INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

their competitors to prepare themselves to represent their country
worthily 33 .
At this crucial moment it was asked by the Greek ambassador
Kleon Rangavis to do anything possible to “drag” Germany into
participation to the Games 34 . For his own part, the Secretary General
of the International Committee contradicted the statements that had
been attributed to him and in order to soften the reactions, he proposed
to the German unions to define a delegate in order for him to become
a member of the International Committee, as soon as a place was
evacuated.
Despite the final abstention of the three great German Unions,
with the persistent efforts of Dr Gebhardt and Mr Rangavis, they
managed to win a fair amount of sympathy among public opinion and
among the German upper classes, so as to take part at the Games a
satisfactory delegation [Achtungsvertretung], which would represent
Germany worthily.
The whole question of Germany’s participation in the Olympic
Games created additional problems for the already poor relations of
Baron Pierre de Coubertin with the Central Committee in Athens. He
felt abandoned by the Athens Committee in face of the hostile German
athletic unions and the Greek dailies 35 .
There have also been reactions to the programme of the Games in
England. English people made it clear via the press that “it is the first
sport nation in the world and it does not mean to change their
habits” 36 . So if the established norms, such as distances, rules and the
rest, were not accepted during the Games in England, they would not
take seriously the organization of the first International Olympic
Games in Athens. The Central Organizing Committee’s efforts,
however, changed the views of English people.
This fact was very indicative of the problems and prejudices of
that time related to the organization of the International Games.
Despite the lack of previous experience at international level in
matters of international sport organization and the fact that the Central
Organizing Committee of Greece as much as the International
Committee were at a stage of organization, the Greek Committee
managed to combine successfully the different regulations in force in
many countries in order to overcome initial disagreements were
overcome.
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