AT the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on August 8, a member of the Chinese team will lake an oath on behalf of the 12.000 assembled athletes to abide by the Games’ rules “in the true spirit of sportsmanship."

Sadly, a few competitors have ignored these high principles at past games with win-at-any-cost tactics, outright cheating and drug use.

I here are a few bad apples who spoil the entire spectacle," says Olympic historian John Lucas. "It is easy to forget that there are far more patriotic and high-minded athletes than there are robber barons and drug cheats." Indeed, since the modern games began in 1896, there have been hundreds of outstanding acts of sportsmanship - often unheralded and forgotten - that embody the (Ilympic ideal. I lerc are some of the best.

A Helping Hand

Lucien Duquesne (Amsterdam, 1928) Paavo Nurmi, the legendary Finnish long-distance runner, carried a stopwatch while racing to pace himself. During a qualifying race in the 3000-metre steeplechase. Nurmi fell at a water jump and dropped his watch.

Lucien Duquesne of France stopped, lilted his rival to his feel and helped him retrieve his waich from the water.

Rather than forge ahead, Nurmi ran the rest of the race by Duquesne's side and at the finish line offered the Frenchman first place. Duquesne declined.

The Good Loser

Ralph Hill (Los Angeles, 1932)

In one of the most controversial track events in Olympic history, Ralph I lill of the United Slates came from last place in the 5000-metre race to

challenge the leader, Lauri Lehtinen of Finland, who held the world record in the event. With 50,000 spectators cheering him on, I lill tried to pass Lehtinen twice, and both times the Finn blocked his path. Lehtinen won the race by centimetres.

I lill was clearly fouled, but he declined to pursue a formal protest. I le said he could not believe Lehtinen would purposely cheat to win. “Besides, what's wrong with a silver medal?” he was quoted as saying in the New York Times.

Word of I fill's gesture spread around the world, and the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter called him "the hero of boys and girls who turn out for track and sports in every school."

For the Love of a Horse

Shunzo Kido (Los Angeles, 1932) Shunzo Kido, a member of the

Japanese equestrian team, was leading the steeplechase event when he

noticed his horse, Kyu Gun, was fatigued and faltering. Kido dropped out of the race rather than risk injuring the animal.

Two years later, a California humane society erected a plaque in Riverside, California, lo honour the gesture. It reads that Kido, in choosing lo save his horse, "heard the low voice of mercy, not ihe loud acclaim of glory."

Shared Glory

Lanny Bassham (Montreal, 1976)

In Ihe small-bore rille three-position shooting event, Bassham and another American, Margaret Murdock, tied for first place. Alter a painstaking examination of all Ihe targets, the judges decided that Bassham's shooting had been slightly belter and awarded him the gold medal.

Bassham thought the ruling was based on an absurd technicality, and during the medal ceremony he pulled Murdock up lo the gold platform and

put his arms around her for the playing of the national anthem. Officially, Murdock won the silver medal and became the first woman to ever receive an Olympic medal for shooting.

A Class Act

Anton Josipovic (Los Angeles, 1984) In the light-heavyweight boxing semi-final, American Evander Holyfield knocked out Kevin Barry of New Zealand. Holy field appeared headed for the gold medal match against Anton Josipovic ofYugoslavia until the referee disqualified him for fouling his opponent. Ban y was declared the winner, but under Olympic rules couldn’t fight again for al least 28 days after being knocked out. Anton Josipovic ofYugoslavia was awarded the gold medal by default.

Defying calls by American officials to boycott the medal ceremony, I lolyfield showed up to collect his

bronze medal. The pro-Holyfield < rowd booed during the Yugoslavian national anthem. But when Josipovic reached down and invited the American to join him at ihe lop of the platform, the spectators gave him a standing ovation.

Years later Holyfield would say: "I've been involved in boxing ever since 1 was a kid. What Josipovic did. that was the classiest thing I've ever seen."

To the Rescue

Larry Lemieux (Seoul, 1988)

During a race in the one-man Finn ( lass sailing competition, Larry Lemieux of Canada was in second place when he spoiled Joseph Chan of Singapore, who was competing in a different race, flailing in turbulent waler well away from his capsized boat, ( han had been thrown from his small craft and was in danger of drowning in the rough seas.

I emieux veered olT course.