or1980v2pt1

The relaying of the Olympic flame
can be considered with good reason
the ceremonial prologue to the
Games. It also makes it possible to
popularise the Games, and assists in
the development of the sports movement
among the people.
The lighting of the flame at
Olympia and its delivery to the
central arena of the Games has
become a wonderful tradition of the
Games.
The Olympic torch symbolises
man's unquenchable thirst for peace,
harmony and beauty. The Greek actress
Maria Mosxoliou spoke beautifully
of this when the relay of the
Olympic flame was setting off on its
way to Moscow:
"During the ritual lighting of the
flame I have never been able to free
myself from the feeling that I am
coming into contact with something
majestic and beautiful, created not
just by a human fantasy but by a deep
longing for principles of reason, for a
festival of the humane ideas. The
flame which is kindled in ancient
Olympia carries a message of peace,
confidence and hope to all people on
this planet."
From the first days of its existence
the OCOG-80 occupied itself with the
problem of organising the relay of the
260
Olympic flame. As early as February
1976, at the 77th Session of the IOC in
Innsbruck the delegation from the
OCOG-80 announced that the traditional
method of carrying the flame
had been chosen and that torchbearing
runners would be called on to
bring the flame to the Moscow Games.
This was confirmed at the following
session of the IOC at Montreal. The
decision of the OCOG-80 was based
on the fact that a relay of runners is
the most sporting method of delivering
the Olympic flame, for by this
method it is man who plays the
leading, active role, as it is in the
Games themselves.
In 1978 a Department of Olympic
Torch Relay and of Opening and
Closing Ceremonies was created within
the Organising Committee. The
Department consisted of two subdepartments;
one for the Olympic
torch relay and one for the Opening
and Closing ceremonies. Each subdepartment
had nine members. In
1979 a Directorate for the relay was
organised (24 members) responsible
to the Department.
The Department was to work out
the route of the relay, and to provide
everything necessary for it, and at the
same time to involve various enterprises
and public organisations in the
job in hand.