INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION 18th JULY - 2nd AUGUST 1994 1OO YEARS AS FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE IOC: COMMITMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE MODERN SOCIETY OF THE 21ST CENTURY 1995 INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE Published and edited jointly by the International Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Academy Scientific supervisor: Konstantinos Georgiadis / IOA Dean INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY REPORT OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION 18th July - 2nd August 1994 ANCIENT OLYMPIA IOC COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY AND OLYMPIC EDUCATION Chairman Mr Nikolaos FILARETOS IOC member in Greece Vice-Chairmen Mrs Carol Anne LETHEREN IOC member in Canada Mr Freddy SERPIERIS President of the International Olympic Academy Members Mr Fernando Ferreira Lima BELLO IOC member in Portugal Mr Ivan DIBOS IOC member in Peru Major General Francis NYANGWESO IOC member in Uganda Mr Wlodzimierz RECZEK IOC member in Poland H.E. Mr Mohamed 2ERGUINI IOC member in Algeria H.E. Mr Anselmo LOPEZ Director of Olympic Solidarity Mr Abdul Muttaleb AHMAD Representative of the NOCs Mr Peter MONTGOMERY Representative of the Athletes Commission Mr Conrado DURANTEZ Individual Member Mrs Nadia LEKARSKA Individual Member Professor Norbert MUELLER Individual Member 5 EPHORIA (BOARD OF TRUSTEES) OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY Honorary Life President H.E. Mr Juan Antonio SAMARANCH President Mr Freddy SERPIERIS 1st Vice-President Mr Marton SIMITSEK 1st HOC Vice-President 2nd Vice-President Mr Thomas MEDESSIDIS HOC Member Dean Mr Konstantinos GEORGIADIS Members ex officio Mr Nikolaos FILARETOS IOC member in Greece Mr Lambis NIKOLAOU IOC member in Greece Members Mr Dionyssis GANGAS HOC Secretary General Mr loannis THEODORAKOPOULOS President of the Hellenic Associa- tion for Sports Journalists Mr Georgios KOSMOPOULOS Mayor of Ancient Olympia Honorary Vice-President Mr Nikolaos YALOURIS 6 FOREWORD In 1894, on the initiative of the French Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the first Olympic Congress was convened in Paris, at the University of the Sorbonne. On the last day of the proceedings, on June 23, a joint proposal presented by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas to hold the first international Olympic Games in Athens, in 1896, was unanimously adopted. This year the IOC celebrated the first centenary of the Olympic Movement's glorious course in the same hall of the Sorbonne University where, precisely 100 years ago, the modern Olympic Movement had been established. Through this Movement, the revived Olympic Idea is now acknowledged as one of the greatest social ideas of our century. The creation of the IOC was celebrated by many Olympic Committees and Olympic institutions all over the world. In the context of these celebrations the International Olympic Academy organized a special exhibition on the revival of the Olympic Games and in honour of its first President Demetrios Vikelas. The exhibition was held in the Academy's ultra-modern Olympic Studies Congress Centre in Ancient Olympia which was inaugurated this year at the opening of the 34th Session for Young Participants. From 28 August to 4 September, the 12th Olympic Congress of the centenary was organized by the IOC in Paris with resounding success. The congress proclaimed the universality as well as the unity of the Olympic Movement. Participants considered and analysed all the issues with which the Olympic Movement is involved; they formulated new ideas and proposals and defined new perspectives which will guide the IOC in the immediate future to fulfil its noble task. The concerns and proposals mainly focused on issues relating to environmental protection and the messages which the Olympic Movement can convey in that respect, the impact of new technologies and the mass media on the Olympic Games, the control of doping at the Games, the Olympic Movement's moral mission and its role in modern society. Referring to that last aspect, the President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, said "We may not be able to solve the problems of our modern society, but we do have the moral duty to confront them". 7 The Olympic Movement has survived two world wars thanks to its system of ethical values which transcends the normal limits of peaceful existence. This Movement has nothing to do with economic considerations; it is a cause shared by millions of people who struggle to preserve its fundamental principles and face the problems which affect our modern society. The IOC's independence from national governments is one of its strengths which allows it to concentrate on all the problems of our society without being influenced by national interests and interferences. The 34th Session of the IOA dealt with several of the questions of the Olympic Congress. The Session's special theme, "The commitments of the International Olympic Movement towards society in the 21st century" was a magnificent opportunity for