INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION 7th JULY – 22nd JULY 1997 1 © 1999 International Olympic Committee Published and edited jointly by the International Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Academy. Konstantinos Georgiadis – IOA Dean 2 INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY REPORT OF THE THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION 7th JULY – 22nd JULY 1997 ANCIENT OLYMPIA 3 IOC COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY Chairman Mr Nikos FILARETOS IOC member in Greece Vice-Chairman Mrs Carol Anne LETHEREN IOC member in Canada Members Mr Fernando Ferreira Lima BELLO IOC member in Portugal Mr Ivan DIBOS IOC member in Peru Mr Francis NYANGWESO IOC member in Uganda S.E. M. Mohamed ZERGUINI IOC member in Algeria Mr Abdul Muttaleb AHMAD Dr Fernando BELTRANENA VALLADARES Representative of the NOC Mr Dieter LANDSBERG-VELEN René ROCH Representative of the IFs Mr Philippe RIBOUD Representative of the Athlete Commission 4 Mrs Helen BROWNLEE Individual Member Mr Conrado DURANTEZ Individual Member Mr Jip KIM Individual Member Mrs Lia MANOLIU Individual Member Prof. Norbert MUELLER Individual Member Mr Vasco LYNCE Individual Member 5 EPHORIA (BOARD OF TRUSTEES) OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY President Mr Nikos FILARETOS 1st Vice-President Mr Sotiris YANG AS 2nd Vice-President Mr Georges MOISSIDIS Member ex officio Mr Charalambos NIKOLAOU Dean Dr. Kostas GEORGIADIS Members Mr loannis THEODORAKOPOULOS Mr Dimitris DIATHESSOPOULOS Mr Georges YEROLYMPOS Mr Epaminondas KYRIAZIS Honorary President H.E. M. Juan Antonio SAMARANCH Honorary Vice-President Mr Nikolaos YALOURIS 6 FOREWORD The Atlanta Olympics marked the end of the first century of the Olympic Mo- vement's successful development. In spite of the difficulties and problems en- countered, it remains to this day a shining beacon in the international community, under the guidance of the International Olympic Committee. Today, 100 years after the revival of the Olympic Games, as the President of the International Olympic Academy as Nikos Filaretos recalled in his opening speech, sport and culture are being constantly promoted and expanded through the Olympic Movement's activities. The Olympic Movement's fundamental principle is the principle of kalokaga- thia (goodness and virtue) and its purpose is to create fulfilled human beings. It expresses man's inner desire for competition, noble emulation and creation, in the context of a peaceful society. This was precisely the object of this year's session theme: to analyze and inter- pret the Olympic Movement's progress and to define, as closely as possible, its role in our contemporary society. The Session's proceedings began with a simple but beautiful ceremony on the hill of the Pnyx, in their presence of IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, who extended a warm welcome to the participants, lecturers and guests of the session. During the ceremony, the President of the IOC awarded the Olympic Order to Mr Antonis Tzikas (former President of the HOC) and to Mrs Maria Horsch, who is responsible for the Olympic Flame ceremonies. Following which, Mr Lambis Nicolaou, the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, declared the opening of the 37th Session in his cordial address. During the work of the Session, lecturers and participants emphasized the fact that the ancient Olympic Games had allowed Hellenism to become fully aware of its identity and common cultural elements. Today, the enlarged Olympic Games, a truly global event, are pursuing similar objectives on an international level. The Olympic Games could be seen as an instrument of international diplo- macy. In antiquity, conflicts and hostilities ceased before and during the Games. This was the Olympic Games' first diplomatic victory. This truce, however, has of 7 ten been violated during the modern Olympics. Nevertheless, the Olympic Move- ment is trying, to the best of its ability, to build a peaceful society and promote in- ternational relations, operating a United Nations-type organization in the field of sport. The subject of women's participation in the Olympic Games was also discus- sed during the Session. At the first Games of 1896, there were no women compe- titors and even the reviver of the Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, maintained that the Games were the highest periodical expression of male sport. However, the so- cial reforms of the industrial era opened the doors of the Games to women. Al- though the number of female competitors is rising steadily, studies have shown that women's sport is still undervalued, while women are very heavily under-re- presented as sports administrators. During the Session, the Atlanta Olympics were extensively analysed and thoughts and suggestions were presented for future Olympics. The Centennial Games represent a major historical event from which useful conclusions can be drawn for the organization of the next Olympiads. It is evident that during the planning and staging of the Olympic ceremonies, greater