Olympic Games ceremony a standard 18-event program was established. In order to open a Games in ancient Greece the organizers would hold an Inauguration Festival. This was followed by a ceremony in which athletes took an oath of sportsmanship. The first competition, an artistic competition of trumpeters and heralds, concluded the opening festivities. The Olympic opening ceremonies represent the official commencement of an Olympic Games. In recent Olympics, athletic competition began prior to the opening ceremonies. For example, the football competitions for both men and women at the 2008 Summer Olympics began two days prior to the opening ceremonies. The 2014 Winter Olympics
2006 Asian Games opening ceremony 2006 Asian Games opening ceremony The 2006 Asian Games Opening Ceremony was held in Doha, Qatar on 1 December 2006 to mark the start of the 15th Asian Games. The ceremony took place in the multi-purpose Khalifa International Stadium, which was specifically renovated for the Asian Games. The ceremony was attended by over 50,000 spectators, as well as approximately 20,000 athletes and performers. Several Asian heads-of-state and the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge were in attendance. The officials and organizers of the ceremony promised it to be the most spectacular opening ceremony in recent years. The Opening