Unusual (Former) Olympic Sport #4

Dueling Pistols

It is hard to believe that dueling pistols was an actual Olympic event, but it was part of the 1906 Athens Olympics. Despite the name of the event, competitors were forced to fire at mannequins with bulls eyes affixed to their chests. Evidently, the lack of bloodshed made this shooting event unpopular, as it was not renewed in future Olympics.

Olympia, Greece-site of the ancient Olympic Games

posted November 22, 2011

Today (11-23-11), our ship stopped in Katakolon, a small port located in southern Greece known for its proximity to the ancient site of Olympia—yes, THE Olympia where the ancient Olympics began in 776BC and lasted more than 1200 years. The games began as a tribute to Zeus and to celebrate character and balance of body and soul, as well as beauty and nobility.

At a time when incessant wars between city states were causing massive destruction and death, the King of Greece decided to call a truce and allow its best soldier athletes to fight on an athletic battlefield. Initially, the contests were divided into those in the nude and horseracing. The first nude races were footraces and gradually grew to include a pentathlon of sports of military skill in 706BC: javelin, discus thrower, jumping, wrestling, and foot racing. Later, boxing and chariot races were added.

On your mark, get set, go..........!

Winners, who wore a wreath from the sacred olive tree, were transformed into virtual gods when they returned home, heralded as heroes for a lifetime. Strict rules governed participants requiring them to be Greek citizens, devoid of accusation of murder, and violation of game rules. In addition, judges, athletes’ trainers, and spectators followed a rigid set of requirements.
Women, who had their own competition before or after the games, were not allowed to be spectators.

We visited both the archeological site and the museum that houses artifacts excavated from the site.

The Archeological Site

Here we saw the gymnasiums, temples were prayers and sacrifices were offered, Olympic village, the race track, and more. We even took photos from the original footrace starting blocks.

Today, Olympic flame of the modern-day Olympic Games is lit by a reflection of the sunlight in a parabolic mirror at the restored stadium and then transported by torch to the place where the games are held. The first such torch was carried to Berlin in 1936. In 2012, the flame will be carried from this very spot to London.

The ancient Olympics ended 393AD when the Christian Emperor banned all form of pagan worship including these international games. Later, earthquakes, northern invaders, and flood damaged and eventually covered the site under 12 ft of silt. It is a wonder the site was excavated and rediscovered by a monomaniacal German archeological team beginning in 1875.

The modern Olympics were revived and were held for the 1st time in centuries in Athens in 1896 with 44 contests and 13 countries. Subsequent Olympics were held in Paris, St Louis, London, Stockholm, Antwerp, Amsterdam, LA, Helsinki, Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, and so on.

The games were only stopped during WWI and WWII.

After we toured the site, we toured the impressive (nearby) archeological museum that houses hundreds of spectacular artifacts including statues, helmets, coins, terra cotta objects, and gold items.

Our visit ended with a stroll among the harbor front cafes and shops. Efharisto, parakalo, kalimera. I still remember a bit of Greek!

We had perfect sunny, cool weather for our tour with a knowledgeable, passionate, humorous guide.

I will certainly have special thoughts about the Olympics from now on………….

Olympia Archeological Museum

Queen Victoria in Katakalon, Greece

update Feb 2, 2012:


Ancient Greek Museum Attacked And Looted By Armed Robbers

Huffington Post UK First Posted: 17/02/2012 09:18 Updated: 17/02/2012 10:29

Robbers in Greece have stolen dozens of artefacts of "incalculable value" from a museum in Ancient Olympia.

Local officials said the Archaeological Museum of Olympia was attacked by armed robbers.

The museum, which is known as the birthplace of the Olympic games, was hit in a planned attack on Friday at around 7.30 am.

The thieves broke in using hammers, according to local media reports.

They tied up and gagged the one female guard present on site and stole up to 60 and 70 artefacts, according to police.

Local mayor Thymios Kotzias suggested two men in masks overpowered the one guard on duty, according to the BBC.

Culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos has apparently offered to resign over the incident, said Skai TV.

British officials are due at the museum on May 10 to light the Olympic torch ahead of this year's summer games in London.

Unusual Olympic Sport #2

Tug-of-War

Remember playing Tug-of-War in elementary school during gym class? In the early days of the modern Olympics, this event was a mainstay of the games, with the Tug-of-War being held at every Olympiad as a track-and-field event between the years 1900 and 1920. The sports’ greatest scandal came in 1908 when the City of London Police Club purportedly wore illegal footwear that was so heavy the men had trouble moving their feet.

