The Olympic Games

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The Olympic Games

• KNES 487, Winter 2002

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ModernityFin de Siecle in European Societies

• Fin de Siecle end of an era, age or epoch
• Progressive (socially, technologically,
  politically, economically)
• Reform-oriented
• New World Paradigm
• Emerging National and International Relationships
• Conflicting Nationalisms
• Conflicting Internationalism (Cosmopolitanism
  versus Political Internationalism)

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The Sporting Times Fin de Siecle Sporting Culture
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Sport in Fin de Siecle European Societies

• Distinct National Sporting Cultures
• Athletic Sports versus Gymnastics (Germanic
  and Nordic versus British and American)
• France
• straddled these dominant sporting models
• Emerging national sporting culture

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Baron Pierre de Coubertin

• Born January 1, 1863
• Social Class Lower Rank French Aristocrat
• Intellectual Development Classical Education,
  Law (dropped out), Ecole libre des sciences
  politiques
• Influenced by Le Play, Taine, Simon, Cousin,
  Arnold and Ruskin
• Significant personal experiences Franco-Prussian
  War, Trips to England and USA, positive sporting
  experiences, reconciling his social class in
  modern society

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Baron Pierre de Coubertin

• Personality Traits and Characteristics socially
  ambitious, top-down reformer, noblesse obligue,
  paternalistic, egocentric, sensualist/aesthete,
  eclectic (Victor Cousin)
• Historically straddled modern and pre-modern
  worlds, romanticism and progressivism, tradition
  and reform

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Baron Pierre de Coubertin

• Major Accomplishment in his oeuvre (body of
  work)
• Historian, Educator, Theorist, Propagandist
• Founded Union des Societies Francaises de Sport
  Athletique (1890)
• Founded Olympic Movement (1894)
• Published Revue Olympique (1901-1914)
• Published Revue pour les Francaises (1906-1911)
• Proposed and Experimented with Pedagogie
  Sportive (Workers University, utilitarian
  gymnastics, cultivation of the debrouillard,
  Institute Olympique Lausanne)
• Founded Union Pedagogique Universelle (1925)

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Origins of the his Olympic Idea

• Intellectual and Pedagogical Inspirations
• British Public School Rugby School, Dr. Thomas
  Arnold, Athletic Sports/Games ethic and Muscular
  Christianity
• Neo-Hellenic Movement in Arts and Culture
• French Revival of John Ruskins Moral Aesthetic
• Social and Political Inspiration
• French Republicanism (Le Play and Simon) peace
  and harmony btw classes and nations
• Union de la Paix (international peace movement)

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Origins of the his Olympic Idea

• Cultural Inspirations
• Much Wenlock Games, Dr. William Penny Brookes,
  founded in 1849
• Pan Britannic and Anglo-Saxon Festival, John
  Astley Cooper, founded in 1891
• Zappion Games, Evangelis Zappas, founded in 1859
• The Golden Ages of Archeology New Discoveries at
  Olympia
• World Fairs
• International Sport
• The Congress

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Development of his Olympic Idea

• 1889 His first use of the word Olympic
• 1892 Sorbonne Lecture is the first reference to
  a revival of Olympic Games
• Ideal bring nations together, overcome national
  disputes, serve as a symbol of peace
• Not well received
• 1894 Sorbonne Conference
• Created the IOC
• Establish Athens as Host of 1st Modern Olympic
  Games
• 1896 1st Olympic Games in Athens
• De Coubertin becomes IOC president

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Athens, 1896
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Descriptive Details

• IOC President, Demetrios Vikelas
• Herodicus Atticus Stadium
• Seating 50,000-70,000
• Funded by George Averoff
• Approximately 311 participants
• Mostly Greek (81 non-Greeks)
• 4 official delegations (No NOCs)
• No women
• Opening Ceremonies on April 6, 1896
• Sports track and field, weight lifting, fencing,
  shooting, tennis, cycling, swimming, gymnastics,
  wrestling

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Structure, Ceremonies and New Traditions

• Award ceremonies
• Closing ceremonies
• Commemorative Medals
• Special Prizes
• Marathon
• Michel Breal
• Commemorated the Battle of Marathon, 490 B.C.E.
• Olympic Hymn