What did the winner of the Olympic Games receive as a reward? Olympic medals. Dossier. Interesting facts about the participants of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Silver instead of gold
The winners were awarded in whatever way they could Olympic Games in Ancient Greece! But there were never any medals on this impressive list. The most common type of award was a wreath made of olive. There are known cases when the winners were awarded gold coins, and in fair quantities. This is somewhat reminiscent of prizes for successful performances.
Pierre de Coubertin had the idea of rewarding the winners from the very beginning. And initially the baron wanted to revive the Greek tradition of laying wreaths on the heads of Olympic champions. And then Coubertin and his comrades turned a little from the Greek path to the Roman one. According to the original project, the athlete who took first place should have received a laurel wreath. This was worn on the head of a Roman commander who deserved a triumph. It must be said that the baron quickly abandoned this idea. Most likely, because in Europe at the end of the 19th century, laurel was not valued as much as in Ancient Rome.
Laying a laurel wreath on the head of the winner. (wikipedia.org)
Then the idea of medals was born. Officially they are the main Olympic medal were approved at the First Olympic Congress in 1894. But initially there were only two medals. The winner is made of silver with gilding, and the athlete who comes second is made of bronze. The same story repeated itself in Paris in 1900. And only in 1904, when the American St. Louis hosted the Olympics, they decided to honor not two, but three athletes with badges of honor. But again it didn’t come to gold. The winner received a medal made of silver, but covered with gold enamel. And it was then that the IOC decided that this was probably not very correct, and the champions of the next Olympics, London, in 1908, received medals made of pure gold for the first time.
This, in turn, led to a decrease in the size of the awards. However, it was in 1908 that a tradition was formed that exists to this day: the winner receives gold, the second medalist receives silver, and the third medalist receives bronze.
The first Olympic Games 1896. The birth of a tradition
The IOC initially decreed that the medal should be round. In addition, the reference to Ancient Greece was very important. That is why on the medals made for the Olympics in Athens (1896), you can see an image of Zeus on one side and the Acropolis on the other. The Acropolis also appeared on medals in 1900 and 1904, but the proud British in 1908 replaced the ancient Greek temple with an image of St. George on horseback.
However, the French surpassed everyone. The medals from the 1900 Paris Olympics were not even called medals. For reasons that are not entirely clear, they were rectangular in shape, and in official records they were called plaques. True, all this was done with the consent of the IOC.
Pierre de Coubertin. (wikipedia.org)
In 1904, the medals were returned to their original round shape. They remain so to this day. Another interesting detail. For a long time, medals did not have ribbons. Awards were presented to winners and runners-up directly in their hands, rather than placed around their necks. The Olympic Charter, approximately from the beginning of the 20s of the twentieth century, very strictly regulated everything that was in any way related to the award ceremony. Deviations from the letter of the Olympic law were strictly suppressed or, in any case, not encouraged.
However, the organizing committee Summer Olympics 1960 (Rome) decided to take a chance. Thin bronze chains were made in the shape of an olive branch, which were attached to the top of the medals and allowed them to be hung around the winners' necks. The organizers simply deceived the IOC by presenting medals without chains to the inspection commission. And at the first award ceremony, the girls who brought out the medals were given small scissors with them so that they could quickly cut and remove the chains if representatives of the Olympic Committee remained dissatisfied. The IOC, however, was delighted. Since then, ribbons and chains have become an integral part of Olympic medals.
Multiple gentlemen
This is a traditional part of our column, and it would be a sin to abandon it. Here, however, you need to remember a fairly simple rule. The IOC primarily considers the number of victories, not the total number of medals. So a person who has won two gold medals will be higher than someone who has forty awards, but only one medal of the highest value.
Everyone knows the most titled athlete in the history of the Olympics. This is our contemporary - American Michael Phelps. This swimmer has as many as 23 gold medals! The specificity of the competition is such that if anyone ever surpasses the athlete nicknamed the Flying Fish, then, obviously, it will also be a swimmer. The pursuers are hopelessly behind.
The winners of the 1960 Rome Olympics received medals on chains: Rafer Johnson, USA (gold, center), Yang Chuanguan, Taiwan (silver, left), Vasily Kuznetsov, USSR (bronze):
Winners. (wikipedia.org)
The second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list of the most titled Olympians are occupied by nine-time champions. Among them Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, Finnish athlete Paavo Nurmi and two Americans - swimmer Mark Spitz and sprinter Carl Lewis. Until recently, Usain Bolt was also here. However, the Jamaican runner was deprived of one of the gold medals. The culprit was the unfortunate doping that was found in his sprint relay partner.
