5 Historical podcasts on the Olympic Games
From anti-Semitism to steroid abuse, hear the landmark stories behind the Olympic Games.
1. Stuff You Missed in History Class
"A 1900 gymnast had to complete 16 different movements, including lifting a 50 kilogram stone, climbing a rope, and pole vaulting." — Sarah Dowdey on The Strangest Games: The 1900 Paris Olympics
Anecdotes from the weird and badly organized Olympics during the turn of the 20th century.
2. Voices on Anti-Semitism
"They weren't exactly fair." — Margaret Bergmann-Lambert, on how she was treated during the 1936 Olympics.
At 19, Margaret Bergmann-Lambert (also known as Gretel Bergmann) was chosen to represent Germany in the 1936 Olympic games. Problem is, she is Jewish and the Nazi Party took over the selection process.
3. Back Story
"I do think Canada has recovered from the Johnson scandal, only that it forced Canadian athletics and Canadian sport to come out in the open." — Scott Russell, on From hero to zero in 9.79 seconds: Scott Russell and the 1988 Seoul Olympics
Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson smashed the Olympic world record in 1988, only to become one of the most hated men in the country.
4. I'm Not Arguing With You
"How are people going to run fast here, if they can't even get some recognition from the country." — Anson Henry, on Nobody's Watching
A former Olympian confronts other track and field stars about the hard reality of making a living as a Canadian athlete.
5. Creating Our Own Lives
"I wanted to be chosen by the gods and it had absolutely nothing to do with the Olympic Games." — Billy Mills, on Olympians are Chosen by the Gods
Profound life and spiritual lessons from the only American to win a gold medal in the 10,000-metre race.
6. The Edge of Sports with Dave Zirin
"When the Olympic's decision was announced, it all of a sudden created a pretext that made it possible for the mayor to get away with this sort of forced evictions on this scale." — Theresa Williamson, on The Olympics and the Battle for Rio's Future
Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation, explores the Olympic village where a community was destroyed to make way for the games.
PLUS: Matt Galloway speaks with Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes about some of her favourite podcasts. Her picks: TED Radio Hour, This American Life, Back Story.
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For more great podcasts, check out CBC's podcast portal or subscribe in iTunes.