logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
41m 55s

Olympics: Behind The Five Rings

NPR
About this episode
The Olympics originated in Ancient Greece, and were resurrected in the 1890's after a 1,500 year ban. Since then, the International Olympic Committee has been behind every Olympic Games. In this episode, we explore the story of how the IOC turned the Olympics into a huge commercial success and whether the cities that host the games end up winning or losing.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Apr 16
The original clickbait king
When we call something "clickbait," we don't mean it as a compliment. But let's be real: we also click. It's hard to resist a spicy story, and 19th-century newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst knew it. At a time when most papers merely reported events, his papers created them ... Show More
48m 11s
Apr 14
How the US became America
In the late 1890s, the United States fought wars and backed independence movements around the world. By the time the fighting was over, the US emerged as a new global power —and with it, a new identity. This week: how the U.S. became an empire, and why it started calling itself A ... Show More
15m 39s
Apr 9
Will AI destroy us... or save us?
Like it or not, artificial intelligence is deeply rooted in our lives. Its invisible architecture stretches everywhere from dating apps to medical care. In this new world, what remains uniquely human? On today's episode, we explore the tension between our love of AI and our fear ... Show More
51m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
The Olympic Games
<p>The Olympic Games &nbsp;Join us today as we learn about how the Olympic Games, which are held every four years, got their start and have changed over the years.</p> <p>Sources:</p> <p>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games/Munich-West-Germany-1972"><u>< ... Show More
6m 50s
Dec 2022
The Olympics Used to Have an... Extraordinarily Weird Art Competition
Everyone's heard of the Olympics. This global competition brings athletes from around the world together to compete in various sports -- but, not too long ago, one man led the charge to bring artists, sculptors, musicians and more into the fray, with medal-worthy competitions of ... Show More
40m 29s
Jul 2023
1904 Olympic Marathon
<p>In 1904, the U.S. hosted its first Olympics. It had a host of problems. But the event that was the most dangerous for athletes was the marathon.</p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Abbott, Karen. “The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever.” Smithson ... Show More
39m 32s
Aug 2021
Tokyo 2020: Medals and Records
Most coverage of the Olympics is very biased towards whatever country you happen to live in, and certain popular sports. Lesser sports and accomplishments from athletes in other countries may often be completely overlooked. So, I figured I’d give a recap of the Tokyo Olympics ... Show More
11m 52s
Aug 2021
The Fight for the First U.S. Olympics | Passing the Torch | 4
<p>The 1904 St. Louis Olympics were marred by controversy and poorly organized events like the marathon. But at least they took place as scheduled. In 1916, after the outbreak of World War I, they were canceled entirely. A century later, in 2020, the Olympics faced another kind o ... Show More
38m 44s