By MICHAEL HYTE
Hyte@newsroom.byu.edu
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee scandal may have cast a stigma over the 2002 Olympic games, but scandals are no stranger to the Olympic tradition, even anciently, according to a professor of Classics from the University of North Carolina.
William H. Race, Paddison professor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will give a presentation to BYU students on the original Olympic games tonight, March 2, at 7:30 p.m. in room 205 of the J. Reuben Clark building.
The lecture, sponsored by the Department of Humanities, Classics and Comparative Literature, is being held in honor of J. Reuben Clark III, a former faculty member who was a pioneer in Classics at BYU.
'Race is a world-famous scholar on the Greek poet Pindar who wrote poetry about the victors of the Olympics,' said Roger Macfarlane, section head of Classics at BYU.
Race said comparing the modern Olympic games with the ancient games would be of particular interest in Utah right now.
'I will be talking about the Olympics, how they've changed and how they've stayed the same. I thought coming to Utah it would be a timely subject,' Race said.
Macfarlane said he is pleased Race has chosen the subject he has and said he feels that Race is uniquely qualified to speak on the topic.
Race said the original Olympic games had their fair share of scandals.
'The original Olympic games included rewards, punishments, bribes and scandals. Some cities tried to buy athletes from others, and some athletes were bribed to lose,' Race said.
In addition to being extremely prestigious, Race said the original Olympics were reserved for men.
'Men competed every four years. Women did not compete and could not attend even as spectators. It was a guy thing,' Race said.
However, women did hold their own Olympics at intervals, though on a smaller scale, Race said.
Race also said that although no form of steroids or other performance enhancing chemicals were used in the original Olympics, diet was very important to the athletes.
'They insisted on dietary training. Many athletes maintained high protein diets,' Race said.
Race is also a former president of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South, Macfarlane said.
The presentation will include a slide show featuring each of the original Olympic events, including artifacts and evidence of the early games.