletes

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Potential Boycott
Germans refused to include Jewish athletes, causing an
international outcry!
Convinced Olympic committees that Jews and Blacks would
be allowed to compete
Jews Not Welcome
Undesirables removed

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Hitlers Dilemma
1st day victors
2nd day embarrassment: 100 meter final with Jesse Owens as
victor

Potential Boycott
Germans refused to include Jewish athletes, causing an
international outcry!
Convinced Olympic committees that Jews and Blacks would
be allowed to compete
Jews Not Welcome
Undesirables removed

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10/20/15

Hitlers Dilemma
1st day victors
2nd day embarrassment: 100 meter final with Jesse Owens as
victor
Jesse Owens
Owens went on to win 4 gold medals, setting two Olympic
records and one world record
Added insult?

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Jesse Owens

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Racism in America: Olympic spotlight

Jesse Owen's success achieved 3 goals
Symbol of supremacy of American democracy over Nazi
Germany
Eased white guilt
Forced issues of segregation, civil rights and equality to the
forefront