1920 Olympics

The champions were as follows: 1900, a combination Swedish/Danish team; 1904: the Milwaukee Athletic Club, representing Team USA; 1906: Germany/Switzerland; 1908: The London Police Club, representing Great Britain; 1912: Sweden; and 1920: Great Britain.

Unusual Olympic Sports

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—By Eric Chalifour

Here is a look at some of the stranger actual events in the history of the modern Olympics.

Live Pigeon Shooting

The 1900 Paris Olympics has the distinction of being the only Olympics where athletes killed animals for sport. Belgium’s Leon Lunden took home the gold with 21 downed birds, with a total of 300 birds being killed during the competition.

Tug-of-War

Remember playing Tug-of-War in elementary school during gym class? In the early days of the modern Olympics, this event was a mainstay of the games, with the Tug-of-War being held at every Olympiad as a track-and-field event between the years 1900 and 1920. The sports’ greatest scandal came in 1908 when the City of London Police Club purportedly wore illegal footwear that was so heavy the men had trouble moving their feet.

The champions were as follows: 1900, a combination Swedish/Danish team; 1904: the Milwaukee Athletic Club, representing Team USA; 1906: Germany/Switzerland; 1908: The London Police Club, representing Great Britain; 1912: Sweden; and 1920: Great Britain.

Racewalking (20km and 50km)

It seems ridiculous that racewalking continues to be an Olympic sport while more popular sports like baseball and cricket continue to be snubbed by the Olympic Committee. For the uninformed, Racewalking differs from running in that competitors must maintain contact with the ground at all times with at least one foot. While the event is very technically difficult (competitors are continually judged for proper form and docked if caught using illegal technique), there is nothing exciting about watching a bunch of people walking at a brisk pace. Finally, it doesn’t help that the athletes look like constipated penguins when competing. See for yourself.

Rope Climbing

One of the more unusual events in the history of the modern Olympic movement, Rope Climbing was part of the gymnastics programs in 1896, 1904, 1906, 1924 and 1932. Starting in a seated position, competitors raced to the top of a roughly 8-meter rope and were judged on both their time and style. In the 1986 Olympics,

The sport is enjoying a resurgence in France and the Czech Republic, giving hope for those who wish to see this event return to the Olympic Games.

Dueling Pistols

It is hard to believe that dueling pistols was an actual Olympic event, but it was part of the 1906 Athens Olympics. Despite the name of the event, competitors were forced to fire at mannequins with bulls eyes affixed to their chests. Evidently, the lack of bloodshed made this shooting event unpopular, as it was not renewed in future Olympics.

Solo Synchronized Swimming

Solo Synchronized Swimming was an official Olympic sport between 1984 and 1992. What’s most shocking about this is that it took the IOC three Olympics to realize that the sport is an oxymoron since a person swimming alone cannot be synchronized with someone else. In reality, competitors were judged for their synchronization with the music. Quite frankly, we’re OK if this event never returns from the abyss of retired Olympic sports.

—By Eric Chalifour

Unusual Olympic Sports

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0

0

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0

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—By Eric Chalifour

Here is a look at some of the stranger actual events in the history of the modern Olympics.

Live Pigeon Shooting

The 1900 Paris Olympics has the distinction of being the only Olympics where athletes killed animals for sport. Belgium’s Leon Lunden took home the gold with 21 downed birds, with a total of 300 birds being killed during the competition.

Tug-of-War

Remember playing Tug-of-War in elementary school during gym class? In the early days of the modern Olympics, this event was a mainstay of the games, with the Tug-of-War being held at every Olympiad as a track-and-field event between the years 1900 and 1920. The sports’ greatest scandal came in 1908 when the City of London Police Club purportedly wore illegal footwear that was so heavy the men had trouble moving their feet.

The champions were as follows: 1900, a combination Swedish/Danish team; 1904: the Milwaukee Athletic Club, representing Team USA; 1906: Germany/Switzerland; 1908: The London Police Club, representing Great Britain; 1912: Sweden; and 1920: Great Britain.

Racewalking (20km and 50km)

It seems ridiculous that racewalking continues to be an Olympic sport while more popular sports like baseball and cricket continue to be snubbed by the Olympic Committee. For the uninformed, Racewalking differs from running in that competitors must maintain contact with the ground at all times with at least one foot. While the event is very technically difficult (competitors are continually judged for proper form and docked if caught using illegal technique), there is nothing exciting about watching a bunch of people walking at a brisk pace. Finally, it doesn’t help that the athletes look like constipated penguins when competing. See for yourself.

