Foreword by Bronwen Perry The Olympic Games are the world’s greatest sporting event. Not only are they a global celebration (‘festival’) of athletic achievement but also a showcase for urban regeneration, environmental initiatives/ sustainable development, technological achievement and national pride—an opportunity for host cities to reinvent themselves. In August this year, the world’s attention will focus on Athens (Greece), the site of the first modern Olympiad in 1896, and the host city for the 28th Olympiad. The Games return to the Greek capital after an interval of 108 years. In that time there has been phenomenal growth in the scale of the Olympics; from 241 competitors representing 14 nations in 43 events and 9 sports in 1896 to an expected 10,500 athletes from 202 nations competing in more than 300 medal events across 28 sports in 2004. As a hallmark global event, the Olympic Games has a unique complexity and presents many themes for geographic study by students at all year levels. The ready availablity of data, maps, graphs/charts, media commentary and written reports (both in hard copy and via the internet) provide the background material for such investigations. Sports Geography: The Athens Games includes four comprehensive units of work with activities and resources relevant to a range of year levels from upper primary/junior secondary through to senior secondary level. These units of work address four key themes: travelling to Greece, getting around Athens and attending the Games; measuring success at the Olympics and understanding the medal tallies; assessing the sustainability of the Olympics as a mega sporting event; evaluating values and attitudes in sport. Additional material and suggestions for extension activities including a comprehensive media archive, weblinks, and .pdf versions of figures (maps) will be loaded on the AGTA website in the lead-up to the 2 Games in August. See
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS Some of the ideas in this unit of work were originally adapted from an article by Geraint Thomas, and complementary item by C.F. Willmot titled ‘Footnote to Loadsamedals’, in Teaching Gegraphy (Geographical Association, April 1989), and further developed by Marilyn Wiber (Interaction, Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria 1992) and John Stewart (Interaction, GTAV 2000).
Sports Geography: The Athens Games ISBN 0 9578047 1 7 Published by the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association Limited 503 Burke Road (PO Box 2066) Camberwell South VIC 3124 Website:
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Unit A Alexandra goes to Athens 4 Figure A1: Political map of Greece 5 Table A1: Climate data for Athens 6 Figure A2: Map of Athens and surrounding region showing competition venues 7 Figure A3: Athens competition venues 8 Table A2: Date and place the Olympic Torch will travel 11 Table A3: Athens Olympic Marathon Course 12
SPORTS GEOGRAPHY Unit B Tallying the medals 14 Figure B1: Sydney 2000 Olympics medal points tally 15 Figure B2: Sydney 2000 Olympics track and field medal points tally 16 Figure B3: Scatter graph showing relationship between medal points tally and total population size by ranking for Sydney 2000 Olympics 17 Figure B4: Gross Domestic Product per capita 2000 (world choropleth) 19 3 Figure B5: Dimensions and indicators used to calculate the Human Development Index 18 THE ATHENS GAMES Figure B6: Human Development Index 2000 (world choropleth) 20 Figure B7: Sydney 2000 and Seoul 1988 medal points data 21 Blank world outline map 23
Unit C How sustainable are the Olympics? 24 Activity Resource C1: What is meant by sustainability? 25 Activity Resource C2: Assessing sustainable development 26 Activity Resource C3: The Economic Impacts of the Sydney Olympics 27 Activity Resource C4: Social Impacts of the Sydney Olympics 28 Activity Resource C5: The Environmental Impacts of the Olympic Games, Sydney 29 Activity Resource C6: The Athens Olympics (annotated venue map) 30 Activity Resource C7: How well does Athens match the ‘Green Games’ criteria? 31
Unit D Olympics, good sports? 33 Activity Resource D1: Who should hold the Olympics? 34 Activity Resource D2: What is it like to host the Olympics? 35 Activity Resource D3: The Olympics, for the rich or the poor? 36 Activity Resource D4: Humanitarian concerns and the Olympics—Beijing 2008 38 Activity Resource D5: Are the ideals of sport being compromised by commercialism? 39 Activity Resource D6: Sport and drugs 40 THE ATHENS GAMES ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS
Alexandra goes to Athens by Judy Mraz
