The ancient Olympics supposedly put the love of sports above the petty disputes of countries various politics. Whenever the Games were held - (every 4 years) - a truce throughout the whole of Greece was declared. For us it is about sports -- for the ancient greeks - it was a important religious event to honor the Gods.
Think of how Hitler attempted to awe the world with his Nazis during the 1936 Olympics but the other countries -- Jesse Owens, a black american in particular - showed what that one man can do in the face of overwhelming opposition. And shattered the claims of racial superiority by the Nazis.
