Chapter 3 — Olympism

Olympism is a philosophy of life that balances body, mind, and willpower. It combines sport, culture, and education to make the world more peaceful and united, and promotes values such as joy of effort, fair play, respect, friendship, and solidarity.

The three core Olympic values are Excellence (giving your best and continuously improving), Friendship (trust, respect, and kindness towards others), and Respect (valuing yourself, others, and the rules).

The Olympic motto is 'Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter', a Latin phrase meaning 'Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together'. 'Together' (Communiter) was added in 2021 to reflect the value of teamwork and solidarity.

The five interlaced rings — blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white background — represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic Games.

The first recorded Ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 BCE at a sacred valley called Olympia in the western part of Greece. They were organised to honour Zeus, the chief God of the Greeks.

French educator Pierre de Coubertin revived the Modern Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded at a Paris meeting in 1894, and the first Modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in April 1896.

The Olympic Creed says: 'The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.' It was first spoken by Bishop Ethelbert Talbot at the 1908 London Olympics.

The Olympic Flag carries five interlaced rings on a white background representing peace, purity, and unity. It was designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913, officially presented in 1914, and first used at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games in Belgium.

In 393 CE, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned all pagan festivals, including the Olympic Games, as Christianity became the main religion of the Roman Empire. The site at Olympia was later damaged by earthquakes and floods.

Beyond the three core values, the Olympic Movement promotes Joy of Effort (finding happiness in giving your best), Fair Play (playing honestly and following the rules), and Balance of Body, Mind, and Willpower (overall well-being combining physical fitness, mental strength, and emotional stability).

The Winter Olympics began in 1924. The Paralympic Games were started in 1960, giving athletes with disabilities a global platform to compete. The Youth Olympic Games were first held in 2010 to encourage young athletes to learn Olympic values through sport.

The Olympic Oath is a promise made by athletes, coaches, and judges during the Opening Ceremony of every Olympic Games. It was first introduced at the 1920 Antwerp Games and written by Pierre de Coubertin. It commits all participants to fair play, inclusion, equality, and competition without doping or cheating.

The Olympic Anthem was composed by Greek musician Spyros Samaras, with lyrics written by Greek poet Kostas Palamas. It was first performed at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens and officially adopted by the IOC as the official anthem in 1958.

The goal of the Olympic Movement is to place sport at the service of human development and peace. It aims to build a better world through sport by ensuring the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, putting athletes at the heart of the movement, and promoting Olympic values among young people.

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