This resource guide provides numerous areas of study and interest concerning the Olympic Games. Here you will find information concerning topics such as the Beijing 2008 games, the history of the Olympics, Olympics sports, and various controversies that have surrounded the Olympic games throughout history. The resources are provided in the following formats: internet resources, online publications, audio and DVD resources, and print resources.
Internet Resources
Olympic History
The Ancient Olympics
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/
A special exhibit of the Perseus Digital Library Project at Tufts University in Massachusetts. The site covers ancient and modern Olympic sports, a tour of ancient Olympia, a brief history of the games and the Olympic spirit, and stories by the ancient athletes. There is also a list of FAQs concerning various aspects of the Olympic games.
Gateway to the Summer Olympics
http://www.edgate.com/summergames/
Provides information about Athens, getting in shape for the Olympics, the Paralympics, Parade of Nations, and Olympic facts.
The Nazi Olympics – Berlin, 1936 – U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Exhibit
https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/olympics/?content=olympics&lang=en
This exhibit covers the role of sport in Nazi Germany and the debate around participating in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Other topics include the sporting events, the treatment of African-American and Jewish athletes, and the events following the Olympics. Contains numerous photographs and audio files.
Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland
http://www.olympic.org/en/content/The-Olympic-Museum/
The official museum of the Olympic Games, sponsored by the Olympic Movement.
Research Starters: The Olympics
http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/researchstarters/olympics/
Site includes topics, articles and links to get started on a research paper for the Olympics. It also contains descriptions of sports, training, and the history of the games.
Summer Olympics through the Years – Infoplease.com
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0114335.html
Find out about the Summer Olympic games from modern times through 2004. Information is also broken down by event, standings, and medal winners.
Winter Olympics Through the Years – Infoplease.com
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0115110.html
Find out about the Winter Olympic games from 1924 to 2006. Information is also broken down by event, standings, and medal winners.
Olympic Sports
International Olympic Committee – Summer Sports Index
http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/
Covers the following sports: aquatics, archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, canoe/kayak, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.
Sport Science and the Olympics
http://whyfiles.org/019olympic
Find out how science affects sports. Site includes information about biomechanics, sports psychology and sports technology.
Olympic Organizations
International Olympic Committee
http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
The official site of the Olympic Movement. Information is divided into Olympics history and future, sports, athletes, and the structure of the Olympic Movement.
Special Olympics
http://www.specialolympics.org/
Learn about the Special Olympics, a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities through year-round sports training and competition.
Special Olympics USA
http://www.specialolympicsusa.org/2019/
Contains national media coverage on the Special Olympics USA as well as profiles on athletes and coaches.
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
https://www.teamusa.org/
The official site of the US Olympic and Paralympic Team. Provides links to US Olympic and Paralympic Training Centers, and links to the coverage of the upcoming games.
Olympic Protests
“Long history of Olympic protests” by Paul Reynolds, BBC News Website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7334362.stm
Article includes coverage of Olympic protest in previous years during the Nazi Olympics in Berlin in 1936, the Cold War, in Munich 1972, and other Olympic boycotts.
“Chinese press says Olympic protests fail”, BBC Monitoring
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7338280.stm
Gives the perspective from the Chinese press about the protests against the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
“Amid human rights protests, a look at China’s record,” by Peter Ford, Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0410/p04s01-woap.html
Article covers human rights issues in China and why this has had an impact on the 2008 Olympic Games and torch relay.
Tokyo 2020 Coverage
Tokyo 2020
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/
This is the official website of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
NBC Olympics
http://www.nbcolympics.com/
Site provides individual links to all sports in the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Here you can also find a schedule of events, photos, all time medal standings by country, and information about which countries are competing at the XXXII Olympiad. This site is also available in Spanish.
Online Publications
International Olympic Committee – The Olympic Review
http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2499
“The Olympic Review Magazine offers the news and activities of the IOC as well as in-depth feature pieces on topics and issues that matter to the Olympic Movement.”
MagPortal.com
http://www.MagPortal.com/c/sport/
Do a quick search for Olympics or Olympic Games and you’ll find numerous articles from popular print magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Time, The Motley Fool, and more! No subscription is needed for this site.
Offline Audio and Video Resources
Look for these resources at your local public library!
Adult
Cline, E. H. (2007). A history of ancient Greece. The Modern scholar. Prince Frederick, Md:
Recorded Books.
Includes information on the first Olympics. ISBN: 1429472731
Kennedy, M., & Dines, C. (2004). Special Olympics. [Washington, D.C.]: National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.