Well, among the most titled athletes in history Winter Olympics The leaders are exclusively Norwegians. Moreover, their first and last names are consonant. Here are three eight-time champions: skier Marit Bjørgen, skier Björn Deli and biathlete Ole Einar Björndalen. At the same time, Bjørgen broke into this company just a month ago, when she won two golds at the Pyeongchang Olympics. As a result, the skier turned out to be higher than both Björn Deli and Björndalen, because in total there are 15 awards of various denominations in her personal collection.
The most titled domestic athletes in the history of the Winter Olympics - speed skater Lidiya Skoblikova, skier Lyubov Egorova and short track speed skater Viktor An. They won six victories each at the Olympics. Ahn, however, won half of these awards while playing for the South Korean national team. In those days, his name was still Ahn Hyun Soo.
Modern sport means a lot of money. No one is surprised by the multimillion-dollar fees paid to the winners of major sports competitions. I wonder how the winners of the first Olympic Games were awarded?
The main reward for the winner of the ancient Olympics was a laurel wreath, the branches of which were cut from the sacred olive tree that grew next to the temple of Zeus. Moreover, the branches had to be cut with a golden knife by a boy who came from a noble family.
There was one more condition: this boy must have both parents alive. Olympic champion awarded in the presence of numerous spectators, the speaker praised the winner and his homeland. And when leaving the stadium, enthusiastic fans often carried the champion in their arms.
The next award ceremony took place when the Olympic hero returned to his homeland.
Enthusiastic fellow countrymen expressed their admiration for the champion and, as a token of gratitude for glorifying their hometown, presented him with a material reward. In Athens, a law was even passed according to which the winner of the Olympics received 500 drachmas. Poets wrote odes of praise to their compatriots, which were sung by the choir.
In addition, the winner of the Games had the right to erect his statue in Olympia. The only question was financing. If an athlete came from a noble family, he could pay for the order for the production of the statue himself, but most often the funds were allocated by the winner’s hometown or one of the wealthy patrons. Often the most famous masters worked on the sculptures, and accordingly, the payment was considerable. Pedestals were often decorated with poems dedicated to the champion.
As we can see, the winners of the Games in Ancient Greece enjoyed universal respect. But in 394, the Olympic Games were banned by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, who called them “a relic of paganism.”
The break lasted more than 1500 years.
Only in 1896, on the initiative of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens. Professionals were prohibited from competing in them, therefore, the winners of the first Olympiads could not count on significant financial rewards.
In this regard, we can recall an interesting incident that occurred in 1912 at the Games in Stockholm.
In individual competitions, the first prize consists of a gold plated medal and diploma, the second prize consists of a silver medal and diploma, and the third prize consists of a bronze medal and diploma. Medals must indicate the sport and type of competition for which they are awarded. The diameter of medals must be at least 60mm, thickness - 3mm. Medals for first and second places must be silver, not lower than 925 - 1000 standard, and the medal for first place must be gold-plated (at least 6 grams of pure gold). That's why it's called gold.
IN team sports sports and in team competitions in other sports, each member of the winning team and medalist teams who participated in at least one match or competition during the Olympic Games is entitled to a medal and a diploma according to their places. The remaining members of these teams are only entitled to receive a diploma.
Athletes who take places from fourth to eighth in individual and team competitions receive IOC diplomas.
The medals and diplomas awarded on the occasion of the Winter Olympic Games must be different from those used at the Olympic Games.
Commemorative diplomas and commemorative medals are awarded to all participants of the Games and team officials.
If an Olympic athlete is disqualified, his medal(s) and diploma(s) must be returned to the IOC.
Recently, winners and prize-winners of Olympic competitions, in addition to medals, began to be awarded with badges, respectively - gold, silver, bronze. For special services to the Olympic movement, the IOC awards a sports figure or athlete with the Olympic Order. This is a particularly high and valuable award.
There are many citizens of our country among those awarded the Olympic Order. The highest Golden Olympic Order was awarded: in 1992. first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, in 1998 Mayor of Moscow Yu.M. Luzhkov, in 2001 President of Russia V.V. Putin. The Silver Order has been awarded to outstanding athletes, coaches, sports leaders, specialists, and government officials.
Over the entire period of existence of the USSR Olympic Committee, 20 people were awarded Olympic Orders by the IOC. In 1992-2001. 37 people were awarded, which indicates the increased authority of the Russian Olympic Committee in the international sports movement and recognition of the merits of the Russian Federation by the IOC.
4.8. Olympic anthem
The Olympic anthem is approved by the International Olympic Committee at the 55th session of 1958 in Tokyo, the notes (scores) of which are stored at the IOC headquarters.
