Amsterdam - 1928

This week the 1928 Amsterdam games gets the Insider Olympiad treatment in our rundown of not very useful and largely unsubstantiated facts.

This was the first time the Olympic flame was lit.

Track-and-field and gymnastics events for women were introduced. There had been much resistance to these additions by Coubertin and others who feared that having women compete in these events would cause them to become "masculine", ruin their health and make them unable to have children.

Johnny Weissmuller, better known for his role in Tarzan movies, returned and won two more gold medals in swimming.

1928 saw the first appearance of Coca Cola as sponsor of the games. At the same time the IAAF became the first International Sport Federation to ban doping but restrictions remained ineffective because no tests were performed.

Art competitions were held with medals awarded in the categories of architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture, all for works inspired by sport. William Nicholson of Great Britain won gold in the graphics event with his Almanac of Sports.

The 1928 Games lost a mere $18,000, setting a new record.