TABLE OF CONTENTS In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games,respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for theglory of sport and the honour of our teams, committing ourselves to a sport without doping andwithout drugs.
In the name of all the judges and officials, I promise that we shall officiate in theseOlympic Games with complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them inthe true spirit of sportsmanship.
IOC (2003)
The importance of the role of sports event management is reflected in these shortdeclarations, taken by an athlete and judge from the home nation at the opening ceremony of anOlympic Games. The oaths themselves have developed over time and are indicative of the importanceof flexible management. At the ancient Olympics athletes swore that they had trained properly andthat they would abide by the rules of the Games. The importance of the oath is reflected in thefact that the trainers, brothers and fathers of athletes would also make such declarations. In morerecent times the oaths have been changed to accommodate social trends and in order to protect theintegrity of an event that is seen by many to be at the pinnacle of the sports events industry. In1920, when the first modern Olympic oath was taken, a spirit of chivalry rather than sportsmanshipwas required, and in 2000, for the Sydney Olympics, the commitment to participation without dopingand drugs was...
