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3. The Modern Olympics THE ORIGIN: The Olympic Games owes its revival almost entirely to the French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin who is honored as the father of the Modern Olympic Games. Coubertin had strong belief in the importance of sports for the development of the individual and also regarded the Games as an effective channel for the promotion of world peace. On June 23, 1894, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in Paris. At its first conference, Coubertin defined the concept of Olympism, drafted the first IOC Charter and established the structure of the Olympic Movement. The conference decision led to the first Modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Ode to Sport (Extract) 棗 Pierre de Coubertina O sport, delight of the Gods, distillation of lift! To the mountain tops comes dawn’s first glimmer, and sunbeams dappled the forest’s floor. Pierre de Coubertin O sport, you are beauty! You梩he architect of this house, human body, which may become defiled by base passions or enriched with wholesome endeavor. O sport, you are progress! To serve you well, man must better himself in body and in soul. O sport, you are peace! You forge happy bonds between the people by drawing them together in reverence for strength which is controlled, organized and self-disciplined. Through you the young of the world learn to respect one another, thus the diversity of national traits becomes a source of generous and peaceful emulation. OLYMPISM: Olympism is an important concept that draws together life and sport. It plays a strong role in both amateur and professional arenas with its emphasis on values. It was first described by Coubertin in 1894 and then be concisely defined Olympism as “a philosophy of life with sport as the motor behind its ideals of education, peace, democracy and humanity.” The goal of Olympism is to place sport everywhere at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to