Because of one man, Pierre de Coubertin.
It came about in 1889 when he had the concept of reviving the Olympic Games. Then, he spent the next five years just trying to get a meeting of athletes and sports enthusiasts, and, of course, when they finally got together, they loved it!
That was in June 1894 when he finally got them together in Paris, they called it a congress. There they loved the idea and unanimously decided that the inaugural modern Games should be in Athens, basically, it was a no brainer, Greece was the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games.
Coubertin’s had certain ideals about sport that he wanted to promote. He:
- Believed in competition among amateur rather than professional athletes, in which he saw great value.
- Hoped that the Ancient Olympic tradition of a sacred truce would give the Olympics a role in promoting peace.
- Expected that sporting competition would promote understanding across cultures, thereby lessening the dangers of war.
- Saw the Games as important for his dream than the competition itself, the struggle to overcome one’s opponent, was more important than winning.
Coubertin expressed this in these words:
“The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
It finally happened on April 6th 1896, fourteen nations and 241 athletes went to Athens to participate. Unfortunately they only came from Europe and the United States but the real surprise, believe it or not, was that the winners didn’t get Gold medals! They got silver ones with the runners getting copper ones.
From this small beginning look what it has grown into today!
Our musical The Ancient Olympics – The Legend of Callipateira which you can download at https://www.history-portal.com/product/the-ancient-olympics-download/ takes your children to the legends behind the modern Olympics.
Isn’t history fun!
Some question to ask:
- What inspired Pierre de Coubertin to revive the Olympic Games in 1889?
- How long did it take Pierre de Coubertin to gather athletes and sports enthusiasts for a meeting to discuss his idea of reviving the Olympic Games?
- Where and when did the athletes and sports enthusiasts finally gather to discuss the revival of the Olympic Games?
- Why was it decided unanimously that the inaugural modern Games should be held in Athens?
- What were some of Pierre de Coubertin’s ideals about sport that he wanted to promote through the Olympic Games?
- What did Pierre de Coubertin believe was the value of competition among amateur athletes as opposed to professional athletes?
- How did Pierre de Coubertin envision the Olympic Games promoting peace?
- According to Pierre de Coubertin, what role did he hope the Olympics would play in fostering understanding across cultures?
- What did Pierre de Coubertin consider to be more important than winning in the Olympic Games?
- What were the prizes awarded to winners in the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896?
For more on Peirre Coubertin:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Coubertin
https://www.historyonthenet.com/the-olympics-pierre-de-coubertin
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-baron-de-Coubertin
©Tony Dalton