Introduction How does Alexandra get to Greece and Athens? The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens provides Greece is located in southern Europe on the students with the opportunity to study a country most southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. It is with a very different geography to Australia and made up of a large mainland joined to the rest of one also steeped in history—Greece—and to Europe, as well as many islands. About 170 islands gain familiarity with the venues and events to are inhabited and a further 2000 have no people take place. living on them. The islands are located in the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas. The Rationale population of Greece is about 11.05 million This unit of work allows students to ‘travel’ to (EuroStat estimate 2004). Greece with Alexandra and experience the Olympic Games from her perspective. They will Study Figure A1 and use an atlas to complete the learn about Greece—its location, weather and following: tourist sites—and some history related to the 1. List the countries that border Greece. Olympic Games. They will also be given the 2. Greece is made up of many regions. In which 4 opportunity to become familiar with the regions are Athens, Sparta and Thessaloniki competition venues and events of the upcoming located? games and plan their itinerary to view a number 3. Why is Greece famous for its islands? Name of events while they ‘visit’ Athens. three groups of islands and describe where they are located. Year level 4. Which is the highest mountain and where is it
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS This unit of work is suitable for years 7 and 8 located? and can be adapted for use in years 6 and 9–10. 5. Refer to an atlas map of Greece. Name the two longest rivers and describe where they are Inquiry sequence located. 1. How does Alexandra get to Greece and Athens? 6. Draw a picture of Greece’s flag using correct 2. What will the weather be like during the colours. Olympic Games? 7. Find out which currency is used in Greece. 3. Seeing the games—getting around Athens. Compare the exchange rate with the 4. Carrying the olympic torch. Australian dollar. Why should you record the 5. Running the marathon. date you found this information? 6. How do the ancient and modern Olympic 8. Imagine Alexandra travels from Melbourne to Games compare? Athens via Singapore, with a two-hour stopover there. She will leave on 25 July 2004. a. Use an atlas to calculate the total distance travelled. b. On which day of the week will Alexandra leave? c. How many time zones will Alexandra travel through? d. Alexandra’s flight leaves Melbourne at 10.00pm and takes 8 hours to travel to Singapore and a further 11 hours to Athens. What day and time will she arrive in Athens? 9. Visitors from many countries will visit Greece and Athens for the Olympic Games. These people will speak different languages and ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
Figure A1: Political map of Greece
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may have some difficulty communicating. The weather in Athens Work in groups of four to design signs or The weather likely to be experienced in a host city symbols that will be universally understood is a very important consideration when planning and will help visitors to move around Greece for the Olympic Games. The data in Table A1 and Athens and attend various events. Include provides you with some information about the the following: bus, train station, toilets, money weather experienced in Athens. The games will exchange, souvenir shop, food, historical site, take place from 13 to 29 August 2004. doctor, taxi, airport, Olympic stadium, and two others of your choice. 1. Describe what you consider to be the ideal weather to stage the Olympic Games. Justify What will the weather be like during the Olympic your choice. Games? 2. Draw a climate graph to show the temperature Greece experiences a Mediterranean climate— and rainfall data for Athens. summers are hot and dry and winters cool to 3. Work out how to best represent the hours of mild and wet. The climate is influenced by sunshine data and add this to your graph. Greece’s physical geography. Mountains in the 4. What season will it be in Athens during the north of the country attract rain whereas sea Olympic Games? Describe the likely weather breezes along the coast make the afternoon sun that will occur. more bearable. Average summer temperatures in 5. Do you think Athens has ideal weather Greece are around 27ºC, but can reach 40ºC and conditions for the Olympic Games? higher during heat waves. The months of July Why? Why not? and August are also characterised by strong, hot 6. Consider the following sports—athletics, 6 winds blowing from the north called ‘meltemi’. sailing, swimming and basketball. How might each of these be affected by the August From late autumn to early spring warm, moist air weather in Athens? Comment on two other brings rain and storms and the Aegean seas can Olympic sports. be very rough. While the wet winters rarely get below 6ºC, low pressure systems can bring cold Seeing the games and getting around Athína
