Eternal Flame
The Enduring Spirit and Modern Transformations of the Olympics
Citius, altius, fortius. Faster, higher, stronger. These three words encapsulate the attributes of athletes from the ancient to contemporary Olympic Games. Athletes from around the world compete to make a name for themselves, striving to win the coveted wreath and gold medals. More than 2,780 years after the Olympics began in the ancient era, they are now considered the premier festival of athletic events, showcasing over 40 sports and hundreds of events across both winter and summer sessions. The Olympics not only measure the talent of individual athletes but also ignite a medal race among countries to determine which nation has the best athletes. It remains the only event where people from all corners of the globe gather in one place to unveil the world's top athletes across a variety of sports. Although the magnitude, political, and financial situations have changed drastically since the first Olympics, the spirit and purpose of the games have remained unchanged.
By most accounts, the ancient Olympics began in 776 BC when a young man named Corcebus won a foot race in Olympia. Approximately 2780 years ago, there is no definitive reason known for why the games began or who started them, although legends of gods, kings, and soldiers abound. Some legends say the games started when Zeus and Kronos wrestled for control of the world, and the subsequent celebrations evolved into the Olympics, while others suggest that the Olympics began when King Enomaus chased suitors to protect his daughter. Over time, the games became an integral part of daily life. Every four years, the empire would suspend all political agendas and travel to Olympia to witness the games, attracting crowds so large that stadiums were built to accommodate forty-five to fifty thousand people, similar in size to many modern venues. The events continued to prosper every four years, but as the Greek empire declined, so did the prestige of the games. In 394 AD, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I abolished the Olympics, and in the following generations, the stadiums and the city of Olympia were destroyed. With the records and buildings lost, the games were virtually forgotten until their revival in 1896.
Throughout the 19th century, various individuals dreamed of reviving the Olympic Games, but it was Baron Pierre de Coubertin who finally succeeded in creating a lasting Olympic Games. Although initially limited to only eight countries, with athletes having to pay their own way, these games set the stage for the enormous growth that would unfold over the next century and beyond. The Olympic Games were a pivotal factor in ancient Greek politics. Greek cities and regions would send delegates and spectators to the games, and all political agendas were temporarily suspended. Wars would cease during the games, and goodwill was maintained to ensure that the games could be celebrated by all citizens. Victors crowned with olive branches often ascended to political leadership, imbued with a seemingly divine authority from the gods.
While the Olympic Games dictated the political agenda during ancient times, in recent years, the reverse has occurred. Countries have used the Olympics to advance their own agendas, make global statements, and gain prestige. For instance, the Germans used the 1936 Berlin Olympics to showcase the power of an entirely Aryan team, though they were ultimately humiliated by Jesse Owens and other African American athletes from the United States. In 1958, the communist Russians stated:
A successful trip by the sportsmen of the USSR to the people’s democratic countries is an excellent vehicle of propaganda in capitalist countries. The success of our sportsmen abroad helps in the work of our foreign diplomatic missions and of our trade delegations. Even the 1980 U.S. team abstained from the Moscow Olympics to make a political statement against communism. Today, as the world has expanded beyond a single Greek civilization, with a vast number of countries and their interactions, politics continue to grow in influence over the games.
During the ancient era, the Olympic Games always took place in Olympia, making the games a deep-rooted tradition. Although the city of Olympia undoubtedly thrived every four years, as evidenced by the vast stadiums and theaters constructed for the games, financial gain was not a primary concern. The games themselves were the highest priority, and any positive or negative consequences associated with them were considered insignificant. In contrast, today's Olympics have transformed into a festival driven by financial gain, where ticket prices can soar, and hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on the host city, significantly impacting the country's economy based on the success or failure of the games. The complexity of selecting a host city illustrates the immensity of the games, involving months of voting by members of the International Olympic Committee and numerous applicants, a process often marred by allegations of bribery and coercion. For example, there were allegations that members from Salt Lake City bribed Olympic committee members to secure the 2002 Winter Games. Another instance of the vast budgets involved is the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, which were expected to cost the government over twenty billion dollars. This financial expenditure underscores the complicated nature and significant consequences of hosting the Olympic Games.
Many children today dream of winning a gold medal in the Olympics, training, competing, and aspiring to be the best in the world. Only a few get the chance to compete, and even fewer achieve the distinction of being the best by wearing the gold medal. The emotions experienced by ancient Greek victors and today's winners are likely similar, marked by immense pride during the medal ceremony. Despite significant changes in the scale, political landscape, and financial implications of the games, the fundamental premise and purpose of the Olympic Games have remained unchanged.