All rights to olympic symbol, flag, motto and anthem belong exclusively to the International Olympic Committee.
5. Olympism, Olympic movement, Olympic Games. Olympics.
Olympism, the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games are the most important social phenomena in international life.
The concept of modern Olympism belongs to Pierre de Coubertin.
Olympism is a philosophy of life that elevates and integrates the dignity of body, will and mind into a balanced whole. Olympism, which combines sport with culture and education, strives to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, on the educational value of good example and on respect for universal basic ethical principles.
The goal of Olympism is the widespread use of sport in the service of harmonious development in order to contribute to the creation of a peaceful society that cares about the preservation of human dignity.
Olympic movement, led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has its roots in modern Olympism.
Under the supreme authority of the IOC, the Olympic Movement brings together organizations, athletes and other individuals who agree to be governed by the Olympic Charter. The criterion for belonging to the Olympic movement is recognition by the International Olympic Committee.
Target Olympic movement – to contribute to building a better world through the education of youth through sports without any discrimination and in the spirit of observance of the principles of Olympism, which includes mutual understanding, friendship, an atmosphere of solidarity and fair play.
The activities of the Olympic movement are permanent and universal. Its pinnacle is the unification of the world's athletes at the grandiose sports festival - the Olympic Games.
In addition to the IOC, the organizational basis of the Olympic movement consists of national Olympic committees, international and national federations for sports that are included in the program of the Olympic Games. Of course, other international sports organizations that share its goals and objectives can participate in the Olympic Movement.
The Olympic movement is not something frozen; it is developing, enriched with new ideas, and its ties with government agencies and various public associations are strengthening.
Olympic Games are competitions between athletes in individual or team events, and not between countries. This is a great celebration of the youth of the world. The Games bring together the strongest athletes from all countries in fair and equal competitions. They realize the goals of Olympism and the Olympic movement.
The Olympic Games consist of the Olympiad Games and the Olympic Winter Games, each of which is held every four years.
The Olympic Games reflect the level of modern life like a mirror. They attract the close attention of millions of people on our planet and express humanity’s irresistible desire for peace and progress.
The Olympic Games are held in full compliance with the Olympic Charter and perform important pedagogical and social functions. They have enormous educational and educational significance. The Olympic flame, the Olympic oath, the raising of national flags, the performance of national anthems in honor of the victory of athletes, the award ceremony for the winners - all this instills noble patriotic feelings in people.
At the same time, modern Olympism, the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games, developing in the conditions of great contradictions inherent in the modern world, represent a complex process. Various theories, views and concepts on the essence of Olympism, the Olympic movement, the Games, their present and future collide.
Olympics.
The term “Olympiad” means a period of four consecutive years that begins with the Games of the Olympics and ends with the opening of the Games of the next Olympics. Moreover, and in modern history sports, just like in Ancient Greece, counting is kept for the Olympics. The Summer Olympics take place in the first year of the Olympics.
If for some reason the Games of any Olympiad were not held, then the Olympiad will end four years after the start of the previous Olympiad, and a new Olympiad will begin from that day.
The Olympic Games are counted sequentially from the first Olympic Games (Games of the Olympics) of modern times, which were celebrated in Athens in 1896.
Olympic medal - a badge of honor awarded to winners and prize-winners of competitions (both individual and team championships)held as part of the Olympic Games under the patronage of the IOC. It is one of the mandatory attributes of the modern Olympic movement. The design is proposed by the Games Organizing Committee and approved by the IOC.
International Olympic Committee imposes the following requirements for Olympic medals and the procedure for awarding winners and prize-winners:
medals are awarded to athletes who take the first three places:
Gold - for first place;
Silver - for second place;
Bronze - for third place.
The regulations for some competitions provide for two third places (boxing, wrestling, etc.). Such regulations are proposed, approved and regulated by relevant international sports federations and the International Olympic Committee.
It is possible to award several medals of the same value based on equality of results. In such cases, a silver medal will not be awarded if two or more gold medals are awarded. Bronze medal not awarded if two or more silver or three or more gold medals are awarded.
materials from which medals are made:
Gold and silver medals must be made of silver of at least 925 standard;
Golden medal must be plated with at least 6 grams of gold;
A bronze medal is made from copper alloys with admixtures of zinc, tin, or others. metals;
requirements for the shape and design of the Olympic medal:
Minimum diameter - 60 mm;
Minimum thickness - 3 mm;
The type of sport in which the medal was won must be engraved on the surface;
In addition to awarding the winners and prize-winners of the Olympic Games, the practice has developed of presenting commemorative Olympic medals to all participants, judges, and officials.
- On I and At the II Olympic Games (1896, 1900), medals were awarded only for 1st and 2nd places.