emphasis should be placed on the promotion of Olympic Ideals, because the image of these ceremonies will remain imprinted on peoples' minds long after the event itself. On the subject of sponsorship and marketing at the Olympic Games, there was general agreement that they are essential to the IOC's financial independence. In addition, the IOC wishes the Olympic Games to reach every single comer of this earth. For that purpose it works closely with the TV networks with which it has si- gned a contract to ensure the best possible world coverage and promotion of the Olympic festival. Television, the movies and audiovisual means have played and continue to play a significant part in the Olympic Movement's growth. And we should not forget that cinema and the Olympic Games were bom together in 1896. One of the priorities of the Olympic Movement today is the protection of the environment. Both lecturers and participants spoke of the leading role which the Olympic Movement plays in the field of environmental protection. Following the negative impact which the facilities built for the 1992 Winter Olympics had on the environment, its protection has become a priority. Candidate cities are now obliged to present innovating environment-friendly practices, based on specific proposals. At the Session, the creation, growth and basic features of the Paralympic Mo- vement were also discussed, as well as the compatibility between the Paralympic and the Olympic Movements. In addition, the Special Olympics and their aims were presented in the context of an action plan for future cooperation between the three movements. The subject of Olympic studies and documentation in the information society were also on the Session's programme. Olympism is an ideal laboratory for the study of the new characteristics of the information society. The Olympic Games in 8 Atlanta were the first Games of the Internet era. The objectives of an Olympic Museum were also discussed. A Museum is a permanent repository where the elements of Olympism can be preserved and its value made known to the outside world, beyond the context of the Games. The role of Olympic Solidarity is crucial in the implementation of the Olympic Movement's goals. Through Olympic Solidarity the IOC provides financial assis- tance to NOCs on technical matters, for their participation in the Olympics, scho- larships and the development of sport in their respective countries. Thirteen discussion groups were created during the Session: ten English spea- king, two French speaking and one Arabic speaking. The Participants worked very hard and contributed significantly to the high scientific level of discussions. The conclusions and proposals of the groups were presented at the end of each cycle of discussions. Many participants also attended the poetry and literature workshops with much interest. At two evening meetings they reflected on the concepts of "friendship" and "love". During their stay in Olympia, the participants wrote a total of 20 poems on the themes of Olympia, the games, friendship and love. These poems were evaluated by a special jury which selected the best three. The "Dead Poets Society" is an excellent intellectual activity of the Academy which gives a special character to the session. The painting workshop is another creative activity of the Academy during the Session. As in previous years, it was attended by several students. Their paintings were judged by a jury and the best three received a prize. The painting workshop gives participants an opportunity to paint but also to get to know one another better. Almost all participants took part in the sports events which were organized in an excellent way. Competitions and games were held in the stadium and swim- ming pool. This has always been a very popular activity. All teams are mixed and their members always come from different countries and continents. In this way communication among the participants is facilitated. An information sheet was issued daily with the news of the day and details about the next day's activities. This allowed participants to be better informed about the Academy's events. Once again we had. the opportunity to hear about the Olympic experiences of participants who had competed in the Olympics. Their presentations, which are published in this Report, were warmly welcomed by the other participants. As in previous years, our facilities in Ancient Olympia also hosted a number of other events among which the Postgraduate Seminar holds a prominent position. The 5th Postgraduate Seminar was attended by 32 students from 24 countries. In addition to its academic part, the Seminar also included visits to archaeolo- gical sites and events to allow participants to learn about the major archaeological sites of the ancient panhellenic competition centres which were the subject of their scientific work at the seminar. The seminar consisted of four lecture cycles. The 9 first referred to the Olympic Games, sport in ancient Greece and physical exercise in the other civilizations of antiquity. Professors I. Weiler (AUT) and A.