The Weird and Wonderful History of the Olympic Games

Episode 17 - Mr Thompson and his Silly PE Events

It was meant to be a Games that had all sorts of sports that pushed an athlete to the nth degree.  Yet some just seemed to be designed by a nasty bored PE teacher - like my old one at school - Mr Thompson. Here are just some of those he would have taught at school and which had, or has, featured in the Olympics.
A twice weekly series of podcasts in the run up to the 2024 Paris Games. 
We chart the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 16 - How the Games Went From Amateur to Professional

The founders wanted the events to be amateur only with anyone being paid for being professional being banned or DQ'd. Yet now only one sport in the Games is not professional. How did we get here? Why did we get here? This episode delves into this change of heart. 
Part 16 of a 20 part short nugget series charting the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 15 - Golf, Tennis and Cricket at the Games

The first couple of Games astonishingly featured golf, tennis and cricket. For decades after though they never featured again. Yet, like a Hollywood zombie, all three sports are now back in the modern day Olympics. Here we look at how they originally featured, why they were removed and how they are allowed to return. 
A twice weekly 20 part short nugget series charting the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 14 - Golds for Town Planning. Yes Really

Golds for Town Planning? For Poetry? For Painting, Sculpture, Music? Surely not. Here we look at the numerous Olympics where these featured, some of the best of the entrants and what caused their eventual demise.
A twice a week (Monday and Thursday) 20 episode podcast series charting the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 13 - Youngest and Oldest Competitors

Who were the youngest to take part and who were the oldest? How do these incredible sports people fit into the ideals and stereotypes of the Olympics? 
This is a twice weekly 20 part short nugget series charting the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 
 

Episode 12 - The Rise of the Para Olympics

The Para, Parallel or Paraplegic Olympics. How they started, how they merged with the Olympics themselves and the fab world of Goalball.
New episodes every Sunday and Thursday for you to enjoy/
We look at the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 11 - Cheating

Cheats. Every sport and almost every part of life sees people who chance their arm. This episode looks at those who chanced their arms, legs and right buttock - and got caught doing so. And they are just hard to believe....
Every Sunday and Thursday we bring a new episode.
We chart the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 10 - Sore Losers

Today we look at the sore losers - there are those who compete. And there are those who just cannot take being second best. There are some shockers!
This is a twice weekly series bringing you the weirdest things that happened in the Olympics over the years. 
We chart the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 9 - Paris 1900 Part 5 - Pigeon Shooting to, erm, Poodle Grooming

We finish looking at the A-Z of crazy sports that featured in the Paris 1900 bonkers Games. The next 11 mins and 04 seconds look at the butchery of the live Pigeon Shooting through to the myth(?) of Poodle Grooming. 
This is a twice weekly podcast series in the runup to Paris and the Olympic Games
We explore the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk. 

Episode 8 - Paris 1900 Part 4 - Motorboating to Pigeon Racing

Another delve into the A-Z of crazy sports that featured in the Paris 1900 bonkers Games. This next 10 mins and 10 seconds look at Motorboating to Pigeon Racing. 
This is a twice weekly series in the run up to Paris 2024. 
We look at the strange and fascinating people, sports, cheats, boycotts, doping and so much more that have happened in the Olympic Games since 1896. 
Each episode is stuffed full of the quirky and the crazy and in their no more than 15 minutes make your eyebrows raise, your head scratch and your lips smirk.