OLYMPICS TRIVIA – SOME BITTER, SOME SWEET

 

 

Corona virus threw the 2020 sporting calendar into complete disarray, with the Summer Olympic Games, scheduled to start on July 24, 2020 in Tokyo being postponed. It now starts on July 23, 2021 almost a year behind schedule. But it's not the first time the Olympics have had to be put on hold: since sprinting into life in 1896, the modern Olympics have been cancelled three times, all on account of a world war: once during World War I (1916) and twice during World War II (1940, 1944).

 

The 1916 Olympics were supposed to be hosted by the German Empire, which had built an impressive 30,000-seat stadium in Berlin for the event. But with the outbreak of war in 1914, and the eventual involvement of so many nations who sent athletes to the Olympics, the 1916 games were scrapped. The last time the Olympics were canceled was during World War II. The 1940 summer and winter Olympics were both scheduled to be held in Japan, the first non-Western country to host the games, but Japan forfeited its rights in 1937 when it went to war with China. The 1940 games were initially rebooked for Helsinki, Finland in the summer and the German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the winter, but finally canceled in 1939 with Hitler’s invasion of Poland.

 

London was supposed to host the 1944 summer Olympics, but those were summarily canceled due to the ongoing war. Even the 1944 winter games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy had to be called off because of the same reason. London eventually hosted the 1948 games, but banned German and Japanese athletes from participation.

 

As we gear up for the upcoming event, let’s take a look back at some memorable, some tragic and some bizarre Olympics stories from the past.

 

 

A lesson in genetics: the 1936 Berlin Games were allowed to go on amid a Nazi regime intent on using sport to demonstrate Adolf Hitler’s theories of racial superiority. Jesse Owens, the African American track and field star, famously proved Hitler wrong, taking home four gold medals. As if that was not enough, India’s underdog field hockey team of the legendary Dhyanchand also crushed the Germans 8-1 in the men’s final!

 

 

The 1988 Seoul roast of the doves: The Olympics opening ceremony is usually a spectacle that leaves us in awe. The displays of music, singing, dancing, and theater combined are usually breathtaking and it usually showcases the culture of the host nation. That, however, wasn’t the case during the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Doves are a universal sign of peace and prosperity. About a dozen of them were released into the stadium as a symbol of harmony during the opening ceremony in Seoul. However, many of the birds landed on the Olympic cauldron just as it was about to be lit. As a result, the birds were accidentally (and unfortunately) roasted alive. The terrifying accident shocked everyone, and it marked the final time doves were seen at any Olympic ceremony.

 

Dope and death in Rome: Many memorable things occurred during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Not only was it the first Olympics to be broadcasted live across Europe, but it was also when the world got introduced to Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, who won gold in the light-heavyweight division. Unfortunately, not all of these memorable moments were positive. These Games also featured the first-ever doping scandal, when Danish cyclist Knud Jensen, who was found to have Roniacol in his system, collapsed during a race and died the same day because of a fractured skull. This was a horrible event, and one that changed the Olympics forever.

 

U.S. boycott of Moscow Olympic: After the Soviet Union failed to remove its troops from Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter announced that the United States would be boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. While this decision was popular among the American people, with 55% supporting the move, Olympians did not feel the same way. It is quite a different issue that the same U.S invaded Afghanistan and remained there for 20 years after 9/11 and no one objected.

 

 

The Munich massacre: This is easily the worst thing to ever happen at the Olympics. The 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich featured an act of horror unlike anything we’ve ever experienced at the Olympic Games. On September 5, a group of Palestinian terrorists group called “Black September” raided the apartment of Israeli athletes in Olympic Village. They killed two athletes and took another nine individuals hostage. In the end, all nine Israeli hostages were killed, as well as five terrorists and one West German police officer. Olympic competition was suspended for 24 hours to hold memorial services for the slain athletes.

 

The Atlanta bombing: You can’t discuss the 1996 Summer Olympic in Atlanta and not talk about the bombing that took place at Centennial Olympic Park. This horrible act of terrorism resulted in the death of two people (one directly, one later of a heart attack), over 100 injured, and the false accusation of security guard Richard Jewell. Eventually, the real bomber, Eric Robert Rudolph, was captured and sentenced to four consecutive life terms.

 

When the Rio Olympics Pools turned green: The swimming pools in Rio made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Even though this was the most prestigious sporting competition in the world, athletes were shocked to find out that many of the pools in the stadia literally turned a shade of green. The green pools became a huge headache for organizers and the butt of jokes among millions around the world. Rio 2016 officials later revealed the mystery of the green water. A contractor had apparently added 80 liters (21 gallons) of hydrogen peroxide to each of the diving- and water polo pools. The addition of hydrogen peroxide neutralized the chlorine and allowed algae to bloom!

