Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games are on international sports festival that began in Ancient Greece. The earliest record of the Olympic Games goes back to 776 BC, but historians think that the Games began well before then. The ancient Games were held in honour of Zeus, the most important god for Ancient Greeks. Only one athletic event was held in the ancient Olympics – a foot race about 183 meters or the length of the stadium. Only men were allowed to complete or watch the Games. When the powerful, warlike, Spartans began to complete, the changed the program of the Games. The 18-th Olympic already included wrestling and pentathlon, and later Games – chariot races and other sports. In 394 AC the Games were officially ended by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who felt that they had pagan meaning.

Pierre de Coubertin, a young French nobleman, organized the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The representatives from the nine countries that supported his idea decided that Greece war the right place to host the first Olympic Games. The nine countries were Belgium, England, France, Greece, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United states. The Olympic Games in 1896 were a success. Beginning in 1926 winter Olympics were included.