`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·Document 1`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·
Source: Unknown, 1st Modern Olympic Opening Ceremony,
Athens, Greece, 1896

`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·Document 2`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.· Source: CBCSports, cbcsports.ca (Canadian News Network), article about the 1908 London Olympics. “Controversy flared during the opening ceremony, when athletes walked into the Olympic stadium behind their national flags for the first time in an official Olympics. To begin with, the Swedish and American contingents felt slighted when organizers failed to fly their national flags among those of other nations around the stadium.“In retaliation, American flag-bearer Martin Sheridan refused to dip the Stars and Stripes in the customary gesture of respect as the team passed by King Edward in the royal box. Sheridan, the greatest discus thrower of his time, explained, "This flag dips to no earthly king." Some thought the Irish-American Sheridan's decision might have been rooted in Britain's refusal to grant Ireland independence. For their part, Irish athletes boycotted the London Games in protest.“In another flag flap, the Finnish athletes, disgruntled at being under Russian rule, entered the stadium without a banner at all rather than march behind the flag of Czarist Russia.” |

`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·Document 3`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·
Source: British newspaper, featuring women in the 60-meter archery, one of the few events women were allowed to participate in during the 1908 London Olympics.

`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·Document 4`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.· Source: Bob Matthias, United States competitor in the 1952 Helsinki (Finland) Games, magazine interview, 1972. “There were many pressures on American athletes because of the presence of the Soviet team in 1952. They were in a real sense the enemy. You just loved to beat ’em. You just had to beat ’em. It wasn’t like competing against some guys from a friendly country like