Abstract
As stated in the Olympic Charter,1 ‘Modern Olympism was conceived by Pierre de Coubertin, on whose initiative the International Athletic Congress of Paris was held in June 1894’. The central role of Baron Pierre de Coubertin in the foundation of the modern Olympic movement and initiation and development of Olympism is widely acknowledged in the literature (examples from the broad literature are:2–9). Although many accounts can be found in relation to his life and work, there has always been an interest in unveiling further details of his personality and actions. The present chapter draws upon over 200 hundred texts written by Coubertin, included in the book Pierre de Coubertin 1863–1937 - Olympism: Selected Writings, the first comprehensive edition (in English) of Coubertin’s writings centred on Olympism and Olympic values. Pierre de Coubertin’s numerous publications amount to around 15,000 printed pages having written 30 books, 50 pamphlets, 1300 articles and around 30 leaflets and posters.10 To a certain extent, Coubertin changed the focus of his interests over the years. In his early years, his writings were centred on preserving the equilibrium of ‘modern’ individuals and societies, whereas by 1931, with the publication of his Olympic Memoirs, his focus was more on preserving the influence and autonomy of the IOC. Coubertin, in later life, was keener on the survival of the Olympic Movement than the ‘ideological cleavage of the world’.11
Published Version
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