A LEVEL
Physical Education

The Olympic Games - aims and philosophy

 Baron De Coubertin and the IOC created the OLYMPIC CHARTER 

      The Charter is the set of rules/ laws adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 

      It outlines how the Olympics should be organised and managed. It also sets out the principles and conditions of the Games.

The Olympic Philosophy (Olympism)

The aims are based on Baron de Coubertin’s original ideals that the Olympic games were supposed to be based on: these ideals were supposed to enhance human development.

These ideals are the basis of the Olympic Philosophy, called Olympism:

‘The fundamental principles of the Olympic games are to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play’

  AIMS OF OLYMPISM

      Personal excellence

      Education through sport

      Cultural exchange

      Mass participation

      Fair play

      International understanding

      Eliminate discrimination

The IOC also created a set of symbols which were meant to encapsulate the meaning of the games.

            These OLYMPIC SYMBOLS included both past and present principles of sport and the world:

      The Flag           By 1914 the symbol of the IOC had emerged- the famous five interconnecting rings, all in different colours) The colours of each of the rings (including the white background) represent all of the colours shown on every country’s flag in the world. The five rings represent the 5 continents of the world.

The Olympic flag has a white background, with no border. The Olympic symbol in its five colours is located in its centre.

     The Motto        Citius, Altius, Fortius    means ‘faster, higher, stronger’

      The Flame      This was traditionally lit during the Ancient Games at the altar of Zeus. The Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia, Greece and carried in a touch, by a series of runners to the opening ceremony of the Games. The flame is extinguished at the closing Ceremony.

      The Peace        Doves were used as a mark of world peace at the first modern Games in 1896.

      The Oath      (taken by one athlete and one official from the host nation, at the opening Ceremony)

Athlete  -  ‘In the name of all competitors, I promise that we will take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams’

 Official -   ‘In the name of all the judges and officials, I promise that we shall officiate in these olympic games with complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them in the true spirit of sportsmanship’