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the IOC provided no rules as far as the victory as well as the
closing ceremonies were concerned, the early Olympic movement
did not actually know any closing ceremonies corresponding to
the conceptions we have of only the victory ceremonies. Only
after the introduction of the Olympic symbols did the closing
ceremonies become independent of the victory ceremonies. The
closing ceremonies then took place on the last day of the Games
and their ceremonial presentation approached the opening ceremonies
dimensions. It was COUBERTIN who had clear ideas of
the ceremonies arrangement and he always tried to carry his
point with his colleagues in the IOC. The Olympic flag, the closing
formula as well as the musical background of the closing ceremonies
were all introduced at the initiative of COUBERTIN.
The closing ceremonies development process can be divided
into roughly three periods: the first period was decisively shaped
by the Greeks and ended in 1912. Interrupted by the First World
War, the second period was marked by closing ceremonies that
reflected the people's desire for peace. The third phase started
with the rearrangement of the victory ceremonies at the Olympic
Games of 1932 in Los Angeles. Since then, the closing ceremonies
have clearly detached themselves from the solemn victory ceremonies
held on the last day of the Games.
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