Overview of the Special Olympics for kids. ISBN: 0516223380
Kyle, D. G. (2008). Sport and spectacle in the ancient world. Princeton, NJ: Recording for Blind & Dyslexic.
Covers 2000 years of organized sports in the ancient Mediterranean world. ISBN: 0631229701
Li, L. M., Dray-Novey, A. J., & Kong, H. (2008). Beijing from imperial capital to Olympic city. Princeton, N.J.: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.
A history of Beijing, covering rulers and regular folk alike, from its earliest origins to preparations for the 2008 Olympics and the city’s post-millenial economic boom. ISBN: 0230605273
Schaap, J., & Kramer, M. (2007). Triumph the untold story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics. [Old Saybrook, CT]: Tantor Audio.
The story of an African-American who sets three world records during the 1936 Berlin, Nazi Olympics. ISBN: 0618688226
Juvenile
Middleton, H. (1999). Crises at the olympics. The Olympics. Oxford: Heinemann Library.
Political aspects of the Olympics for kids. ISBN: 1575724502
Osborne, M. P., Boyce, N. P., & Osborne, M. P. (2008). Ancient Greece and the Olympics a nonfiction companion to Hour of the Olympics. Magic tree house research guide. Princeton, N.J.: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.
Children’s resource covering ancient Greece and the Olympic Games. ISBN: 0375823786
DVDs
Double Exposure (Firm), History Channel (Television network), & Arts and Entertainment Network. (2002). Stolen gold. [United States]: A & E Television Network.
International Olympic Committee. (2005). The Olympic series. golden moments 1920-2002. Volume 1-3. The Olympic series. Moore Park, NSW: Twenthieth Century Fox.
International Olympic Committee, & Madacy Entertainment Group. (2003). Olympic century. the official history of the modern Olympic games [Disc 1-Disc 2]. St. Laurent, Quebec: Madacy Entertainment Group.
MacDonald, K., Cohn, A., Battsek, J., & Douglas, M. (2003). One day in September. [Australia]: Dendy Films.
Meyers, E., Webb, A., & Gordon-Garrett, K. ( ). In search of Greece. Quality Information Publishers. (2007). Historic Olympics films. [Asheville, NC?]: Quality Information.
Schmidt, C. (2007). Five ring circus [the untold story of the Vancouver 2010 games]. [Canada]: Ragtag Productions.
Print Resources
Adult
Beamish, R., & Ritchie, I. (2006). Fastest, highest, strongest: a critique of high-performance sport. Routledge critical studies in sport. New York: Routledge.
A critical examination of modern sports, and the role of and ban on performance-enhancing substances. ISBN: 0415770424
Lenskyj, H. (2008). Olympic industry resistance: challenging Olympic power and propaganda. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN: 0791474798
O’Connor, F. G., Boden, B. P., & Wilder, R. P. (2008). 101 sports medicine tips/facts: youth sports. Monterey, CA: Healthy Learning.
Covers youth sports issues such as common injuries in popular children’s sports such as baseball, soccer, wrestling and more. ISBN: 1585180769
Shaw, C. A. (2008). Five ring circus: myths & realities of the Olympic Games. Philadelphia, Pa: New Society.
This book covers the drugs, corruption and scandals that surround the Olympic Games. ISBN: 0865715920
Tibballs, G. (2008). The Olympics’ Strangest Moments Extraordinary but True Stories from the History of the Olympic Games. Chrysalis Books.
Covers factual and odd events throughout the Olympic Games history. ISBN: 1905798237
Toropov, B. (2008). The Olympics for beginners. New York: For Beginners.
This illustrated book provides clear and brief overviews about the Olympic Games and Olympic movement from ancient Greek times to today. ISBN: 1934389331
Weed, M. (2008). Olympic tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Olympic Games affect tourism before the actual games begin and the aftermath of its completion. ISBN: 07506816168
Juvenile
Guile, M. (2008). Beijing Olympic Games 2008. Port Melbourne: Heinemann Library.
ISBN: 1740703723
Hatton, C. (2008). The night olympic team: fighting to keep drugs out of the games.
Honesdale, Pa: Boyds Mills Press.
This book covers the scientists, lawyers, and officials who strive to keep Olympians clean and honest. It is written by a 2002 Winter Olympics drug tester. ISBN: 1590785665
Macy, S. (2008). Swifter, Higher, Stronger A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.
Includes charts, records, fun facts and anecdotes about the Summer Olympics, including information on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. ISBN: 0792266676
This pathfinder was created by Ami Regnier for Dr. Eileen Abels Info 780 Course at Drexel University, Spring, 2008.