Olympic Movement

Philosophy

The ideas behind the IOC derive from the thought of its founder, Pierre de Coubertin, who conceived of the Olympic Games as a festival of the athletes of the world gathered for displays of nationalism in the context of internationalism, which would teach mutual respect and contribute to the pursuit of world peace. The Olympic Movement is guided by an official philosophy labeled “Olympism,” which was first elaborated in the extensive writings of Coubertin and subsequently developed by IOC presidents and other key thinkers according to the needs of their times. The official definition of Olympism and the structure of the Olympic Movement are set forth in the IOC's by-laws, [Page 1264]the Olympic Charter. The 2009 charter defines Olympism in Fundamental Principles 1 and 2:

• 1.
  Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
• 2.
  The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.

Following the path set by Coubertin, the leaders of the IOC have generally not taken a fundamentalist approach to Olympism but rather have considered it a “philosophy-in-process.” This flexibility has often led to accusations of what John Hoberman has called “amoral universalism,” in which maximum geopolitical participation in the Games is the highest goal regardless of the nature of the political regimes whose participation is encouraged.

The IOC uses the term Olympic Movement to delimit those individuals and institutions over which it claims authority. This is spelled out in Fundamental Principle 6, which states, “Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and recognition by the IOC.” Fundamental Principle 3 defines the Olympic Movement:

• 3.
  The Olympic Movement is the concerted, organised, universal and permanent action, carried out under the supreme authority of the IOC, of all individuals and entities who are inspired by the values of Olympism. It covers the five continents. It reaches its peak with the bringing together of the world's athletes at the great sports festival, the Olympic Games. Its symbol is five interlaced rings.

Other fundamental principles stipulate the main conditions for membership in the Olympic Movement by prohibiting discrimination on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender, or otherwise, and requiring that the organizations that administer and manage sports be politically independent.

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