The Olympic Games have a long and noble tradition. They were first held in Ancient Greece at Olympia, a celebration in honour of Zeus, chief of the gods of the ancients. These festivals included competitions in literature, art, drama, rhetoric, music and gymnastics, and they were continued, with interruptions, from 776 BC to AS 394.

The Olympic Games were revived in 1896 when Baron Pierre de Coubertin proposed holding a modern Olympic Games, during the International Conference, held in Paris,France. The principles of the games, which are contained in the "Olympic Charter", are: "to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play".

Baron Pierre de Coubertin is also credited with the words of Olympic Creed: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important things in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

The Olympic symbol-five interlocked rings-represent the union of the five original major continents (Africa, the South Africas, Asia, Australia and Europe) and the meeting of the athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. The five colours of the rings from left to right are blue, black and red across the top and yellow and green along the bottom.