Page 16 - Olympism in Socialism

king of Greece in a new marble stadium
constructed in Athens for the purpose.
In 1897 the International Olympic Committee
adopted Dominican Monk’s words “Citius, Altius,
Fortius” (fastest, highest, strongest) as the
Olympic Motto to embody the spirit of the Games.
On 14 July, 1900 the 2 Olympic was opened
th
nd
as a side show to the great Paris exposition and
women were allowed to compete. In 1908, the
Olympic Games achieved International statute.
The Games are specially remembered of the
Bishop Pennsylvania’s famous sermon “The
important thing is not winning but taking
part. The essential thing is not winning but
taking part. The essential thing in life is not
conquering but fighting well”. But during the
time of world wars the Olympic Games (i.e., XII
and XIII Olympiads respectively in the years
1916, 1940 and 1944) were not held.
The International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.)
is the controlling body for Modern Olympic
Games. It has its headquarters at Mon Repos
Lausanne, Suiz. The committee elects its
members for life after a thorough investigation.
The IOC is a unique organization in the sense that
its members do not represent their countries but
are delegates from the committee of their
respective countries. No country may have more
than three members. Baron Pierre De Coubertin
headed the committee until he retired in 1925. He
was followed by Count Henry De Baillet Latour of
Belgium, who served the IOC until his death in
1942. The next President was J. Sigfried Edstrom
of Sweden. He was succeeded in 1952 by Avery
Brundage of the United States of America. In 1972
Lord Killanin was elected the Head of the
Committee. At present this covetous sports office

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