olympic games ceremony olympic games ceremonies ancient olympic games integral games modern olympic games opening closing medal ceremonies elements modern ceremonies ancient games modern olympics draw ancestry example prominence greece opening closing ceremonies games medal winners received crown olive branches direct reference ancient games victor prize olive elements ceremonies mandated olympic charter changed host nation artistic portion opening closing ceremonies meet approval ceremonies evolved centuries ancient games incorporated ceremonies mark beginning ending successive game similarities differences ancient olympic ceremonies modern counterparts presentation games evolved improvements technology desire host nations showcase artistic expression basic events ceremony remained unchanged presentation continue increase scope scale expense successive celebration games tradition ancient ancient games held greece provide examples olympic ceremonies victory celebration elements evidence modern day medal closing ceremonies involved elaborate drinking singing poetry victor extravagant celebration presented olive crown harvested special tree boy specially selected purpose golden festival conclude making vows performing ritual sacrifices gods evidence dramatic changes format ancient games nearly centuries celebrated eventually roughly standard event program established order open games ancient greece organizers hold inauguration festival followed ceremony athletes took oath competition artistic competition concluded opening festivities opening olympic opening ceremonies represent official commencement olympic games recent olympics athletic competition began prior opening ceremonies example football competitions men women summer olympics began days prior august opening ceremonies mandated olympic charter elements frame opening ceremonies celebration olympic games rituals summer olympics antwerp belgium artistic program artistic program creates element ceremony initial vision modern olympics featured athletic competitions artistic achievements modern olympics evolved celebration sport opening ceremonies ideal opening ceremonies important ritual olympic games represent wide variety features similar qualities messages link local global issues cultural similarities artistic program ceremonies allows host country showcase past future comprehensive way ceremonies typically start raising host country flag performance national anthem host nation presents artistic displays music singing dance theater representative culture history current olympic game motto summer olympics moscow artistic presentations continued grow scale complexity opening ceremony beijing games example reportedly cost million cost artistic portion ceremony parade nations traditional ceremonies starts parade nations participating athletes march stadium country country compulsory athletes participate opening ceremonies short time interval ceremonies events games athletes competing early events elect participate common swimmers events early day competition host country theme parade nations host country goal represent cultural identity world place society example beijing olympics theme unity devastating earthquake erupted host country china wanted remember tragic event having chinese basketball legend walk hand hand year old boy saved classmates earthquake country delegation led sign country nation flag traditionally starting summer olympics greece enters historical status olympics host nation marches summer olympics athens greek flag led parade greek team marched host nation participating teams march greece host nation order according language selected organizing committee games usually dominant language area host city announce country english french official languages olympics dominant language area host city english french dominant languages summer olympics barcelona spanish official languages games political sensitivity surrounding use nations entered french order unknown reasons summer olympics held tokyo winter olympics held nations enter english order instead japanese characters summer olympics teams ordered number strokes chinese translation team winter olympics teams entered english order languages olympics languages host country canada english dominant vancouver host province british_columbia summer olympics winter olympics countries entered order russian language official script traditional events nations entered president makes speech followed president end speech introduces representative host country officially declares opening games despite games having awarded particular city country general olympic charter presently requires opener host country head state cases host country head state opened games example games paris opening ceremony world fair examples united_states games opened head state olympic charter provides person designated open games reciting following lines appropriate games summer olympics declare open games host city celebrating number modern era winter games declare open number olympic winter games host city opening official short welcoming speech declaring games open adolf_hitler opened winter olympics berlin summer olympics standard formula recent editions winter games seen trend version instead second happened winter games exceptions rule elizabeth_ii queen canada opened montreal olympics french followed english declare open olympic games celebrating modern era president ronald_reagan opened los_angeles summer olympics celebrating modern era declare open olympic games los_angeles president opened winter olympics salt_lake_city took place months september attacks behalf proud determined grateful nation standard opening formula followed elizabeth_ii queen united_kingdom opened london summer olympics fashion english making second time opened games olympic flag carried horizontally summer olympics stadium hoisted played olympic charter states olympic flag fly entire duration olympic games placed prominent position main stadium games flag carried stadium prominent athletes host nation carried international group athletes non