“The games were dedicated to Zeus. There were athletic games all over Greece, but because of the sanctity of Zeus, the Olympics quickly became revered. Many of the sports where competed in the nude, but no one knows for sure why this happened. According to one story, it began when a runner lost his loincloth and tripped on it. Everyone took off his loincloth after that. But ancient historians have traced it back to initiation rites—young men walking around naked and sort of entering manhood. Married women weren’t even allowed into the stands, though young women and virgins were allowed in. Fathers brought their daughters to the games hoping they would get married to one of the champions.”
Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0809_040809_nakedolympics_2.html
Patty De La Mata
