Olympic Games Flashcards
Where were the ancient Olympic Games held?
In Olympia from 8th century BC to 4th Century AD
When were the olympics founded?
1896
Who founded the Olympics?
Baron Pierre de Coubertin
What was De Coubertin’s inspiration for the Olympics?
- Visiting Britain late 19th Century taking values from English schools.
- The Robert Dover Games
- The Much Wenlock Games
What was the main philosophy of the Olympic Games?
To bring countries together through healthy competition and establish world peace
What are the 4 aims of the Olympic Games?
- Promotes physical/moral qualities
- Spread the olympic principles throughout the world
- Bring together athletes from all over the world every 4 years
- Educate young people on the values of sport
What are the 3 olympic values?
Effort
Preserve human dignity
Harmony
When were the British Olympics Association formed?
1905
What is the role of the BOA?
Execution and planning of team GB’s olympic participation.
They select the team GB
How many summer olympic sports are there?
28
How many winter olympic sports are there?
7
How are the BOA funded?
Not by politics or government but by commercial sponsorship and fundraising income
When was the International Olympics Committee formed?
1894
What is the role of the IOC?
Administer the olympic movement, they select and support hosting cities inn the management of the games.
They own the rights for the olympic symbol and are based in Switzerland
What do the 5 rings in the olympic symbol represent?
The 5 continents that participate
What is the origin of the Paralympics?
WWII veterans with serious back injuries
What was the first Paralympics?
Rome 1960
In what Paralympics was the range of disability groups increased?
Toronto 1976
What was the first winter Paralympics?
Sweden 1976
What are the 4 Paralympic values?
- Equality
- Determination
- Courage
- Inspiration
What is the aim of the IOC regarding politics?
To separate sport from politics, though the olympics are used for political movements
What Olympics did Hitler use the games to stage propaganda for the Third Reich?
Berlin 1939
How did the German team treat Berlin 1939?
They expected to win to show superiority, all members were of the aryan race
How did the German’s train for Berlin 1939?
Full-time which effectively made them professionals, though Olympics is an amateur competition
Who was German superstar in Berlin 1939?
Lutz Lang
Who was Jesse Owens in Berlin 1939?
The best athlete at the time, he was African-American and won 4 gold medals, even beating Lutz Lang in long jump, which upset Hitler
How many gold medals were won by USA African-American team in Berlin 1939?
13, Hitler refused to present them with medals
What olympics was used to boycott the games due to South Africa’s racial segregation, leading to South Africa’s invitation being withdrawn?
Mexico City 1968
What two USA athletes boycotted Mexico City 1968?
Tommie Smith and John Carlos
How did Tommie Smith and John Carlos boycott Mexico City 1968?
They used the medal ceremony to protest against the lack of rights in the U.S, they both wore one glove.
Tommie smith wore a glove on the right hand, representing ‘black power’, and black socks with no shoes.
John Carlos wore a glove on the left hand, representing ‘black unity’, and black socks with no shoes
What was the result of Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s boycott of Mexico City 1968?
Both athletes were stripped of medals and told to leave the olympics.
When they returned home some people seen them as heroes and some seen them as embarrassments
What olympics did Black September conduct a terrorist attack?
Munich 1972
Why did Munich originally host the 1972 Olympics?
To restore reputation after the holocaust
What were the actions of Black September in Munich 1972?
They took 11 members of the Israeli Olympic Team hostage and demanded 234 prisoners of war to be released.
Germany’s rescue attempt failed and all hostages were killed, plus 5 of the terrorists
In what olympics did the USA boycott soviet troops invading Afghanistan?
Moscow 1980
What was Margaret Thatchers view regarding Moscow 1980?
The boycott would explain the enormity of the situation to the Russian public
What USA president announced the Moscow 1980 boycott?
Jimmy Carter
When did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan?
December 1979
In what olympics did the Soviet Union announce a boycott?
Los Angeles 1984
Why did the Soviet Union boycott the LA 1984 Olympics?
The commercialisation of the games and the USA using the games for a political purpose.
They also blamed a lack of security measures
How many nations joined the Soviet Union’s boycott of LA 1984?
14
What was the view of the Soviet Union’s boycott of the LA 1984 Olympics?
It was a ‘tit-for-tat’ response to the USA’s boycott
