Olympics Trivia

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Can you name the two Athens Olympic mascots? Or the famous pop singer asked to write the 2004 theme song? And what country returns to the games this year after a 5-year ban? Plus more Olympics fun facts as we limber up for the 2004 Olympics Trivia Games...

Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games with the first recorded event staged in 776 BC.
Athens will host the summer Olympics for the second time in modern history. The first official Games were held in Athens in 1896.

The first Olympics Games mascot was "Schuss" introduced during the 1968 Winter Olympics.

The two 2004 Athens Games' official mascots are Phevos and Athena, who are brother and sister. Their creation was inspired by an ancient Greek doll. The names derive from two Olympian gods: Phevos, the god of light and music, known as Apollo; and Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens.

The Athens Olympic torch is designed to resemble an olive leaf. The Games emblems portrays a kotinos, or olive branch - the official award of ancient Greek champions.

The 2004 Olympic Village will house 16,000 athletes and team officials during the Olympic Games and 6,000 during the Paralympic Games.

28 sports will be represented in 38 venues. A total of 301 medal ceremonies will take place over a period of 16 days.
More than 10,500 athletes and 3,000 team officials from 199 countries will participate.

George Michael has been asked to compose the theme song of the Athens Olympics. The singer, who was born in London, has Greek family roots. His real name is Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou.
Afghanistan will return to the 2004 Games after a suspension in 1999, which was enforced partly because of the Taleban's ban on the participation of women athletes.

Approximately 21,500 members of the world's media are expected to travel to Greece to cover the games.

45,000 security personnel will work at the Olympic Games: 25,000 police, 7,000 military, 3,000 coast guard, 1,500 fire-fighters, 3,500 private security contractors, and 5,000 trained volunteers