Preface
The Olympic Games is a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games was currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games was held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 5th century AD. In the late 19th century, many countries started to realize the importance of physical education and exercise. The force behind the international Olympic Movement that spawned the revived Games was a French educator, Pierre de Coubertin. For this purpose, he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, and two years later, the modern Olympic Games was established in Athens. The IOC has since become the governing body of the Olympic Movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.
As one of the most important international social movements, the Olympic Games is guided under the banner of Olympics, organized with sports activities as the main content, and aimed at promoting the comprehensive development and communication for humankind, enhancing mutual understanding among peoples of the world, so as to heighten the spread of Olympism throughout the world and safeguard the world peace. It is an integrated, sustainable, worldwide event melting sports, education, culture as a whole. It is also a perfect representation of the culture communication, so that it can be fully displayed in the Olympic Games.
Born in the age of the rising capitalism and industrialization, the Olympic Movement is based with a solid socioeconomic, political and cultural foundation. During the onecentury history, while politics, culture and economy have great relevance for Olympic movement, science and technology no less shines dramatically in the Olympic Games. Alternatively, as a rare masterpiece for the human society, Olympic Movement has developed beyond the scope of sports itself, influenced the contemporary world politics, economy, philosophy, culture, art and media, as well as technology, etc., and deepened the international communication and understanding in these aspects. All the impact of the Olympic Movement can not be ignored any more.
The success of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games has fulfilled the realization of onehundredyear Olympic dream of the Chinese people. The Olympic Movement has brought about significant and profound influence to China in the political, economic, cultural and scientific aspects in and off Olympic Games.
Aimed at making an overall introduction to Olympic Movement as a textbook for sports English students, this book can meet the teaching and selflearning needs. It is divided into nine chapters. Ms. Jin Xingyu compiled Chapter Nine and Appendix Five, Ms. Xu Xuejie finished Chapter One, Five and Appendix Four, Ms. Wang Jiwei wrote Chapter Four, Eight and Appendix Three; Mr. Yang Cheng compiled Chapter Two, Seven and Appendix Two; Pei Xinxin finished Chapter Three, Six and Appendix One. We hope it will help students and others who'd like to learn about the Olympic Movement.
We warmly welcome feedbacks from the students and teachers using this book and all other friends, which will surely benefit the future amendments to the book.
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