Ceremonies of the Olympic Games

奥运仪式

The Olympic Games have always included a number of ceremonies, many of which emphasize the themes of international friendship and peaceful cooperation. The opening ceremony has always included the parade1 of nations, in which the teams from each nation enter the main stadium as part of a procession. The Greek team always enters first, to commemorate2 the ancient origins of the modern Games, and the team of the host nation always enters last. The opening ceremony has evolved3 over the years into a complex extravaganza4, with music, speeches, and pageantry5. It is eagerly anticipated and well attended. The torch relay6, in which the Olympic Flame symbolizes the transmission of Olympic ideals from ancient Greece to the modern world, was introduced as part of the opening ceremony at the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. In the relay the torch is lit in Olympia, Greece, and is carried over several weeks or months from there to the host city by a series of runners. After the last runner has lit the Olympic Flame in the main Olympic stadium, the host country’s head of state declares the Games officially open, and doves are released to symbolize the hope of world peace.

历届奥林匹克运动会都有一些仪式，其中许多仪式都强调国际友谊以及和平合作的主题。 开幕式必定有各参与国的入场式，即来自各个国家的运动队作为整个队伍的一部分步入主体育场。希腊代表队总是首先进入会场，这是为了纪念现代奥运会的起源。东道主的队伍总是最后进入会场。开幕式已经逐步演变成一个复杂的包括音乐、演讲以及绚丽夺目的化装游行在内的盛大仪式。 人们渴望它的到来并踊跃参与。在1936年的柏林夏季奥运会开幕式上首次出现火炬接力。火炬上燃烧着的奥林匹克火焰象征着奥林匹克精神从古希腊代代相传直到今天。在接力中， 火炬首先在希腊的奥林匹亚被点燃，然后在接下来的几个星期或几个月中由若干长跑运动员接力传递到主办城市。在最后一个长跑运动员点燃了奥林匹克主会场的奥运会火炬后，主办国的国家首脑宣布奥运会正式开幕，然后信鸽放飞象征对世界和平的希望。

Two other important ceremonial innovations had appeared earlier at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. The Olympic Flag, with its five interlocking rings of different colors against a white background, was flown for the first time. The five rings represent unity among the nations of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Another innovation occurring in 1920 was the first reciting of the Olympic Oath, taken in the name of all the athletes by a member of the host’s team. The oath asserts7 the athletes’ commitment to the ideals of sportsmanship in competition.

另外两项重要的仪式革新，早在1920年出现在比利时安特卫普奥运会上。当时一面白地五环奥林匹克旗首次升起。这面旗是在白色衬底上画有五个互相扣连在一起的不同颜色的圆环。五环代表非洲、美洲、亚洲、澳洲和欧洲国家的团结。 1920年的另一项革新是，首次由东道主运动队选出的一名成员以全体运动员的名义背诵奥林匹克运动会誓词，宣誓运动员要在竞赛中发扬运动员理想和精神。

Medal ceremonies are also an important part of the Games. After each individual event during the Games, medals are awarded in a ceremony to the first-, second-, and third-place finishers. The winners mount8 a podium9 to receive gold (actually gold-plated),silver (silver-plated), and bronze medals. While the national flags of all three competitors are hoisted10,the national anthem of the winner’s country is played.

颁奖仪式也是奥运会的一个重要组成部分。每项比赛结束后举行一个仪式，将奖牌分别授予前三名。获胜者登上领奖台接受金牌（实际上是镀金）、银牌（镀银）和铜牌。当三个获胜者所在国家的国旗升起的时候，冠军所属国的国歌也同时奏起。

Originally there was another parade of nations during the closing ceremonies of the Games. At the end of the 1956 Summer Games in Melbourne, Australia, however, the athletes broke ranks and mingled together to celebrate the occasion. This custom was continued in subsequent Games. After the athletes join in the main Olympic stadium in celebration, the president of the IOC invites the athletes and spectators to meet again at the site of the next Games. The IOC president then declares the Games ended, and the Olympic Flame is extinguished.

起初，在奥运会闭幕式上还有一次运动员游行。然而，1956年在澳大利亚墨尔本举行的夏季奥运会上，运动员打乱队形，互相握手、拥抱，共同庆祝这一时刻。这一较自由的庆祝形式从此被固定下来，延用至今。当运动员汇集在奥运会主会场庆贺时，国际奥委会主席会邀请运动员和观众在下一次奥运会上重聚。随后，奥委会主席宣布本届奥运会结束，奥运会火焰随之熄灭。