 

 

When the Queen came down from the sky: Queen Elizabeth II usually keeps her public appearances to stately summits or glittering ceremonies very somber and dignified. However, during the 2012 London Olympics, the Queen was seen "skydiving" out of an aircraft with a parachute to reach the venue with none other than James Bond! As it turned out, it was a parachutist dressed as Queen Elizabeth who joined Daniel Craig (the actor who played James Bond in recent films) for a Danny Boyle-directed segment to kick off the opening ceremony. Now, nothing could be more British!

 

Abebe Bikila runs barefoot to Olympic gold:  Reebok and Nike should die in shame; in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, a relatively unknown marathon runner named Abebe Bikila became famous in one of the weirdest episodes from the Games' history. The 28-year-old bodyguard, who was representing Ethiopia, could not find suitable shoes in Rome. But that didn’t deter his spirit. Bikila decided to run barefoot instead! The Ethiopian sped through the streets and finished the race at 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 16.2 seconds - 25 seconds before the next runner. Not only did he break the world marathon record, but he also became the first East African to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

 

 

Michael Phelps and his 28 medals: Michael Fred Phelps II is an American former competitive swimmer and the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 medals – 23 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze! He remains one of the most decorated athletes of all time. Apart from his achievements in swimming, Phelps is also often remembered for his “Death Stare” during the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he was seen intensely staring at his long-time rival Chad Le Clos before their 200 m butterfly semi-final.

 

Beauty and dare devilry in gymnastics: With 9 Olympic medals – 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze spread over 2 Olympics 14 years old Nadia Comăneci of Romania mesmerized the world with the first score of ‘perfect 10’ in gymnastics. Her performance at the 1976 Montreal Olympics redefined both her sport and audiences' expectations of female athletes.

 

During the gymnastics gala event at Rio in 2016, a group of Chinese acrobats stunned the audience when they performed a "human skipping rope" routine. Two gymnasts from the Chinese team held one of their colleagues and swung him by his arms and legs in the air like a rope while a fourth man jumped over him like a jump rope. By the end of their sensational performance, the crowd was squealing in delight, and there were even a few gasps of amusement and fear heard in the audience.

 

Lip-syncing during 2008 Games opening ceremony:  The 2008 Beijing Games were pretty awesome, but the same cannot be said about the opening ceremony. Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke became an instant sensation with her soulful rendition of "Ode to the Motherland" during the unveiling program of the event. However, it was later discovered that Miaoke wasn’t singing at all; she was lip-syncing to the sound of another girl - 7-year-old Yang Peiyi. The Chinese organizers rejected Peiyi because, apparently, she lacked stage presence and appearance. Miaoke was selected because she was "more presentable."

 

 

When a referee got kicked in the face: We’ve seen instances of unsportsmanlike conduct before, but nothing quite like what Cuba’s Angel Matos did during the bronze-medal taekwondo match at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After being disqualified for taking too much injury time, Matos reacted in a matter unbecoming of the Olympics Games, as he kicked the referee, Chakir Chelbat of Sweden, right in the face.  This incident immediately prompted the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) to recommend and enforce a lifetime ban for Matos. The Cuban athlete had a commendable sports career before that incident and had even won gold in the 2000 Games. Sadly, he is only remembered today for having kicked a referee in the face

 

Dorando Pietri – the man who lost a race but won hearts: Dorando Pietri, an Italian long-distance runner, became a star in the 1908 Games in London. 22-year-old Pietri, who worked as a pastry chef, had taken part in the 1908 marathon that stretched for 26.2 miles (42.1 kilometers) to cover the distance from Windsor Castle to the Olympic Stadium at White City, west London. It was the longest marathon since the modern games began. He started the race slowly and gradually picked up the pace. It was a scorching day, but Pietri soon took the lead and appeared all set to collect the gold medal. However, the heat began getting to him, and the runner started feeling ill. He staggered a few yards and collapsed to the ground. Pietri was helped to his feet and pointed in the right direction, but after barely taking a few steps, he fell again. In the next few minutes, he was lifted several more times by British officials, who wanted to prevent the American in second place, Johnny Hayes, from winning. Eventually, Pietri was carried across the line and greeted with wild cheers from the crowd. Inevitably, Pietri was disqualified, but he became a superstar for the dogged determination he showed. In the days to follow, the Italian made many celebrity appearances and was presented with a specially commissioned gold trophy by Queen Alexandra. Later, he was even awarded a fund that helped him open a bakery in his hometown of Carpi.

The Olympiad has a rich history spanning over 125 years. Over the years, spectators were witness to some staggering and breathtaking sports moments. However, the world’s greatest sporting spectacle has also been packed with some bizarre and unusual occurrences, some of which are too strange to believe. From cancelled games to the recently postponed Tokyo 2020 to boycotts by certain countries to banning of certain others there has been no shortage of excitement. Terrorist attacks, bombings, acts of super-natural courage, excellent sportsmanship and most shameful and un-sportsman like behaviors, the Olympics has been witness to all.