Coubertin’s Olympic Farewell in 1925

Coubertin’s Olympic Farewell in 1925

by Philip Barker

A hundred years ago on New Year’s Day 1925, Baron Pierre de Coubertin celebrated his 62nd birthday. It was to be a significant one for him because he had decided to stand down as International Olympic Committee President (IOC) after over a quarter of a century at the helm.

After the uncertain years of the first world war, Coubertin was at last confident that the modern Olympic movement was secure.

“You can look forward to the future with complete assurance, the worldwide institution that we have built is ready to face any eventuality,” he wrote in a letter of farewell to his fellow IOC members.

Coubertin had hinted at his retirement in 1921 when he engineered a double selection of host cities which he described as a “masterly coup d’etat.”

He asked the IOC membership to choose Paris as the host city for 1924 and that Amsterdam be confirmed as host city for 1928.

“At this moment when the reviver of the Olympic Games judges his personal task to be nearly at an end, no-one will deny that he is entitled to ask that a special gesture be made in favour of his native city,” Coubertin confided in his Olympic Memoirs.

This all occurred a century before the double award to Paris and Los Angeles for 2024 and 2028 which simply proves that there is nothing new under the sun.

It was somehow fitting that Coubertin’s final Games in charge should be in his home city of Paris. He had, after all, spearheaded the movement for its revival in 1894 at a congress held in the Sorbonne.

The election for Coubertin’s successor was set for the IOC Session held in Prague in May and June 1925.

This was held in conjunction with a series of congresses, a regular occurrence in those days.

“It was only right to render homage to the splendid town of Prague, certainly one of the most beautiful in the world and one of the most interesting too from the point of view of history,” Coubertin explained.

“Do I need to recall that the Olympic Games are not the property of any country or race in particular and cannot be monopolised by any kind of group? They are world-wide; all nations must be admitted to them without discussion just as all forms of sport must be treated on an equal footing.”

There were four candidates for the leadership but there were some who were unwilling to accept that their long-time leader was finally relinquishing the reins.

General Charles Sherrill of the United States and Count Clarence von Rosen of Sweden “asked the President to postpone the election until the following year and remain in office.”

Their proposal came immediately before the election was scheduled to take place.

“My resignation has been given. It would hardly be legal to take it back,” Coubertin responded.

He received 11 votes which was as many as three of the contenders combined.

Godefroy de Blonay of Switzerland polled 6 votes, 1924 Organising Committee President Justinien de Clary 4, and the Marquis Melchior de Polignac a single vote.

“In the first  ballot  some  votes  were  still  wasted  on  my name,  against  my  wish,  as  a  token  of  esteem,” Coubertin reflected.

Belgium’s Comte Henry Baillet Latour had received 17 on the first vote. On the second he was returned with 19 votes though he did not formally take office until September.

Coubertin had spent a number of days in the city. He was active at the IOC Congress and also visited a Boy Scouts encampment. The movement had provided a number of volunteers at the 1924 Paris Games.

In his farewell speech to the Session, Coubertin expressed satisfaction at the introduction of another element of the Closing Ceremony in Paris which had seen the Greek flag raised to recall the Games of antiquity along with those of the present and future hosts.

“He asked his colleagues to make sure that the salute to the Greek flag be religiously observed in the future as a legitimate tribute across the ages to the memory of the ancient Games.”

Coubertin did participate in the “Pedagogic Congress” which took place in the following days at the Sokol House.

“The time has come to raise a pedagogic edifice whose architecture is more suited to the needs of the day,” he told delegates and called for “clear thoughts and calm criticism.”

That summer, Coubertin sent a message to his IOC colleagues.

“For more than 30 years, your faithful friendship and your devotion to our work has made my own task easier. I need not express my confidence that you will do the same for my successor whose confidence and energy you have known for a long time.”

In September, Baillet Latour was accompanied by Coubertin and De Blonay when he visited Lausanne to formally take office.

They were greeted at a celebratory lunch by Jules Dufour, President of the Council of State for the canton of Vaud and Lausanne’s mayor Paul Rosset.

Later they were received by Swiss President Jean-Marie Musy at a further official reception in Berne.

Although Coubertin stood down from the leadership, he continued to write and also made use of the new medium of radio later that year to promote his newly founded Universal Pedagogic Union by which he hoped to develop Olympic education.

He continued to write and broadcast about the Olympic idea almost until his death.

Now a century after he relinquished the leadership of the Olympic movement, there is to be another IOC Presidential election.

A record seven candidates are in contention. Each has published a manifesto in digital format, a concept which would have been unthinkable in Coubertin’s time.

Later this month, they are set to present their ideas at the IOC Session held in Lausanne. This will be held in camera.

The election is to take place in March during the IOC Session in Greece, postponed from 2021.

In addition to our website, you can also find information on Olympic history, personalities and stories on our social media platforms facebook, twitter and instagram @ISOHOlympic and Via Linked at LinkedIn: isoh.org/linkedin