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS air from the Balkan mountains in the north; this Athína is the modern Greek word for Athens, the icy wind is called a bora, after Boreas, the ancient capital of Greece and location of the games of the Greek god of the north wind. In the inland, 28th Olympiad. Athens has a population of almost mountain snow can remain well into spring. On 4 million people, a bit less than one-third of the Crete, snow remains on some high mountain total population of Greece. Its population growth peaks all year round. has been very rapid since World War II, which has resulted in a very crowded city, full of cars. Athens has the status of being one of the most polluted
Table A1: Climate data for Athens Sunshine average per day (in hours) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 4.12' 4.48' 5.54' 7.42' 9.24' 11.12' 11.42' 11.00' 9.12' 6.42' 5.06’ 3.54'
Average maximum temperatures (∞C) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 12.9 13.6 16.0 20.3 25.3 29.8 32.6 32.3 28.9 23.1 18.6 14.7
Average minimum temperatures (∞C) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 6.5 6.9 8.4 11.6 15.4 20.1 22.5 22.3 19.2 14.9 11.4 8.3 Average rainfall (mm) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 44.6 48.3 42.6 28.2 17.2 9.7 4.2 4.6 11.9 47.7 50.6 66.6 ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
cities in the world. Climatic conditions such as furthest to travel from the village to compete bright sunshine and lack of wind also contribute in their event? Calculate how far this will be. to the pollution in Athens. 4. Which athletes are closest to their competition venue? Calculate this distance. The competition venues 5. Describe how this distribution and distances There are three main venues for the Athens 2004 travelled might affect the athletes. Olympic Games. The Athens Olympic Sports 6. Do you think the athletes’ village is in a good Complex, Helliniko Olympic Complex and the location? Justify your answer. Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex will host 17 of the 28 sports on the competition program. Athens venues map weblink There is an interactive venue map on the Athens 2004 website Study Figure A2 and answer the following at
Figure A2: Map of Athens and surrounding Attica region showing competition venues
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Figure A3: Athens Competition Venues
The Athens Olympic Sports Complex is located in The Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall is in West Maroussi, a northern suburb of Athens. The events Athens. to take place there are the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics, tennis, gymnastics, The Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing basketball, swimming, water polo, synchronised Centre, located at Schinias in northeast Attica (the swimming, diving and track cycling. region of Greece in which Athens is located), will host the canoe/kayak flatwater racing events. The Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex, including the Peace and Friendship (Karaiskaki) The Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue is Stadium, is located near the port of Piraeus in the situated in the north of Athens near the Olympic suburb of Faliro, and will hold the volleyball, Village. taekwondo, handball and beach volleyball events. The Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in the north-west The Helliniko Olympic Complex is located on the region of Athens is the venue for wrestling and judo. coast south of Athens. It will host seven of the twenty-eight sports—baseball, softball, hockey, The Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall is located basketball, handball, fencing and canoe/kayak. south-west of the city of Athens.
The marathon route will start in Marathon, north- The Markopoulo Equestrian Centre (venue for east of Athens, and finish at the Panathinaiko equestrian sports) and Markopoulo Olympic 8 Stadium in the suburb of Pagrati. This stadium, Shooting Centre (venue for shooting events) are known as the Ancient Marble Stadium located at Markopoulo in south-east Attica. (Kallimarmaro) and the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, will also hold the archery The triathalon will be held at the Vouliagmeni competition. Olympic Centre on the coast south of Athens.
