The venue for the 26th Olympic Games in 1996 - a year in which the centenary of the renewal of the tradition is being marked beyond the confines of the sports community - is Atlanta. The Olympic Movement, together with the Games themselves as its most evident manifestation, has known times of both crisis and expansion, and has become an essential part of our modern history. The Movement has recognised the necessity of changing with the times, and new tendencies very much associated with the tenure at its head of Juan Antonio Samaranch, have kept the wheel of Olympic history turning. But the Olympics have remained true to their ethos of promoting peaceful contest between athletes - an ethos which we have taken as the subject of this emission.

For the first time in the history of the Summer Olympic Games a team from the Slovak Republic will be making its way across the ocean. Given our sporting tradition we can assume that Coubertin's dictum that the important thing is not to win, but to take part will not be taken too literally! We wish them luck!