Olympic Games

The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 776 ВС in Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olympia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the Games. For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship.

In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later. In 1896 the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the corn-petitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuries-old tradition.

The same year the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries which take part in the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee decides upon the program of the games, the number of the participants and the city-host for the Games. Over one hundred and fifty countries are re-presented in the International Olympic Committee now. Besides, each country has its National Olympic Committee.

Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centers. Thousands of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes great efforts to arrange everything. There is always an interesting cultural program of concerts, exhibitions, and festivals for each Games.

The Olympic flag has five colored interlaced rings, representing the five parts of the world, on a white background. The motto of the Olympic Games is "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger).

Russia joined the Olympic movement in 1952. In 1980 Moscow hosted the Twenty-Second Olympic Games. The latest Olympic Games were held in 2012 in London.

We must always remember the words: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle".