De Coubertin based much of the Olympic idea on the public school system in England during the 19th century

AS and A Level Physical Education (Sport & Coaching)

In attempting to answer the question I will cover the following points. Defining the key terms, I will then give a brief historical overview of the issue of Olympics. Using examples from the Olympic games I will identify the reasons for Pierre de Coubertin’s reasons and influence of the Olympics in global sport. To conclude I will review the current issue of an outline where I think it will go in the future.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin the man who revitalised the Olympics. This maybe the case in history books but there was a lot involvement from earlier generations. These date back way into the ancient times and they had a much different purpose to what they do now, they where all held in honour of gods. The Pythain Games where at Delphi to celebrate the festival of Apollo. The Isthmian Games where at Corinth in honour of the god Poseidon. The Nemean Games and the most well none of games The Games of Olympia where held in honour of Zeus, the king of the gods. The games of Olympia are believed to be the oldest of the games because they where first reliably dated at 776 BC, but where believed to have begun around 1300BC. The events the featured in these games where as follows the stade – a foot race of that distance, the diaulos – a foot race of approximately 400 metres, the dolichos – a long distance race between 1,500 – 5,000 metres, the hippolite/hoplite – a race in armour, the pankration – a form of no-holds barred fighting and pentathlon – which consisted of the stade, long jump, javelin throw, discus and wrestling events. As you can see all these games where a great success, and a testament to there designers, because some of these games are still played in the modern Olympics to date.

In between the ancient games and the modern games, there wasn’t just a big gap there was still games. Most notably the Cotswold Olympic Games they where first mentioned in 1636 and they where founded by a lawyer called Robert Dover. Also the Wenlock Olympian Games where founded in 1850 by Dr William Penny Brookes. Although these games where based on the ancient Olympics there were a big difference in that your class was a key to entry into the games. To try and change all this the National Olympian Association (NOA) was formed in London, the organisation held ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

Where Brookes failed another man succeeded by the name of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, he had a great interest in education and sport. He attended the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1889, he enjoyed the literary and artistic competitions, and this inspired his own version of the Olympics. The reason he wanted to rebuild the Olympics is because he felt that the French youngsters where not in a very good physical state and he thought the Olympics would help change that. Before he could start comprising the Olympics he needed to do research for it he did this by visiting the English public schools. He was mainly impressed by the English’s approach to manly sports; he saw muscular Christianity and athleticism the way to improve the French youngsters. He also visited the United States of America and from what he had seen formulated his Olympic dream. In 1894 de Coubertin established The International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The first modern Olympics where held on Easter Sunday 1896. Three hundred and eleven athletes from thirteen different nations entered. Four events survived from the ancient times these where javelin, discus, running races, wrestling and the rest of the event line up consisted of nineteenth century middle class elite sports. The prize of the laurel from ancient Olympic tradition survived.

Although people do say that de Coubertin took all the credit of earlier pioneers work such as Robert Dover and Dr William Penny Brookes. They only scratched the surface on the topic but de Coubertin did a lot of in depth work into the project. He travelled all over the world to gather all the best ideas from all the countries and pieced them together with great precision. He did have an exterior motive that was to improve the French youngsters, and he has done that because French now have one of the best athletic teams with a lot of rising stars. In my view that should all b over looked because what the Olympics have provided to the world is immense. It has been able put forward political, racial and moral views, which wouldn’t have always been touched if it weren’t for the Olympics. So de Coubertin deserves all the recognition that goes his way because he hasn’t just re born an event it is away of life for many people.

Dean Barber