The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro were my eighteenth. I witnessed exciting competitions from superb athletes. In this issue I consider which of the moments from Rio will stand the test of time in Olympic history. For my part, I experienced a wonderful town, but there were also shadows which darkened the mood. The list of athletes who have been retrospectively disqualified for doping offences at the 2008 and 2012 Games on page 17, is certainly no roll of honour.
On the day before the Opening Ceremony in the Maracanã Stadium, the Quadrennial Meeting of our International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) took place. There long-serving General Secretary Tony Bijkerk and Treasurer John Grasso took their leave. Our co-founder Bill Mallon reminds us that ISOH will be 25 years old on 5th December. His article includes an invitation to a celebratory reception to be held on 3rd December in Central London.
The article by Paata Natsvishvili from Georgia is certain to stimulate discussion. He believes that the “Unknown French Boy”, who steered the Dutch pair to victory and is thus considered the youngest Olympic champion, was none other than his compatriot Giorgi Nikoladze.
It is well known that only men were permitted to take part in the Ancient Olympic Games. The question of whether women also competed in antiquity is answered by Christian Wacker with a clear No. He does however examine evidence from Roman times which offer clear representations of women taking part in sport.
Natalia Camps Y Wilant has researched in the estate of Charles de Coubertin and invites us to join an excursion into the early history of the modern Olympic Games. She discusses who the father of the man who founded the IOC regarded the Olympic Games, and how he represented in a painting as an allegory.
The name Coubertin figures largely in the contribution by Chris Cannon, archivist of the Wenlock Olympian Society. He writes on the medal which Pierre de Coubertin after his visit to Much Wenlock donated to the winner of 1891 in the medieval Tilting at the Ring.
Jan Luitzen looks at the story of Dutch boxer Karel Miljon, lost his 1928 semi-final because of a controversial decision by the jury. Bernhard Kramer and Richard Stanton continue their series of articles about the -Olympic Art Competitions, and Richard Baka examines the growth and rebranding of the Olympic Winter Games.
The series about IOC Members has reached part 22 and the biographies include some real Olympic “heavyweights”. As usual this issue publishes Olympic news, reviews and obituaries, in which Olympic medallists are honoured.
With this edition the 24th year of the ISOH publication is finished. It appeared for the first time in the summer of 1992 under the title Citius, Altius, Fortius.
Thanks are due to our editorial team, now strengthened by Professor Elizabeth Hanley.
– Volker Kluge, Editor
Members of ISOH may view the digital version of this issue by clicking here.
There are no comments published yet.