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• Sport has been an integral part of human history, evolving from survival-related activities to a global phenomenon.

Human History Timeline

• Prehistory (Before 3,000 BC):
  • Paleolithic (2.5 million-10,000 BC): Nomadic hunter-gatherer societies used stone tools and controlled fire, creating early art like cave paintings.
  • Mesolithic (10,000-8,000 BC): Domestication of animals, early farming, seasonal settlements, and microlith tools marked this period.
  • Neolithic (8,000-3,000 BC): Characterized by the shift to agriculture, the use of metal tools, and the establishment of permanent settlements.
• Ancient History (3,000 BCE - 476 CE):
  • Bronze Age (3,000-1,200 BCE): Bronze tools and weapons, early writing systems, and civilizations like Mesopotamia emerged.
  • Iron Age (1,200-500 BCE): Saw the use of iron tools, the rise of empires and city-states, and civilizations including the Assyrians, Phoenicians, early Greeks, and the Zhou Dynasty in China.
  • Classical Antiquity (500 BCE-476 CE): Flourishing of philosophy, science, governance, and empires, including the founding of Rome (753 BCE), the Athenian Golden Age, Alexander the Great’s conquests, and the rise and fall of the Roman Republic and Empire.
• Middle Ages (476-1492 CE):
  • Early Middle Ages (476-1000 CE): Feudalism, spread of Christianity and Islam, and decentralization in Europe, including the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 CE) and the rise of the Byzantine and Carolingian empires.
  • High Middle Ages (1,000-1,300 CE): Urbanization, Gothic architecture, and the Crusades, including the Norman conquest of England (1066) and the First Crusade (1096-1099).
  • Late Middle Ages (1,300-1,492 CE): Marked by the decline of feudalism, the Black Death, and the beginnings of the Renaissance, including the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) and the Fall of Constantinople.
• Early Modern Period (1492-1789 CE):
  • Age of exploration, the scientific revolution, and the rise of nation-states, including the discovery of America (1492), the Protestant Reformation (1517), and scientific achievements by Galileo and Newton.
• Modern History (1789-1945 CE):
  • Characterized by industrialization, revolutions, and global conflicts, including the French Revolution (1789-1799), the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries), the unification of Germany and Italy, World War I (1914-1918), and World War II (1939-1945).
• Contemporary History (1945 CE-Present):
  • Features the Cold War, globalization, the digital revolution, the creation of the United Nations (1945), the decolonization of Africa and Asia (1950-1970), the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) and the Soviet Union (1991), and the rise of the internet.

Sporting Practices in Antiquity

• Paleolithic Period:
  • Involved alternating intense physical exertion such as hunting and gathering with rest.
  • Promoted essential physical capacities as survival mechanisms.
  • Featured ritualistic activities such as dance to prepare adults for responsibilities.
• Neolithic and Metal Ages:
  • Transitioned from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles due to the Agricultural Revolution.
  • Saw the rise of recreational and competitive activities to resolve disputes and build community.
  • Used technological advances like metal tools to contribute to structured activities.
• Ancient History:
  • Classical Greece featured the ancient Olympic Games (776 BC), to honor Zeus, emphasizing virtue.
  • Rome had sports spectacles in the Colosseum as tools for political power and social control. Gladiator games served as extreme sports.
  • Asian and Mesoamerican civilizations included Kung Fu and Tai Chi in China, and the ballgame in Mesoamerica as a ritual.
  • Spartan women actively participated in sports like running, unlike other Greek city-states.
• Middle Ages:
  • Knightly games and popular activities like medieval football were dominant.
  • Pagan games were banned initially with physical activities gradually integrated for war preparation.
  • Organized physical activities took place around monasteries and within feudal systems.
• Renaissance Impact:
  • Reintroduced Greco-Roman ideals with an emphasis on harmony between mind and body.
  • Led to the development of sports medicine by figures like Geronimo Mercurialis.
  • Featured treatises on physical education were developed, advocating for the inclusion of physical activity in youth.

Ancient Olympic Games

• Originated in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BCE as a religious festival in honor of Zeus.
• Competitions included running, wrestling, discus, and chariot racing, emphasizing physical prowess and religious devotion.
• Open only to free Greek men, excluding women and non-Greeks.
• Abolished in 393 AD by Emperor Theodosius I.

Kyniska of Sparta

• A Spartan princess who was the first woman recorded to have won an Olympic event.
• Won the tethrippon (four-horse chariot race) in the 396 BCE and 392 BCE Olympic Games.
• Despite the ban on women in the Olympics, she won through horse ownership, not physical competition. This allowed her to breed and train horses.
• A bronze statue of her chariot was made in Olympia.
• Her victory challenged gender norms in ancient Greece, particularly in Sparta.

Pierre de Coubertin's Motivations

• Revived the Olympic Games to strengthen French youth after the Franco-Prussian War, believing sports education would restore national strength.
• Inspired by British schools and international athletic systems, he saw sports as a tool for character development and global peace.
• His vision blended ancient Greek traditions with modern British ideals, evolving from nationalism to internationalism.
• His views were shaped by biases like opposition to women’s participation and a Eurocentric perspective.
• The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) deeply influenced Coubertin’s views, believing that physical training would create stronger citizens.
• Coubertin found the most inspiration in England, particularly the British public school system.
• He was against women’s participation in the Olympic Games, believing it should be a male-only event.
• Coubertin’s view was Eurocentric and racially exclusive, seeing sport as a way to "civilize" non-European populations.
• Early Olympism was exclusionary based on race, gender, and class, favoring Western, upper-class male athletes.
• Early Olympism was shaped by both nationalistic and internationalist motives, aiming to reduce European conflicts through peaceful competition.