Rope Climbing

One of the more unusual events in the history of the modern Olympic movement, Rope Climbing was part of the gymnastics programs in 1896, 1904, 1906, 1924 and 1932. Starting in a seated position, competitors raced to the top of a roughly 8-meter rope and were judged on both their time and style. In the 1986 Olympics,

The sport is enjoying a resurgence in France and the Czech Republic, giving hope for those who wish to see this event return to the Olympic Games.

Dueling Pistols

It is hard to believe that dueling pistols was an actual Olympic event, but it was part of the 1906 Athens Olympics. Despite the name of the event, competitors were forced to fire at mannequins with bulls eyes affixed to their chests. Evidently, the lack of bloodshed made this shooting event unpopular, as it was not renewed in future Olympics.

Solo Synchronized Swimming

Solo Synchronized Swimming was an official Olympic sport between 1984 and 1992. What’s most shocking about this is that it took the IOC three Olympics to realize that the sport is an oxymoron since a person swimming alone cannot be synchronized with someone else. In reality, competitors were judged for their synchronization with the music. Quite frankly, we’re OK if this event never returns from the abyss of retired Olympic sports.

—By Eric Chalifour

Saudi female judo competitor allowed to wear Islamic headscarf in competition

The Saudi Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee and International Judo Federation have agreed that a Saudi Female judo competitor can wear a headscarf in competition at the Olympics.

Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani is one of just two women Saudi Arabia has sent to the 2012 Games in London. But she claimed she would only compete if she was allowed to wear an Islamic headscarf, or hijab. Originally judo officials refused, claiming it was dangerous, but now a compromise has been reached.

Razan Baker, a spokeswoman for the Saudi National Olympic Committee told Reuters of the agreement reached. "They agreed on a design and she will compete wearing this design," Baker said.
The IOC pushed Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei to end their bans on allowing women in the Olympics. All three countries have representatives in London.

The IJF's rules for the Olympics state that headgear can't be worn because of the danger it could cause. Obviously they made an exception in this case.

Shaherkani will compete in the heavyweight division on Friday.

London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

By Frank Gardner BBC News

King Abdullah has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

Officials say the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination.

The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

There is almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country.

Saudi officials say that, if successful in qualifying, female competitors would be dressed "to preserve their dignity".

In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and "a sports hijab", a scarf covering the hair but not the face.

For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women.

As recently as April, the indications were that Saudi Arabia's rulers would accede to the sensitivities of the religious conservatives and maintain the ban on allowing women to take part.

But for the past six weeks there have been intense, behind-the-scenes discussions led by King Abdullah, who has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society.
'Subtle reform'
In secret meetings in Jeddah, officials say a consensus was reached in mid-June between the king, the crown prince, the foreign minister, the leading religious cleric, the grand mufti and others, to overturn the ban.

An announcement was ready to be made but then had to be delayed as the country marked the sudden death of Crown Prince Nayef.

"It's very sensitive," a senior Saudi official told the BBC. "King Abdullah is trying to initiate reform in a subtle way, by finding the right balance between going too fast or too slow.

"For example, he allowed the participation of women in the Shura council [an advisory body] so the Olympic decision is part of an ongoing process, it's not isolated."

The official acknowledged that to refuse to let women take part would have looked bad on the international stage.

"Partly because of the mounting criticism we woke up and realised we had to deal with this. We believe Saudi society will accept this," the official said.

It is not the first time a Saudi monarch has backed a controversial reform against domestic opposition.

King Faisal, who introduced television in the 1960s and was eventually assassinated, insisted on introducing education for girls.

Today, Saudi women graduates outnumber their male counterparts.

McDonald's Around the World

China

McDonald's has come a long way since it opened its first store in Des Plaines, Ill. With restaurants now in 119 countries, McDonald’s is omnipresent and, well, unavoidable. As a traveler, you can sniff at the spread of Americanized fast food, or you can embrace it. How many of us have wandered into a McDonald’s overseas just to find a taste of home? What we find is sometimes surprising: Stop by a restaurant in Germany and order a beer. In Canada you may find a lobster roll. In Hawaii, order a deluxe breakfast that has rice with a side of spam. Burgers, fries and shakes are almost always on the menu, but if you look, you’ll see differences in the menu, the architecture and even good ol' Ronald the clown.

 In China, it’s Ronald McDonald versus Colonel Sanders as McDonald’s and KFC fight it out for fast-food dominance. (KFC is so ubiquitous here you’ll see it on the corner of Tiananmen Square.) McDonald’s reportedly plans to expand to 2,000 restaurants in the country by 2013. There’s definitely an appetite for Western-style food in Beijing, Shanghai and beyond, as the menu features many of the most familiar items, such as Big Macs and fries. There’s a strong focus on chicken and fish as well, and you can order a McFlurry at the Express window.