discussing and analysing, before the Congress, topical issues relating to Olympism, in an attempt to cover the 12th Olympic Congress's basic series of questions. The Session was attended by 186 students from 85 countries and the special theme was developed by 13 outstanding lecturers. The quality of the lectures, questions and discussions with participants was remarkably good. The lectures started with the presentation of the IOA's development, the history and philosophy of the ancient Olympic Games, as well as the impact of the ancient Greek athletic spirit on the arts and letters at world level. Lecturers then followed the Olympic Ideal along its course through time and described the efforts to revive the Olympic Games in Greece, England and France during the 19th century. Furthermore, D. Vikelas's work and contribution to the revival of the modern Olympic Games - not known to many - was also presented. In a short but well documented historical analysis it was shown how, through the democratic and international trends of the time, modern sport and the Olympic Movement became established as the first peace movement thus leading to its gradual integration in the policies of nations. The role, work and contribution of Baron Pierre de Coubertin and his vision of educational reforms through the Olympic Movement were particularly emphasized. Coubertin saw himself as "an educationist rather than a sports administrator" to quote Professor K. Lennartz. Pierre de Coubertin's departure from the IOC, after 29 years of active presence, meant for the IOC's third President, Baillet-Latour, the obligation to protect and uphold the Olympic principles and rules in the face of the unstable situation which had developed following the coming into power of the Nazis. Thanks to his abilities and personal initiatives, Edstrom succeeded in keeping the Olympic family united thorough the war period during his short term as President of the IOC. The complex character of A. Brundage, the IOC President with the second longest term in office, his skills and unwillingness to bend or break the Olympic eligibility rules, motivated a detailed analysis of his personality, achievements and contribution to the Olympic family. There was also a wider presentation of all Olympic Congresses, by topic, so that those who study the Academy's report can have a comprehensive view of the subjects discussed at Olympic Congresses and their results. 8 The new social, political and economic dimensions of the Olympic Movement gave rise to a lively dialogue and triggered a lot of discussion. The changes that have taken place in the structure and operation of the IOC and the IFs have brought to light the new special facets of the Movement. The internationalization of the sports spectacle, the significant role of international sports competitions and the large number of such meets, all around the year and in all continents, prove the great importance which the Olympic Movement has gained. The interest of the mass media in sport has not only changed the IOC's mode of operation but also expanded the field of action of the Olympic Movement. The IOC's increased economic power, mostly as a result of the rise in television rights for the broadcasting of the Games, should also be emphasized. The IOC has thus been able to ensure the necessary financial and administrative resources to carry out its long term goals and mission. The positive role of the media, at the side of the Olympic Movement, in the attainment of its aims, was equally highlighted. It must, however, retain control over economic factors and this relation should not be reversed under any circumstances. In particular, the relationship between the Olympic Games and television was defined as a partnership with multiple facets. Sport influences TV programming, ratings, advertising, technological development, the appeal and authority of TV networks. Television, on the other hand, has a direct impact on sport, through the adjustment of the calendar of national and international competitions and the timetable of events to the requirements and priorities of the television programme, the internationalization of the sports spectacle and the growing popularity of sport. It also intervenes, in an indirect way, in the architectural and aesthetic design of the stadia which must take account of its requirements. The Olympic Movement is fulfilling today a great humanitarian mission. The IOC's Charter, in its fundamental principles, contains universal moral values and concepts such as human dignity, the abolition of discrimination, fair play, mutual understanding, peace, environmental protection, the blending of sport with culture. In other words, its goal is to place sport at the service of humanity. In order to achieve the above humanitarian goals, the IOC has created Olympic Solidarity, a world bank of sports know-how, to help poorer nations to participate on equal terms in the Olympic Games. It also contributes, in every way, to the improvement of the NOCs' administration structures, to the training of sports administrators and to the increased participation of women in the Olympic Games.