It’s hard to imagine a world without the Olympics, but did you know that the games were actually abolished for over 1,500 years? That is until Baron Pierre de Coubertin convinced nations from around the world to participate in an international sporting event, reigniting the Olympic flame and bringing together athletes from different corners of the globe. The revival of the Olympics in 1896 was nothing short of miraculous and fascinating. In this blog post, we’re going to take a closer look at how it all began and what led up to this groundbreaking moment in sports history. So, get ready for a journey through time as we explore one of the most captivating stories behind modern-day athletics!
1896: The year Olympics returned
The story of how the Olympics returned to the world stage is a fascinating one. After being banned in 1914 due to World War I, the International Olympic Committee was founded in Paris in 1919 to try and bring back the Olympics. It wasn’t until 1932 that Los Angeles was chosen as the host city for the games, and it wasn’t until 1936 that Hitler’s Germany invaded Poland, leading to World War II and the eventual cancellation of the Berlin Games. The International Olympic Committee was revived again in 1947, and after years of planning, Rome was selected as the host city for the 1960 Winter Olympics. The 1980 Summer Olympics were held in Moscow due to political turmoil surrounding Nike’s decision to sponsor an American team for the event. The 1996 games were hosted by Atlanta after a bidding process that lasted more than a year. The Athens Games were also affected by political unrest leading up to their happening; nonetheless, they have been widely considered one of the most successful Olympic Games ever held. The 2004 games were hosted by Athens again after Toronto withdrew from hosting duties because of concerns over cost overruns and organizational problems. It was not until 2005 that London was chosen as the host city for these games, which happened just eight years after 9/11 (the terrorist attacks). In 2007, Beijing replaced London as host city for the 2008 games due to financial concerns with London’s organizers; however, London eventually regained its bid and hosted these games in 2012.
Events and athletes
The revival of the Olympics was an event that many people were not expecting. When the International Olympic Committee voted to suspend the games in 2009, many people thought that it was a permanent ejection from the global sports stage. However, after much work and dedication by leaders all around the world, they were able to bring back the Olympics in 2016.
One of the main reasons for their success was London’s bid committee. They utilized innovative marketing and advertising strategies in order to garner support from city officials, businesspeople, and everyday athletes. The bid committee also worked hard to build relationships with other international organizations like FIFA and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These connections helped them when winning over host cities like Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Another key factor that played a role in making these games successful was the selection of celebrities as Olympic ambassadors. These celebrities included five-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, actress Eva Mendes, musician David Bowie, and duo figure skaters Kristi Yamaguchi and Jaycen Taylor. These stars helped to get new fans interested in the Olympics while also helping to market the games in other countries.
These games were a complete success due to strong planning by both the IOC and bidders like London’s committee.
What ensued from the return of the Olympics?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was not happy when LA declined to host the 1980 Olympics. The committee had planned everything out and they wanted their games to be held in Los Angeles. However, by the time the city finally agreed to submit an application, it was too late. The IOC awarded the 1984 games to Moscow instead.
However, there were some people who didn’t want the games to go away. They believed that if enough people pushed for it, LA could have been chosen as the host city. So they started a campaign called “Los Angeles Is The Best Option.” This campaign included letters writing, meeting with politicians, and even a protest song called “We Shall Overcome” being released.
Thanks to this grassroots effort, LA was eventually chosen as the fourth candidate for the 1988 Olympics. They lost to Barcelona by only one vote in a close election. However, they would not let that stop them from trying again four years later.
This time their strategy was different. Instead of just focusing on getting the mayor on board and finding sponsors, they decided to lobby everyone involved in Olympic decision-making- including heads of state and business leaders. They were successful and received votes from all six council members which gave them the required two thirds majority needed for hosting rights (the other cities being Montréal and Seoul).
LA’s bid ended up being so successful that Boston followed suit and applied for the 1992 games which led to Atlanta being awarded the 1996.
Lessons we can learn from 1896.
In 1896, a group of citizens in Athens, Greece banded together to revive the ancient Olympic Games. The games were a huge success and showcased the best that Greece had to offer. Today, we can learn a lot from 1896 about how to revive an outdated tradition and make it thrive again.
1. Get all stakeholders on board.
When the citizens of Athens revived the Olympics in 1896, they quickly realized they would need the support of many different parties. They enlisted the help of politicians, businessmen, and athletes in order to make it happen. Getting all of these people on board was essential for success; without their participation, the revival wouldn’t have been possible.
2. Plan for long-term sustainability.
The revival of the Olympics in 1896 was a huge undertaking; it required months of planning and coordination. If it were done today, it would likely be short-lived and forgotten within a few years. strategize ways to make your tradition sustainable so that it continues to thrive for years to come!
3. Promote creativity and innovation.
One of the things that made the revival of the Olympics in 1896 so successful was its creative approach. Rather than sticking with traditional elements, the organizers encouraged outside contributors to come up with new ideas for events and competitions. This allowed for more variety and spontaneity in the proceedings, which helped attract additional participants and viewers . Likewise, don’t be afraid to try something new
Why is it played?
The modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece, in 1896. At the time, there were only a handful of countries in the world that participated in the Games. The event was seen as a way to promote international goodwill and solidarity. Initially, the Olympic Games were incredibly modest – they consisted of just a few track and field events and two swimming competitions.
As the Games grew, so did their scope. Over time, more events were added, including football (1906), basketball (1908), and water polo (1912). And, finally, when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, he decided to get involved with the Olympics. He believed that appearances made by Nazi Germany would help improve its position within the world community. However, after he became Leader of Germany, he discontinued his support for the Olympic Games.
In 1936, Adolph Hitler imposed rules on how athletes from Nazi Germany could compete at the Berlin Olympics – these restrictions ended up damaging Germany’s reputation significantly. As a result of this poor publicity, many other countries decided not to participate in future Olympic Games. This led to the modern Olympic movement being completely revived by Avery Brundage (the chairman of the International Olympic Committee) in 1941. At that point, Brundage declared that all participating nations would be given an equal say in what events took place at future games – this policy is still followed today by the IOC.
When is it played?
The modern Olympics began on April 6, 1896, in Athens, Greece. The first event was a foot race. However, the Olympics as we know them today didn’t take off until the 1920s. Up until that time, the Olympic Games were very small and only participated by a handful of countries. It wasn’t until Great Britain hosted the first modern Olympics that they became popular all over Europe and North America. Since then, the Olympics has become one of the most popular sporting events in the world, with billions of spectators tuning in every 24 hours to watch our favorite Olympians compete. Here’s a look at when each day of the Olympic Games is celebrated:
Friday: Commemoration Day
Saturday: Opening Ceremony Day
Sunday: All-Around Competition Day
Monday: Weightlifting Events
Tuesday: Cycling Events
Wednesday: Swimming Events
Thursday: Track and Field Events
Who made the Olympics?
The history of the Olympic Games is as fascinating as the events themselves. It was originally a religious festival held by the Greeks in honour of Zeus and other gods. Over time, it evolved into a competition among various city-states for dominance. The modern Olympics were first held in Athens, Greece, in 1896.
Since then, the Olympic Games have become one of the most famous and celebrated events in the world. They have been hosted by various countries over time but are now held every four years across all seven continents. The 2016 Olympics will be held in Brazil.