The Olympics: A Case Study of the Role of Sports within Society

Abstract

The origination of the Olympic games comes from ancient Greece, some 2700 years ago. It was first used as a religious ceremony to honor the Greek gods. The manifestation of the Olympics was a direct extension of ancient Greek tenets. Over time the Olympics shifted to be more focused on competition rather than religious worship. However, the ancient Olympics were not solely about the spirit of competition. Politics was also known to play a big role in and around the games. The games continued until 393 A.D. when the Roman Emperor, a Christian, ended the tradition.