h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though the modern Olympics seem to be carrying on a timeless tradition many 'traditions' have been introduced at certain Olympiads and then retained. For example, the marathon as a 26mile 385yard event was first established at the London Olympiad.
Far more sinister though are some of the 'traditions' established at the Berlin Olympiad of 1936. These included the now mandatory Olympic flame. Blonde Goddesses lighting the flame at Mount Olympus and transporting it to Berlin was a Nazi introduction. Another was the playing of the winner's national anthem at the medal ceremony.When the games were restored after the war the London Olympiad retained these ceremonies and since then the nationalistic elements have grown at the Olympic Games, much to the detriment of the Games themselves.