Evolution of the Olympic Games

• Women were first allowed to compete in 1900 but in limited events.
• Racial inclusion has improved, with athletes from all continents competing equally.
• The anti-apartheid movement led to South Africa’s Olympic ban (1964-1992).
• Events like the Paralympics and inclusion of sports from non-Western cultures reflect a more diverse Olympic movement.

Use of Olympism as a Political Tool

• Shaped by nationalistic and internationalist motives.
• Coubertin wanted to use sport to strengthen French youth after the Franco-Prussian War.
• Used to reduce European conflicts by promoting peaceful international competition.
• Countries use the Olympics to assert their superiority.

Modern Olympic Games Revival

• Revived in 1896 by Pierre de Coubertin in Athens, featuring 14 nations and 241 athletes.
• The 1900 Olympic Games in Paris were the first in which women were allowed to compete.
• The 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games saw significant American dominance.
• International Games in Athens in 1906 were a unique attempt at Olympic reform.

Winter Olympic Games

• Many winter sports competitions were held in parallel to the Summer Olympics due to weather conditions.
• In 1921, the Olympic committee decided to create a Winter Olympic Games.
• The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
• The first Winter Olympics featured 200 athletes from 16 countries and 16 competitions were held

Paralympic Games

• Ludwing Guttmann is recognized as the founder of the Paralympic Games.
• Guttmann fled Nazi Germany and settled in England, becoming the director of Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
• He developed a rehabilitation program using sports as physical and psychological therapy for wounded soldiers.
• The first Stoke Mandeville Games were organized on July 29, 1948, for wheelchair athletes, coinciding with the London Olympic Games

Professionalization of Sports and Eugen Sandow

• Eugen Sandow was one of the first to promote "physical culture"—developing the body through exercise, diet, and discipline
• Sandow promoted the idea that muscular development was achievable by anyone dedicated to physical training.
• Sandow’s legacy is reflected in modern bodybuilding competitions by criteria like muscularity, symmetry, and definition.
• Sandow helped popularize the use of gym equipment.
• Sandow is rightly considered the "father of bodybuilding."

Industrial Revolution's Influence on Professionalization

• Urbanization created large populations ready for organized sports.
• Regulated working hours allowed more time for recreation and sports
• Railways made it easier for teams to travel and compete.
• The rise of the middle class increased the demand for entertainment.
• Standardized rules became necessary, leading to governing bodies.
• Mass communication helped spread sports news, increasing interest.
• Many businesses formed company-sponsored teams.

Standardization and Governing Bodies

• Essential for establishing a framework for growth and improvement of sports.
• Ensured quality and safety for participants.
• Established fair competition conditions.
• Facilitated trade in the sports industry.
• Professionalized the organization of competitions.
• Promoted the development of adequate infrastructure.
• Encouraged the inclusion of athletes with disabilities.

Transportation and Mass Media

• Improved transportation allowed teams to travel efficiently, expanding leagues.
• Fans could attend games more easily, boosting revenue.
• Mass media broadened sports' reach, attracting sponsors, and creating fan bases.

Economic and Social Factors

• Urbanization provided more free time and income for leisure.
• Interest in organized sports created demand for competitions and athletes.
• Media and marketing were made professional sports viable.
• Formalization of rules created fair play.
• Corporate sponsorship led to advertising and marketing.

Change Of Amateurism to Professionalism

• Modern sports were initially dominated by the aristocracy, who valued hobby-like amateurism. Later democratization pushed towards professionalism.
• Growth of leagues and globalization made professionalism inevitable.
• Commercialization turned sports into a multimillion-dollar industry.

Transformation of Sports Into a Business

• The popularization of sports transformed sports into a business through increased opportunities in sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and merchandise sales.
• Teams began generating revenue through TV deals and advertising. Turning sports into a profitable industry of not only on the field results but also brand management and experiences for spectators.

Transition from Amateur to Professional

• More money was invested in competitions.
• Companies sponsored athletes.
• Tv and the internet made sports more popular.
• Opinions changed and rules allowed athletes to get paid.
• Better stadiums and sports technology helped them improve.

Sponsorships and Broadcasting Rights

• Has grown revenue
• Global Reach
• Has corporate influence on sports
• Improved Fan Experience
• Better scheduling Format

Evolution of BodyBuilding

• Greeks thought strength was needed to protect themselves from the harsh world.
• Eugen Sandow helped popularize muscular aesthetics and led to the first competitions.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger made bodybuilding a modern mainstream sport.
• Today advancements in training and nutrition have evolved the sport

Eugen Sandow Role

• Sandow was one of the first to bring the concept of "physical culture".
• Sandow promoted the idea of strength.
• Modern Bodybuilding standards are due to Sandows legacy
• Bodybuilding is an aesthetic persuit

Change to the Fitness Industry

• Bodybuilding and physique competitions have transformed the fitness industry.
• Has promoted lifestyle fitness with nutritional habits.
• Has encouraged regular exercise
• Has made people be more concious about their body image.

Main Health Risk and Controversies

• Many bodybuilders take steroids, growth hormones, insulin, and water-cutting pills to look bigger and leaner; this can cause heart problems, liver and kidney damage, high blood pressure, etc.
• Pushing the body to the limit with bulking can put lot of stress on the body.
• There are also concerns about bodydismorphia (never being big or lean enough).

How Social Media Influcences BodyBuilding

• Exposure to idealized, muscular physiques impacts health.
• The pressure has increased the use of image enhancing drugs (PIED)
• Constant comparison with hyper-muscular ideals reinforces harmful behaviors.
• Social media can make find the process of bodybuilding easier, but focus on personal and medical acceptance is important.

Ethical Concerns

• Doping is cheating and it causes unfairness.
• It causes short and long term harm for the health
• Harms the society because young people want to be like their role models.