Americans are used to seeing a waving Ronald McDonald, but in Thailand the clown mascot offers a more traditional greeting. Stop in for breakfast and you can order Bubur Ayam, hearty breakfast porridge with chicken, chilies and onions. Lunch could be a samurai pork burger, a double Big Mac (think four patties, super tall) or a McSalad Shaker — put all the ingredients in a cup with a lid, add dressing and shake. Voila! If you’re in Bangkok and don’t feel like fighting the traffic from your hotel, you’re in luck: Thailand is one of the handful of countries where McDonald’s delivers.

Namaste in Thailand

Why order a regular McChicken when you can get a towering Chicken Maharaja-Mac? Or perhaps a McVeggie, a fried patty of peas, carrots, potatoes and savory Indian spices? Or the potato-based McAloo Tikka? All are standard menu items at McDonald’s in India, where the entire menu is beef-free. In the next few years, the company hopes to have as many as 250 restaurants throughout India, where there are 700 million hungry potential customers under 30 — many of whom take advantage of the online ordering and delivery service.

McDonald’s has been a longtime supporter of the Olympic Games since 1968, when the company first flew food to American athletes homesick for burgers in Grenoble, France. These days, as a sponsor of the London Olympics, McDonald’s is celebrating by rolling out Happy Meal toys of the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, and is opening what will be the biggest and busiest McDonald's restaurant in the world — a two-story building that seats 1,500 customers, ten times the average McDonald's. If you're lucky enough to visit there during the Games (this temporary restaurant is for the Olympics only), try a Cadbury Crème Egg McFlurry or that most classic of English breakfasts: porridge.

Pull into any of the prevalent McDonald’s in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and try the localized version of a burger: The McArabia sandwich, grilled chicken on pita bread with black seeds, covered in traditional mayonnaise garlic sauce. The Chicken Big Mac is also popular. Dubai McDonald's also deliver, with a "green" twist: The vegetable oil from area's restaurants are converted into biodiesel that fuels their delivery vehicles.

When Russia’s first McDonald’s opened in 1990 on Pushkin Square in Moscow, it made international headlines. It served 30,000 customers that day — a record — and it remains one of the 10 busiest McDonald’s in the world. (The Pushkin McDonald’s is also huge, with 28 registers and seating for 700.) McDonald's has since expanded to other cities in Russia, and customers flock for hamburgers, shakes, the McTasty and of course, cabbage pies.

Looking for the nearest McDonald’s in Tokyo? Ask for directions to Ma-ku-do. They’re easy to find: After the United States, Japan has the most Ma-ku-dos of any country in the world. (America still dominates with 14,000-plus.) Along with your green tea, you can order an Ebi Burger (a panko-crumb encrusted shrimp deep fried into a burger patty), or the Mega Tamago, a promotional burger that has a fried egg on it. The McHotDog Chili is — you guessed it — a chili dog. One blogger in Japan reported on a new item that (hint, hint!) would also be a hit in the U.S.: a bacon and mashed potato pie.

 

Japan

Passers-by have to look closely to see the golden arches on this unassuming white building on a street near Fish Square in Bergen, Norway. Many of the menu items inside are familiar, but one popular item some years ago was the Lakse fish wrap with your choice of wasabi or honey sauce. While the food is modern, the building dates to the 1800s, and the company made sure the exterior was preserved to blend in with the surrounding historic buildings.

Norway

Italy, famous for its Slow Food movement that promotes home cooking with organic, regional ingredients, opened its first McDonald’s in Rome in 1986 near the legendary Spanish Steps. It was the opening of that restaurant, in fact, that launched the whole movement — but it didn’t stop hungry tourists and locals from visiting McDonald’s restaurants as they grew across the country. Some, like this one in Sicily, sport the chain’s familiar red and yellow colors, but others are decidedly sleeker — appropriate, say, for fashionable Milan. Also appropriate? The Parmigiano Reggiano burger made with ciabatta bread and a slide of the famous Italian cheese.

The arrival of McDonald's at Berlin's famous Checkpoint Charlie in 2010 caused some to nickname it Snackpoint Charlie. (There's also a Starbucks, pizzeria, sushi bar and more in the area.) Regardless, it seems the perfect bookend to a story of a divided city, where American and Russian tanks once squared off, and where a large stone wall was a dark daily reminder of the Cold War.

by Heidi Schuessler

Checkpoint Charlie