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS The cycling road race will take place in the centre The sailing competition will take place at the Agios of Athens on the City Centre Road Race Course. Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre in southern Attica.
The Goudi Olympic Complex is the location for Qualifying rounds of football will be hosted at modern pentathlon and badminton. stadiums in other parts of Greece, including Kaftantzoglio Stadium at Thessaloniki, The Galasti Olympic Hall in north-west Athens will Pampelonannisiako Stadium at Patras, hold the table tennis and rhythmic gymnastic Panthessaliko Stadium at Volos, and Pankritio competition. Stadium at Heraklio. ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
7. Go to the website at
other sites that may be of interest to Alexandra. attend all the scheduled events without SPORTS GEOGRAPHY b. Choose and name the starting place for your clashing on any days. You will need to use the tour. Why would you begin in this place? Athens 2004 website to check the events and What time of the morning will you begin? times for each. Record some information about this site. 5. Which events are programmed to occur on c. Choose your next location. Use the map scale only one day? and direction to describe where and how far 6. Is it possible to attend all the hockey games Alexandra needs to walk to the next site. How and the football (soccer) finals? 9 long do you think this will take? Use photos 7. Work with another person. Imagine you are THE ATHENS GAMES and text to describe what she will see there. attending the Olympic Games and choose d. Continue planning and describing your walk, sports that each of you would like to see. You taking into account interesting sites for lunch will be attending events together. Negotiate and dinner and a site that might best be seen which events you would like to attend and at night. Remember the weather in Athens draw up an itinerary that reflects both of your and the long days of sunshine (see the interests. ‘weather’ section for this information). Where should Alexandra be during the Extension hottest part of the day? Visiting the Olympic sites online e. Present your PowerPoint slides to the class. 1. Go to
d. How many athletes are expected to compete athletes. ‘In the name of all competitors, I at this stadium? promise that we will take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules Olympic Sports which govern them, in the true spirit of 2. Choose an Olympic sport that interests you. sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the Conduct some research about the sport using honour of our teams’. the internet, newspapers, library books and other sources. Include information such as The Olympic flame the history of the sport, how it has changed The Olympic flame was first lit at Amsterdam in over time, the rules of the sport and names of 1928, burning throughout the Games. In 1936, athletes who have achieved well at this event the first torch relay was run with 3000 runners at the Olympic Games. Present your findings bringing the sacred fire from Olympia (where it in one of the following ways: was lit by the sun’s rays) to Berlin. • PowerPoint slide presentation • poster with annotations (notes) In 2004, the torch will begin its relay journey •a documentary (scripted and recorded) after being lit in Olympia (on 25 March), the site •a magazine feature. of the ancient Olympics in Greece. The Olympic torch will then travel to every continent and visit Images of the Games each city that has hosted the summer Games. 3. Use the internet to find and select a After travelling the world, the torch will return to photograph from a past Olympic Games. Write Greece for the final part of its journey, which will a story about this photograph and include: a end on 13 August 2004 with the lighting of the 10 headline, a caption, a lead paragraph, and the Olympic cauldron. story itself. At the same site, choose a photograph that you think would be suitable See
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS What does this photo represent about the design. The Athens torch is modelled on the Games, the country, the event and the athlete? shape of an olive branch, a global symbol of peace and freedom. These web pages also have other Carrying the Olympic torch interesting information about the olympic torch, The Olympic rituals including the torch relay motto and song. There are many rituals associated with the Olympic Games including the opening and closing 1. Use a blank outline map of the world (see ceremonies. The opening ceremony is always led page 23) to label the countries and cities by Greece followed by teams from the other listed in Table A2. Look up books or the competing countries in alphabetical order; the internet to record the year that each of these host nation appears last. However in 2004, as the cities held the summer Olympic Games. host nation, the team from Greece will appear last. 2. Draw lines to show the route the Olympic torch will travel from Olympia around the Medal ceremonies world before returning to Greece. Record the At the ancient Olympics, winners were presented date each city will be visited. with olive wreaths at the end of the Games. Up 3. Study your completed map and answer the until 1928, all the winners medals were following: presented at the closing ceremony. Since 1928, a. How many cities will the torch visit? the medals have been given out as the event b. For how many days will the torch travel around takes place. The national anthem is played for the world before returning to Greece? the winner of each event. c. For how many days will the torch travel around Greece before the lighting of the cauldron in The Olympic oath the Olympic stadium in Athens? Since 1920, a representative athlete from the d. Name the northern-most city to host the host country takes the oath on behalf of all summer Games. Give its latitude and longitude. ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