- All medals of the Summer Olympic Games - round shape. The only exception was the rectangular “plaques” that were awarded to the winners, prize-winners and competitors of the 2nd Olympic Games of 1900 in Paris. Winter Olympics medals are subject to less conservatism.
- Twice medals were minted from gold of at least 583 purity - for the winners of competitions at the Olympic Games of 1908 in London and 1912 in Stockholm.
- The medal of the 1912 Stockholm Games became the smallest and lightest in the history of the Olympic movement: thickness - 1.5 mm, diameter - 33.4 mm, weight - 24 grams. The gold medal was made of pure gold and was awarded only to the winners in the individual championship. The winners in the team championship were awarded silver and gold medals.
- In the manufacture of Olympic medals, designers used, in addition to metals, various natural and synthetic materials: Norwegian granite (Lillehammer 1994), crystal (Albertville 1992), jade (Beijing 2008), etc.
The winner of the Olympic Games received universal recognition along with an olive wreath (this tradition dates back to 752 BC) and purple ribbons. He became one of the most respected people in his city (for whose residents the victory of a fellow countryman at the Olympics was also a great honor), he was often exempted from government duties and given other privileges. The Olympian was also given posthumous honors in his homeland. And according to the one introduced in the 6th century. BC. in practice, the three-time winner of the Games could erect his statue in Altis.
The first Olympian known to us was Korab from Elis cook by profession, who won the one-furlong race in 776 BC
The most famous - and the only athlete in the entire history of the ancient Olympic Games who won the 6 Olympics, - was “the strongest among the strong,” a wrestler Milo from Crotona. A native of the Greek colonial city of Croton (southern modern Italy) and, according to some sources, a student of Pythagoras, he won his first victory at the 60th Olympiad (540 BC) in competitions among youths. From 532 BC to 516 BC he won 5 more Olympic titles - already among adult athletes. In 512 BC. Milon, who was already over 40 years old, tried to win his seventh title, but lost to a younger opponent. Olympian Milo was also a repeated winner of the Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean Games and many local competitions. Mentions of him can be found in the works of Pausanias, Cicero and other authors.
Another outstanding athlete - Leonid from Rhodes– at four Olympics in a row (164 BC – 152 BC) won in three “running” disciplines: in one and two stage races, as well as in running with weapons.
Astil from Crotona entered the history of the Ancient Olympic Games not only as one of the record holders for the number of victories (6 - in running one and two stages at the Games from 488 BC to 480 BC). If at his first Olympics Astil competed for Croton, then at the next two - for Syracuse. Former fellow countrymen took revenge on him for his betrayal: the statue of the champion in Crotone was demolished, and his former home was turned into a prison.
In the history of the ancient Greek Olympic Games there are entire Olympic dynasties. So, the grandfather of a champion in fist fighting Poseidora from Rhodes Diagoras, as well as his uncles Akushilay And Damaget They were also Olympians. Diagoras, whose exceptional stamina and honesty in boxing matches won him great respect from spectators and was sung in the odes of Pindar, witnessed the Olympic victories of his sons - in boxing and pankration, respectively. (According to legend, when the grateful sons placed their championship wreaths on their father’s head and lifted him onto their shoulders, one of the applauding spectators exclaimed: “Die, Diagoras, die! Die because you have nothing more to want from life!” And the excited Diagoras immediately died in the arms of his sons.)
Many Olympians were distinguished by exceptional physical properties. For example, a champion in a two-furlong race (404 BC) Lasfenu from Tebei is attributed to victory in an unusual competition with a horse, and Aegean from Argos, who won the long-distance running (328 BC), after that, running, without making a single stop along the way, he covered the distance from Olympia to his hometown in order to quickly bring the good news to his fellow countrymen. Victory was also achieved thanks to a unique technique. So, an extremely durable and agile boxer Melancome from Kariya, winner of the Olympic Games of 49 AD, during the fight he constantly kept his arms extended forward, due to which he avoided the opponent’s blows, while he himself very rarely struck back - in the end, the physically and emotionally exhausted opponent admitted your defeat. And about the winner of the Olympic Games in 460 BC. V dolichodrome Ladasa from Argos they said that he ran so easily that he did not even leave footprints on the ground.
Among the participants and winners of the Olympic Games were such famous scientists as Demosthenes, Democritus, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Hippocrates. Moreover, they competed not only in the fine arts. Eg, Pythagoras was a champion in fist fight, A Plato By pankration.
IN 394 year already AD - by decree of the Roman emperor Theodosius I The Olympic Games were banned. His heir TheodosiusII A few decades later he issued a decree on the destruction of pagan temples.
