Review of Safety Incidents in Past Olympic Games

Author: Office of the Coordination Group for Security of the 29th Olympic Games
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In the long course of human history, apart from this ancient social and cultural phenomenon called religion, the Olympic Movement can be considered one of the oldest. The written history of the Olympic Movement can be traced back to 776 BC. However, before that, the ancient Olympic Games may have existed for several centuries. The modern Olympic Games, commonly referred to as the "Olympics," are a global comprehensive sports event organized by the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece and were named after the host city, Olympia. According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Zeus, the king of gods. The 29th ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 BC and were held every four years. Later, this cycle was called the Olympic Cycle. According to this cycle, from 776 BC to 394 AD, a total of 293 Olympic Games should have been held, but the actual number was much fewer. However, the ancient Olympics had a rule that one Olympic cycle counted as one Games, regardless of whether it was held or not. In the early days of the ancient Olympics, there were not many competition events, so the first 22 Games were held over just one day. Later, as the number of events increased, the duration was extended to two days. From the 37th Games, after the addition of junior competition events, the duration was further extended to five days. The first day was the opening ceremony, where sacrifices and oaths were performed, the second, third, and fourth days were the competitions, and the fifth day was the closing ceremony, which included award ceremonies and religious rituals. During the Games, artists from various city-states exhibited their works, poets recited poetry, philosophers and historians delivered speeches, and merchants used the opportunity to conduct business and sign contracts, making the Games a grand gathering for cultural, intellectual, and economic exchange across Greece. After the 4th century BC, when the Macedonians invaded Greece, the Games gradually declined. In 146 BC, the Romans conquered Greece, and the Olympic Games became a local sports event for Roman spectators. In 394 AD, Emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity the state religion and banned pagan activities, including the Olympic Games. In 426 AD, Emperor Theodosius II ordered the burning of the remaining temples in Olympia. Thus, from 776 BC to 394 AD, the 293 ancient Olympic Games, held over 1,170 years, gradually faded from memory.
Did the ancient Olympics have security issues? We currently have no records to verify this. However, based on the Greeks' piety toward the gods and their martial spirit, we can imagine that the ancient Olympic Games were a noble and pure religious celebration, an opportunity for the city-states of Athens to showcase their strength. Despite the constant wars in ancient Greece, and given the war-like in the competition events—such as chariot racing, standing wrestling, boxing, running, javelin, discus, jumping, combat, and archery—the Greeks adhered to the "Olympic Truce," which typically lasted two to three months. In Greek mythology, the 12 great gods lived on Mount Olympus, sharing the same form and nature as humans, appreciating beauty and art. Therefore, the Olympic Games were held to please the gods, serving as a devout religious sacrifice, during which no acts of war were permitted, or it would be seen as defying the gods' will.
Starting in 1883, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin dedicated himself to reviving the ancient Olympic Games. Through his efforts and those of others, the International Olympic Committee was founded on June 23, 1894, marking the birth of modern Olympicism. From both the scale and level of development, modern Olympicism has captured global attention. The Olympic spirit has been widely disseminated. People see that as a cultural phenomenon, Olympicism, in the form of sports, brings together people of different skin colors and cultural backgrounds, profoundly impacting human society and civilization. As a sporting phenomenon, the Olympics are an exciting stage for humans to explore the limits of their physical abilities, with Olympic records and medals becoming the noble goals of athletes. The Olympic Movement has become a global activity with numerous participants, immense appeal, penetration, and cohesion.
In the early days of the modern Olympics, there were not many security concerns. People viewed the Olympics as a joyful and festive entertainment venue, where fun and relaxation were prioritized over competition. The 2nd and 3rd Olympic Games were even held alongside international expositions. As the Olympic Movement continued to develop and its influence grew, security issues became increasingly prominent and serious, especially after the September 11 attacks in the United States. When people think of the Olympics today, security is the first thing that comes to mind, followed by competition and medals. This is a tragedy for the Olympics but a harsh reality. Winning the bid to host the Olympics and delivering a successful event is an unparalleled opportunity for many countries, and no one wants to fail.
The 2008 Olympics are coming to Beijing, China, a century-old dream of the Chinese nation. Transforming this dream into a perfect reality is a heavy burden on the shoulders of security agencies and every security professional. One of the defining features of the Olympics is that any security incident immediately becomes the world's biggest scandal, as the entire world watches the Games. Over more than a century of modern Olympic history, apart from the well-known Munich massacre and the Atlanta bombing, many other security-related issues and incidents have occurred. Since the Olympics have not yet come to China, we have not paid much attention to them. Today, as the security efforts for the 2008 Beijing Olympics are fully underway, it is essential to turn the pages of Olympic history and examine the security issues and events that have occurred, the lessons we can learn, and the experiences we can draw upon.