Sport has been performed over hundreds of years, by a range different people, and different cultures. There were many reasons why people took part in sport; some were for fun others were to prove who was the strongest or who could survive. Some of these traditions carried on for many years, but as society changed so did the sport, it re-developed its methods and styles in which the game was played. Over the years sport enthusiasts started to make rules and develop associations, this was the beginning of governing bodies.
There are many bodies for particular sports, these run the games, make the rules, decides where they are held, organise sport festivals etc. Here is a list of just a few: IOC (International Olympic Committee) FA (Football Association) BG (British Gymnastics) ARA (Amateur Rowing Association) These are just a small amount, there are over a hundred associations in sport in the world.
Over the centuries the governing bodies had to develop to meet the changes of sport and societies needs. Development of the Governing of Sport The governing of sport has developed over the years. All associations have changed their rules so many times; this has affected the effiency of the way the sport has been run, but in a positive way. The Ancient Games (history)
All games has developed over time, an example of a sport that has changed is the Olympics. Their governing body is recognised over the world it is named the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which represents the most important amateur sport festival in the world, The Olympic Games. But before the IOC was the Modern Olympic Games, which were started in 1896 at Athens, Greece, under the initiation and leadership of a French educationalist Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
The Olympic Games have been around since 776 BC, and differ from today’s Olympic Games. The Ancient Olympic Games lasted for five days, all athletes and trainers, brothers and families, had to swear at the statue of Zeus, that they would not cheat at the games. The games related religion with sport; they performed funeral rites for people which reinforce the relationship between religion and sport which was ever a feature of the ancient games.
This is not like the Olympic Games of today, the governing body (IOC) have developed since then. How Sport has Changed Many years ago sports were played with simple unwritten rules, and no referrers or umpires. The aim of a game would be to win, score as many points as possible etc. Playing with all sorts of objects ranging from animals organs to weaved balls out of tree bark. Different groups in communities would get together and form folk games, this usually involved violence. By the 19th century many if these games were banned due to the consequence of the violence. Some of the games stayed alive as annual events in some communities. There is a difference between folk games and today’s games. Here is a table showing some of the differences:
Folk Games