athletes famous promoting olympic values including symbolic flag bearer flag countries circle athlete host nation summer olympics judge host nation summer olympics speak olympic oath declaring compete judge according rules respective sport starting summer olympics london continuing tradition started summer youth olympics coach host nation speaks olympic oath olympic flame finally torch brought stadium passed athlete athlete torch relay reaches carrier known athlete host nation lights fire stadium rules lighting olympic witnessed attending opening ceremony implying lit location ceremony taking place rule states witnessed outside entire residents entire host city evident opening ceremony games vancouver venue chosen olympic stadium place time air supported stadium way displayed outside seen stadium torch lighting inside stadium organizers chose time speed skating medalist canadian senator won medals canada games nba star native nearby victoria hockey legend light arms torch notably arm refused light later closing ceremony got second chance light torch succeeded official conclusion away waiting car took secondary lit correspond tradition olympics past summer olympics london located inside olympic stadium london visible outside stadium image lit projected rooftop screens week competition live footage available broadcast right holders list summer olympics broadcasters beginning post world war summer olympics lighting followed release peace experienced athletes brought newspapers cover birds release discontinued burned alive opening ceremony summer olympics later replaced symbolic release flame lit ceremony dove image projected enormous white cloth held athletes stadium floor led screen formed shape dove ceremony fireworks representing dove figures projected stage floor ceremony dove wings lit ceremony dancers holding strands blue led lights danced shape dove projected stadium floor medal presentation olympic event completed medal ceremony held summer games usually conduct ceremonies immediately event respective venues winter editions present medals nightly victory ceremony held medal plaza excluding figure skating speed skating starting short track speed skating ice hockey events medals presented immediately events medal winners gold medal winner ascending highest platform medals awarded member member usually accompanied person sports federation governing sport athletics swimming presents athlete small flowers games held athens medal winners received olive honor tradition ancient olympics medals distributed flags nations raised flag gold medalist country center raised highest flag silver medalist country left facing flags flag bronze medalist country right lower elevations gold medalist country flag flags raised national anthem gold medalist country plays citizens host country act hosts medal ceremonies aid officials present medals act flag strict rules govern conduct athletes medal ceremony example required wear pre approved outfits standard athlete national olympic team allowed display political affiliation political statement medal stand famous violation rule salute summer olympics mexico_city actions president demanded expulsion olympics comply demanded removal entire track field team united_states complied demands smith expelled customary men marathon medals summer olympics men cross country skiing medals winter olympics presented place later day olympic stadium medal presentation games closing contrast opening ceremonies elements olympic closing ceremonies gradually developed tradition official mandate like opening ceremonies closing ceremonies begins raising host country flag performance national anthem traditional closing ceremonies starts parade flags flag participating country enter stadium single file march athletes distinction grouping parade athletes blending athletes tradition began summer olympics suggestion melbourne thought way bringing athletes world nation prior games marched closing ceremony modern ancient games international peace march staged athletes marched dispersed ceremonies went athletes enter stadium final medals ceremony games held organizing committee respective host city consulting determines event medals presented summer olympics usually men marathon traditionally men marathon held hours competition day olympics race won start closing ceremony recent summer atlanta beijing london staged marathon early morning heat problems host city winter olympics medals men cross country skiing event presented closing ceremony national flags hoisted national anthem gold country played national flags hoisted time corresponding national anthems played flag greece honor birthplace olympic games flag country hosting summer winter olympic games moscow summer olympics boycott flag raised represent games host instead flag sydney athens greek flags raised greece games host greece hosting games olympic hymn played hoisted opening ceremonies lowered carried stadium known tradition began antwerp games mayor city organized games transfers special olympic flag president passes mayor city hosting olympic games receiving mayor waves flag times flags antwerp flag presented summer olympics city antwerp belgium passed organising city summer olympics games seoul oslo flag presented winter olympics city oslo norway passed organising city winter olympics seoul flag presented summer olympics city seoul south_korea replacement antwerp flag flag passed organizing city summer olympics tradition posed particular challenge winter games italy flag passed mayor mayor vancouver canada mayor sullivan flag holding hand swinging wheelchair forth times host nation introduces artistic displays dance theater representative country city tradition began games president makes speech president makes speech closing olympics saying accordance tradition declare games number summer olympics number winter olympics olympic winter games closed youth world assemble years host city celebrate games subsequent number summer olympics subsequent number winter olympics olympic winter games finally extinguished marking end games
Olympic Games ceremony