Olympic Games: All You Need To Know The latest Olympics was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This multi-sport event started on 5th August and ended on 21st August of 2016. Popularly known as Rio 2016, the event witnessed the participation of 11000 or more athletes from 207 committees of National Olympic. The event highlighted 28 diverse sports, sets of 306 medals and 33 different locations in the hosted city. Olympic Games are recognized worldwide. Athletes around the globe gather to take part in the event. Archery, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, shooting, rowing, sailing, wrestling, rugby are few examples of the event. Olympic takes place after every 4 years. The summer and winter games are alternative. Ancient Olympic Games dates back to 776 BC in the state of Olympia, Greece. The event accounted as a religious festival, celebration of a Greek God, Zeus. The participants of the Ancient games were only young, free men who could speak Greek. They used to compete without clothes and the winners were rewarded with the crown of olive leaves. The crown represented hope and peace. Women, at that time, were not allowed to participate in the games. They were not even allowed to watch. In 393 A.D., Olympics were forbidden by Emperor Theodosius I, labelling the event as a pagan festival which deviated from his religious beliefs. Olympic Games revived after 1500 years in 1896. The idea was presented by a French nobleman Pierre Freddy, the Baron de Coubertin. He was a young sportsman who was passionate about sports. He believed that sports upsurge peace and bring people all over the world, together. He travelled the world and convinced people of different countries. Due to Freddy’s hardworking efforts, the Olympic movement initiated in Paris in 1894. In Athens, Greece, the first modern Olympics were celebrated in 1896. In 1924, winter and summer Olympics were held in the same year till 1992. From 1994, the games of different seasons were held in separate years. Even in modern Olympics, women were not allowed to participate. It was because, women were prohibited to show any parts of their skin or show their body shape. Hence for years, the struggle did not allow women athletes. From 1900, women began to compete. The supervision of Olympic Games constitutes of 130 members at present. The election of new members is done by the old ones if required. The condition is to be able to speak English or French. In Lausanne, Switzerland, the IOC is located. To build a better and peaceful world is the goal of the Olympic Movement. Education through sports is also given to youngsters. The motto of Olympic Games is in Latin "Citius, Altius, Fortius." Which means "Swifter, Higher and Stronger".
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