Table A2: Date and place the Olympic Torch will travel e. Name the southern-most city to host the Order Date City Country summer Olympic Games. Give its latitude and 1 25 March 2004 Ancient Olympia Greece longitude. f. How many European countries have hosted 24 June 2004 Sydney Australia the Olympic Games? Compare this to other 35 June 2004 Melbourne Australia continents. Hold a class discussion about why you think this pattern has occurred. 46 June 2004 Tokyo Japan 57 June 2004 Seoul South Korea Extension activities 68 June 2004 Beijing China 1. Use the internet to locate the cities that have held the winter Olympic Games. Use another 7 10 June 2004 Delhi India copy of the world map and a different colour 8 11 June 2004 Cairo Egypt or symbol to record the location and year each winter Games have been held. Answer questions 9 12 June 2004 Cape Town South Africa 3d, e and f for the winter Olympic Games.
10 13 June 2004 Rio de Janeiro Brazil 2. Imagine you have been selected to carry the SPORTS GEOGRAPHY Olympic torch into the Olympic stadium. 11 15 June 2004 Mexico City Mexico Write a story to describe your feelings as you 12 16 June 2004 Los Angeles USA enter the stadium. 13 17 June 2004 St. Louis USA 3. Another Olympic tradition is the Olympic Mascot. Find out who/what the mascots are 14 18 June 2004 Atlanta USA for the Athens Olympics and explain their 15 19 June 2004 New York USA symbolism. 11
THE ATHENS GAMES 16 20 June 2004 Montreal Canada Running the marathon 17 21 June 2004 Antwerp Belgium The marathon is a long-distance race (42.195 18 22 June 2004 Brussels Belgium kilometres) run over public roads. The men’s marathon is traditionally the final event on the 19 23 June 2004 Amsterdam Netherlands program of the Olympic Games. According to 20 24 June 2004 Geneva Switzerland Ancient Greek legend, the event goes back 2,500 years to 490 BC when the Athenians defeated the 21 24 June 2004 Lausanne Switzerland Persians at the battle of Marathon. One of the 22 25 June 2004 Paris France Athenians, Phidippides, ran the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to bring news of the victory. 23 26 June 2004 London UK Running at top speed all the way, he cried 24 27 June 2004 Barcelona Spain ‘Nenikekamen’ (‘We won’), and promptly died. 25 28 June 2004 Rome Italy The marathon race was first run over the historic route at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, the 26 29 June 2004 Munich Germany first Games of the modern Olympics. In 2004, 27 30 June 2004 Berlin Germany the marathon will be run on the same historic course. It will start at Marathonas and finish at 28 1 July 2004 Stockholm Sweden Panathinaiko Stadium in central Athens. See 29 2 July 2004 Helsinki Finland Athens venue map (Figure A2). 30 3 July 2004 Moscow Russia Table A3 provides you with data for the 31 5 July 2004 Kiev Ukraine marathon course and some places the athletes 32 6 July 2004 Istanbul Turkey will be passing during the event. 1. Use the data and graph paper to draw a cross- 33 7 July 2004 Sofia Bulgaria section showing the Marathon course. Make 34 8 July 2004 Nicosia Cyprus sure you calculate appropriate vertical and horizontal scales for your cross-section. 35 9 July 2004 Greece 2. What are the highest and lowest altitudes of 36 13 August 2004 Olympic Stadium Greece the race? ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
3. Imagine you are running this race. Describe sacred to Zeus, the King of the gods. Olympia is the route that you run. Which sections will be located 10 kilometres inland in the territory of steepest? Which might be the most difficult Elis in the northwestern Peloponnese, just near to complete? Justify your answer. the confluence of Alpheios with the river Kladeos. 4. How might the weather affect athletic You can find the location for Olympia in Figure A1. performance in the marathon? How will the timing of the event help? The ancient Greeks started to number the Games from 776 BC, although they had been taking Extension activities place for several years before then. For the first 1. Find out what sort of training is involved in thirteen Games the only event was one running preparing for a marathon. Who are some race, the stade. The Games later developed into a famous marathon runners in Australia and five-day event. The Olympics were held in August the world? every four years and were so important to the 2. Measure a running track at your school. How ancient Greeks that they based their calendar on many times would you have to run around them. The four-year period between the games the track to complete a marathon? was called an Olympiad.
