Delivering a message of “Values first”, IOC President Thomas Bach opened the 144th IOC Session this afternoon in the International Olympic Academy, right next to the site of ancient Olympia in Greece where the Olympic Games were born almost 3,000 years ago. The ceremony was attended by the newly elected President of Greece, Constantine Tassoulas.
“The Olympic Games and the values they represent have endured for millennia,” the IOC President said. He stressed that: “it is these values that make the Olympic Games unique. As guardians, it is our duty to unite around these values. These values that should always remind us: we are part of something greater than ourselves. This is why we always have to put values first. This is our responsibility: to carry these values with humble dignity and pass them on to the next generations.” Read his full speech here.
While the values have endured for millennia, they are fragile, President Bach warned: “The ancient Olympic Games came to an end when political and commercial interests took over and pushed the values of sport aside. For centuries, the Olympic Games perished into oblivion. It took almost 2,000 years before the Olympic Games could be revived by Pierre de Coubertin. When he did so 131 years ago, as a young man aged just 29 years, the values of sport were central to his thinking. He wanted to make the world a better place through sport and its values.”
Thomas Bach, whose term as IOC President will end in June this year, also pointed out: “On rare occasions, we experience moments when we feel like the stars are aligning. Gathering in Ancient Olympia for the opening of an IOC Session is such a rare moment. Today, we can feel our past, our present and our future aligning.” During the Session in the Peloponnese, Bach’s successor, the 10th IOC President, will be elected.
IOC President Bach said: “It is right here, where it all began: Ancient Olympia – the place that holds so much meaning for all of us. At the start of this IOC Session, let me therefore express our heartfelt gratitude to our gracious Greek hosts, who hold such a special place in our hearts. Greece and Greek civilisation have given the world two wonderful gifts: democracy and the Olympic Games.”
Thomas Bach reminded the IOC Members that the ancient Olympic Games were already built on values, as exemplified by the tradition of the Olympic Truce, the ekecheiria: “This sacred truce allowed the participation of all athletes and spectators from the Greek city-states, who were otherwise almost constantly engaged in wars and conflict. Already then, there was this inseparable link between the Olympic Games and peace. We are forever grateful to Greece and to our Greek friends for these two so precious gifts.”
Ancient Olympia holds an even deeper significance, because the heart of the IOC’s founder, Pierre de Coubertin, rests here for eternity, he explained. “In this way, the timeless Olympic spirit – ancient and modern – surrounds us, urging us to reflect and act on our shared responsibility as guardians of this historic Olympic heritage.”
Pierre de Coubertin once said: “The Olympic Games are a pilgrimage to the past and an act of faith in the future.” In his speech today, IOC President Bach said: “When we pay homage to Pierre de Coubertin, we do so with humility on the one hand and confidence on the other. In this way, let us strive to fulfil our role as guardians of his vision: Values first. This is exactly what this IOC Session is about. A sacred pilgrimage to our ancient past. A homage to our modern origins and to our founder. And a manifestation of our faith in the future, when we will elect a new President.”
He closed his speech by saying: “With our hearts full of faith in the future, let us honour our roots and let us shape an even brighter tomorrow for our beloved Olympic Movement.”
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