Regardless of whether or not the Olympic Games next month are successful for Salt Lake City, they will add to the relatively young history of the Winter Games.
The Winter Olympics have been historically considered the “stepchild” of the Olympics, and therefore have been less glorified than the Summer Games, according to Professor Roland Renson, who spoke at the U Thursday. He is the author of several articles on the Olympics.
Regardless, according to Renson, the Winter Games have produced “some of the greatest athletes and athletic moments in history.”
The Olympics were held as long ago as 776 B.C. in Olympia, Greece. None of the competition was “winter” related because of a lack of snow, Renson said.
Figure skating, the first winter-related sport to appear on an Olympic program was in 1908 in London. By 1920, figure skating and ice hockey were part of the Games.
The International Winter Sport Week of Chamonix in 1924 was officially the first Winter Olympics. Afterward, the Winter Games took place every four years in the February of the Olympic year.
World War II prevented the 1940 and 1944 Games, but the cycle was restored in 1948 for the St. Moritz Games.
After the 1992 Games in Albertville, however, the Lillehammer games were held only two years later in 1994 in accordance to a new time schedule: every second year after the Summer Games.
Renson highlighted some of the accomplishments of many athletes and countries during all the years the Winter Olympics have been held, including hockey games between the United States and U.S.S.R. during the Cold War which illustrated the connection between the Games and politics.
Economically, the Games should benefit Salt Lake City, according to Renson, as did the 1988 Games for Seoul, Korea.
According to Renson, after 1992, the Games have gone through what he calls “logolization.” In essence, the Games will go to the highest bidder.
Renson alluded to the Salt Lake City and Nagasaki scandals. However, with the Games only a few weeks away, it is time to look past that, he said.
As far as pre-Games Utah is concerned, he is “very impressed” with the venue sites and the U for all the Olympic preparation.
“It’s amazing,” Renson said. “Let us look forward to the arrival of the Olympic torch in the stadium…Hopefully, the Salt Lake City Games will have a bright future.”