ISOH President Christian Wacker presents the Lifetime achievement award to Franisek Kolar.
ISOH Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Frantisek Kolar
by Philip Barker in Istanbul
“I would never have imagined that I would one day be inducted into such a distinguished group, which has had so many notable recipients including the first winner Richard Pound who is here today,” said Kolar.
He followed the traditions of previous laureates by making a presentation. As the biographer of Jiri Guth Jarkovsky, the pioneering International Olympic Committee member from Bohemia, he chose to explore his relationship with Pierre de Coubertin.
The Czech gymnastics organisation SOKOL had performed at the 1889 at the Paris Exposition where they had made a great impression,
Guth met Coubertin in Paris, almost by accident, two years later.
“When Guth confirmed that he was a member of SOKOL, he immediately gained the sympathy of Coubertin.” noted Kolar.
Guth was duly invited to the 1894 congress at the Sorbonne when the decision was taken to revive the Games for the modern era.
“Guth understood the power of an Olympic victory to raise the profile of an oppressed nation.” added Kolar.
Guth was permitted to represent Bohemia as an IOC member and became a close ally of Coubertin. A measure of this came in 1921 when Guth, by now known as Guth Jarkovsky, proposed on behalf of Coubertin,that Paris should stage the 1924 Olympics.
In 1925, Prague hosted the IOC Session at which Coubertin stood down as IOC President.
“It was no coincidence that it was in Prague that Coubertin decided to end his work. The story of Coubertin with the Czechs is a story of vision and loyalty.”
Fellow Czech Zdeněk Škoda assisted with the presentation.
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