Why do the athletes take an oath at the Olympic Games?
The athlete taking the oath promises, in the name of all the other competitors, to respect the rules and participate in the competitions in a spirit of sportsmanship. The oath has been part of the Opening Ceremony since the Games of the Olympiad in Antwerp in 1920. Its text was modified at the 2000 Sydney Games and now includes a phrase confirming the will of the athlete to avoid doping. Since 1972, a referee has made the same undertaking on behalf of all the judges and officials.
