Officieele gids voor de Olympische Spelen ter viering van de IXe Olympiade, Amsterdam 1928

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The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games

The Sovereign or Head of government who has to proclaim the opening of the Games, is received at the entrance of the Stadium by the President of the International Committee and by the President of the Organising Committee, who both present their colleagues. Both the Committees conduct the Sovereign or Head of government and the persons accompanying them, to the Stand of Honour where he is welcomed by the execution of the national hymn of the country, Immediately thereafter begins the defile of the athletes, Each contingent in sports dress has to be preceded by an ensign bearing the name of the corresponding country and to be accompanied by its national flag (the countries appear in alphabetical order).

Only competitors in the Games are allowed to take part in the defile with the exclusion of every group having another object than that of the Games.

Each contingent having gone round the Stadium, forms a column in the centre of the ground, behind its standard, its flag facing the Stand of Honour.

The International Committee and the Organising Committee range themselves in the arene, forming a semi-circle in face of the Stand and the President of the Organising Committee reads a short discourse which he ends by requesting the Sovereign or Head of Government to proclaim the opening of the Games.

The letter gets up and says: ‘I declare the opening of the Olympic Games of.... celebrating the.... Olympiad of modern era.’

Immediately after that the trumpets sound and the cannon roars, while the Olympic flag is hoisted at the central mast and while pigeons are flown (each pigeon having a ribbon, bearing the colours of one of the competing nations, tied to its neck); after that a chorus sings a cantata. If a religious ceremony has to take place, it must be held at this moment, If not, there may be immediately passed on to administering an oath to the athletes, One of them, belonging to the country where the Games take place, comes in front of the Stand of Honour holding the

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flag of the country in his hands and being surrounded by all the other bearers of the national standards, ranging themselves semi-circular at the spot, which a moment ago the Committees occupied. He then pronounces in a loud voice the oath, in which all the athletes join whilst lifting their right arm: ‘We swear that we present ourselves at the Olympic Games as fair competitors, respecting the rules governing the Games and being desirous of taking part in them in chivalrous spirits for the honour of our countries and the sport,’

Again the chorus starts singing and the athletes defile in opposite direction to leave the Stadium.

The ceremony having ended, the matches may begin unless this opening afternoon will be fixed for gymnastic exercises or any other appropriated game.