P3 JO : Contexte du renouveau des Jeux Olympiques

• This note summarizes the context that favored the revival of the Olympic Games (JO).

Context Favoring the Revival of the Olympic Games

• End of the 19th century was a period of peace between two wars, specifically before 1914 and the Franco-Prussian War.
• The Olympic Games were conceived as a pacifist project, aimed at fostering international peace through sports and European collaboration.
• Development of nationalism still occurred during this period, with countries focusing on their nation and defending their territories, leading to talk of race (French, English, etc.).
• Pierre de Coubertin envisioned the Olympics as a way for nations to compete without war.
• Coubertin's hope was for a century without war.

Sports Development in the Late 19th Century

• Sports developed primarily in France and England.
• France, as a republic oriented towards democracy, embodied a republican ideal.
• A favorable social context arose through globalization of the economy, cultural exchanges, and international interactions.
• Urbanization led to cities becoming major focal points in the Olympic Games.
• In Europe, a hierarchical society existed where sports were mainly practiced by the ruling classes (bourgeoisie, aristocracy).
• Sport was seen as a cultural vision, inspiring societies with ideas of adventure such as alpinism.
• The 19th century saw increased importance placed on the body (boxing, wrestling, fencing), with the body's image becoming central to society.
• Physical education gained importance, with increased attention to the body's image compared to earlier times, emphasizing beauty and care.
• The media, including newspapers played a key role.

Attempts to Revive the Olympics Before 1896

• In 1796, the "Olympiades de la République" attempted to revive the games of antiquity.
• Central Paris hosted competitions, including foot races, horse races, relay races, and chariot races in ancient attire.
• These attempts failed due to insufficient funding.
• Archeology was used to stimulate interest in reviving the Olympics.
• Regional games included Scandinavian games, festivals in England, and games in Greece in 1860, but these also lacked sufficient resources.
• These attempts did not proceed further.

Emergence of the Idea for a Global Competition in the 1880s

• USFSA (Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sport Athlétique) was formed and led by Coubertin and Georges de Saint-Clair.
• The USFSA was a multi-sport federation created in 1887.
• It was a fusion of two Parisian clubs created by students: Racing Club de France (1882) which focused on foot races, and Stade Français (1883).
• These two clubs joined to form the USFSA, represented by two rings symbolizing the clubs' grounds.
• Coubertin added two more rings to create the Olympic symbol.
• In 1887, the USFSA's success led to competitions with multiple countries, gradually adding more sports.
• This contributed to the re-establishment of the Olympic Games.

Founding of the International Olympic Committee (CIO)

• In 1892, the 7th anniversary of the USFSA was marked by a meeting of foreign promoters at Coubertin's invitation.
• This meeting led to the founding of the International Olympic Committee (CIO).
• Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) was a Parisian aristocrat and military officer.
• He studied in England, where he discovered a multitude of sports, including rowing, boxing, equestrian sports, and rugby.
• Coubertin became a proponent of physical education and aimed to promote it.

Decision to Organize the Olympics Every 4 Years

• In 1894, the Olympic Committee decided to organize the Olympics every four years.
• The June 1894 Congress, led by Coubertin, established core Olympic values.
• Core Olympic values included peace, fair play, and amateurism.
• Amateurism, requiring athletes to be non-professionals until 1992, as exemplified by the Barcelona Olympics.
• The principle of "giving one's best."
• It took until 1908 to write the Olympic Charter.
• Two Olympic Games were organized: in 1896 in Athens, and in 1900 in Paris.

Rationale for Choosing Paris

• The true launch of the Games would occur in Paris.
• London and Paris were major competitive cities.
• The Olympics were organized as part of the Universal Exposition of Paris.
• From the mid-19th century (starting with the first in 1851), universal expositions were organized in major cities like Paris and London.
• The expositions showcased progress in inventions, architecture, and creations, lasting several months.
• The most recent exposition took place in Dubai in 2020.
• Buildings were created for the exhibitions and then often destroyed.
• The Eiffel Tower was among projects created for an exposition and was meant to be torn down after.

Reasons for This Arrangement

• Capitalizing on tourists present between April and October.
• Placing sport within the context of technical progress and modernity.
• The games spanned six months.
• Presented as a form of promotion for sports, including events like tug-of-war, with limited entry restrictions, attracting ~58,000 participants.
• Among the 58,000 participants across all disciplines, only 1,000-2,000 were medalists, and only 50 were women.
• Many countries were represented including Australia, the United States (47 medals), France (94 medals), England (30 medals), and India.
• Cultural Olympiads (theater, dance, music) were organized alongside the sports.

Disciplines During the Olympic Games

• In athletics, the United States dominated in 1900, exemplified by Alvin Kraenzlein's four gold medals.
• Events included the 110-meter hurdles, with athletes taking risks during jumps, and foot races.
• Swimming events took place entirely outdoors in the Seine River, including a swim across Paris.
• An obstacle course competition and underwater swimming were also present.
• Swimming was considered a French sport, while track and field was seen as American.
• Diving competitions also took place.
• Gymnastics focused on showcasing collective performances involving hundreds of individuals.
• Fencing, a French tradition (duel), was the only competition that accepted professionals.
• The spectacle would be improved by including professional fencers as it was a French sport.
• The media contributed to making the Olympic Games a great success.