another source:
http://www.webwinds.com/thalassa/olympics.htm
What is the origin of the Olympics?
The Olympic Games, originally created to honor Zeus(
a false deity, was the most important national festival of the ancient Greeks, and a focus of political rivalries between the nation-states. However, all competitions involved individual competitors rather than teams. Winning an Olympic contest was regarded more highly than winning a battle and was proof of an individual arete or personal excellence. The winners were presented with garlands, crowned with olive wreaths, and viewed as national heroes.
Although records of the Olympics date back to 776 BC when the Olympics were reorganized and the official "First Olympiad" was held, Homer's Iliad suggests that they existed as early as the 12th century BC. The games were held every four years in honor of Zeus(a false deity), in accordance with the four year time periods which the Greeks called olympiads. Emperor Theodosius I of Rome discontinued them in the 4th century AD, and they did not occur again until they were reinstated in Athens in 1896.
Originally, the Olympics was confined to running, but by the 15th Olympiad, additional sports were added the pentathlon (five different events), boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, as well as a variety of foot races of varying lengths, including a long-distance race of about 2.5 miles.
Athletes usually competed nude, proudly displaying their perfect bodies. Women, foreigners, slaves, and dishonored persons were forbidden to compete; women, once they were married, were not even allowed to watch any Olympic events, except for chariot races. However, every four years, women held their own games, called the Heraea after Hera, held at Argos, and beginning as early as the 6th century B.C. and lasting at least six centuries until Roman rule.
How was the Olympics a sacred festival?
Unlike our modern Olympic games, the ancient Greek Olympic games was a religious rather than secular festival, celebrating the gods( their false deities) in general and Zeus (a false deity) in particular. The contests themselves alternated with altar rituals and sacrifices, as well as processions and banquets. Individual competitors trained rigorously not only for personal glory, but also to impress and please a god through demonstrating strength and agility.
Although one legend suggests that Heracles(a false deity) won a race at Olympia and decreed that races should be instituted every four years, the most common legends suggest that Zeus originated the games after he defeated Cronus(a false deity) in battle. Many events occurred at the Olympic stadium near the temple of Zeus (a false deity) in Olympia southwest of Athens. Inside the temple was the 42 foot high gold and ivory statue of Zeus (a false deity) sculpted by Pheidias, considered to be one of seven wonders of the ancient world.
Eventually the games were also held at other sacred spots in the Greek city-states, such as Delphi and Corinth. These games honored the ruling god of the particular locality, most notably Apollo and Poseidon in addition to Zeus( all false deities ). Apollo( another false deity) from the start had an indirect role in the festivities, since the winners were always lauded with garlands of laurel, the tree most sacred to Apollo(a false deity) ever since his beloved Daphne (a false deity)was transformed into a laurel tree.
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as you can see again there are alot of pagan influences to the olympics .
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Subhaanallaah amma yushrikuun( Glory is to Allaah(subhaanahu wa ta'ala) The originator of all existence admist what they ascribe to Him.
