Published on 08/1/2008

The Olympic Games is an international sport event subdivided into two sporting event. One is the summer event and other is winter event. .

The Olympic Games

by Rizwan Jamil

The Olympic Games is an international sport event subdivided into two sporting event. One is the summer event and other is winter event. Both events are held every four years. Until 1992, they were both held in same year. Since then, the summer games are held during the first year of an Olympiad, the winter games during the third year. Origin of this event is based from Greece, and was first recorded in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece and was celebrated until AD 393.

Spirit of Olympic Games was revived by Greek poet and newspaper editor Panagiotis Soutsos in his poem “Dialogue of the Dead” in 1833. The first modern international Olympic Games was sponsored by Evangelos Zappas of the Panathinaiko Stadium that held in 1859. The international Olympic Committee was founded in 1894 on the initiative of a French nobleman, Pierre Fredy, Baron de Coubertin. Summer Olympic Games were the first to be organized in 1896 in Greece. The most recent Summer Olympics were the 2004 Games in Athens and the most recent Winter Olympics were the 2006 Games in Turin. The upcoming games in Beijing are planned to comprise 302 events in 28 sports. As of 2006, the Winter Olympics were competed in 84 events in 7 sports. And now this mega event will going to happen in Beijing, Central Republic of China, staring from August 4 and closing on August 24, 2008.

The organisation of the Olympic Games is entrusted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the country of the host city as well as to the host city itself. The NOC forms, for that purpose, an Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) which, from the time it is constituted, communicates directly with the IOC, from which it receives instructions. The OCOG executive body includes: the IOC member or members in the country; the President and Secretary General of the NOC; and at least one member representing, and designated by, the host city. In addition, it generally includes representatives of the public authorities and other leading figures. From the time of its constitution to the end of its liquidation, the OCOG must comply with the Olympic Charter, the contract entered into between the IOC, the National Olympic Committee and the host city (Host City Contract) and the instructions of the IOC Executive Board. Nowadays, these Organising Committees have turned into enormous administrative entities employing hundreds of people. The Organising Committee starts its work with a period of planning followed by a period of organisation which culminates in the implementation or operational phase.

The Beijing 2008

The Beijing Games will show the world what the Olympic Games really are: a gathering of young people who share the same goal and the same enthusiasm for sport. As well as inviting the finest athletes in the world to compete against each other and specially this event includes athletes from Iraq including a female sprinter and a male discus-thrower. The Games will also provide a stage for China to present itself to the world during 16 days and 17 nights of sporting celebration. Winners will be presented with the medals that have their own history within themselves. For the first time jade is used for the Beijing Olympic medals. The medals have been designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon pattern. The medals symbolise nobility and virtue and are the embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honour, emitting a strong Chinese flavour. The winners’ medal is made of gold weighing not less than six grammes each. The medal for the runner-up is made of pure silver. Noble and elegant, the medals are a blending of traditional Chinese culture and Olympism. On their obverse side, the medals reflect the Greek character of the Olympic Games: the goddess of victory Nike pictured in the Panathinaikos Stadium. While on their reverse side, the medals are inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centrepiece. The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade "huang", a ceremonial jade piece decorated with a double dragon pattern and "Pu", the reed mat pattern.

No doubts the games have always brought people together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The upcoming Games will feature athletes from all over the world and help promote the Olympic spirit. Upcoming Olympic would be held in Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and in Sochi 2014.