How do the ancient and modern Olympic games Although Greece became part of the Roman compare? Empire in 146 BC, the Olympic Games continued The Ancient Olympic Games as a peaceful event. Until, that is, around AD 261 The modern Olympic Games are the world’s when the Romans made the event more of a greatest international sporting event. Yet, the spectacle for the spectators rather than a sporting 12 Olympic Games began in Ancient Greece nearly event. As the event was held historically to honour three thousand years ago. It is uncertain how or the Greek gods, the ruling Christians disapproved. why the Games began, but it is known that the The Olympics were finally abolished by Christian ancient Olympics took place at Olympia near the Emperor, Theodosius the Great, in AD 393. west coast of Greece in the Pelopponese. No-one lived in Olympia—it was important because it was In AD 426 the Temple of Zeus at Olympia was
SPORTS GEOGRAPHYSPORTS GAMES THE ATHENS burned down. In the fifth and sixth centuries the site of Olympia was destroyed by invasions, Table A3: Athens Olympic Marathon Course earthquakes and floods. The Olympic Games were then virtually forgotten for more than one Starting time: 18.00 at Marathonas thousand years. Place Distance (km) Altitude (m) Marathon 0 40 The Modern Olympic Games Tomb of Marathon Warriors 5 25 By the end of the 19th century, sport was very Nea Makri 10 22 important all around the world. A Frenchman, Agios Andreas 14 42 Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who admired sport Mati 15 75 and many sporting institutions, began to convince Rafina (road junction) 18 42 others of the importance of sport. He suggested —2040 that Olympic Games could be organised every Pikermi 22 100 four years for amateur athletes to come together —25122 in peace to compete in sporting events. Pallini 28 137 Gerakas 28.5 200 Stavros 31 210 Agia Paraskevi 32 230 Halandri 33 220 Holargos 35 200 Papagou 37 155 Goudi 40 115 Athens Panathinaiko Stadium* 42.195 65 *the Ancient Marble Stadium also know as Kallimarmaro and the venue for the 1896 Olympic Games ALEXANDRA GOES TO ATHENS THE ATHENS GAMES
The Olympic revival began in June 1896 when Extension/weblinks delegates from thirteen countries came together 1. Take a virtual tour of the ancient Olympic site in Athens and competed in forty-two sporting at Olympia by visiting the Powerhouse events over ten days. It was hugely popular and Museum website at and trumpeters contest. map_eg.html>. SPORTS GEOGRAPHY 3. Read through the information about the events at the ancient Olympics, especially the rather fierce pankration event. Which of these events still take place in the modern Olympics? 4. List the five events in the ancient and modern pentathlon. 13 5. Choose one ancient event to compare with THE ATHENS GAMES the same event in the modern Olympics. Go to the main Athens website at