INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

“Regarding the development of youthful character [is] the
axiom that a close connection exists between force of will and
strength of body never entered anyone’s mind”.
(Coubertin, 1967:11)
Even though Coubertin had the choice of either a political or
military career because of his noble heritage, nevertheless, he chose to
be a teacher more specifically, a physical educator. He proclaimed…
“I will harden the bodies and the character of weak and
introverted youth through the inherent risks even the excesses
of sport. I will enlarge their vision and their understanding
through contact with the great astrological, planetary, and
historical horizons, especially that of universal history, which,
by creating mutual respect, will become a catalyst for a
practical international peace. And all of that for everyone,
without distinctions of birth, caste, fortune, position, or
profession”.
(Eyquem, 1966:58)
During his school days at the Ecole libre de sciences politiques he
was exposed to the work of another social theorist and reformer, his
mentor Frederic Le Play in 1886. From Le Play, he was convinced
that the solution of France’s problem lay in social and cultural rather
than political reforms: …”most great national questions can be
reduced to educational questions”… (Le Play, 1967:11) Henceforth,
the French culture itself gave rise to his basic ideals of Olympism or
Olympic Education and patriotism that is the education reforms
through physical education and sports in France.
The Anglo-American influence on Coubertin’s ideals was inspired
during his frequent visits firstly to England and thence to America. He
was highly impressed with the integrated systems as practiced in these
two countries where games and sports were specially incorporated
into the Anglo and American school curricula. To Coubertin, sports
became the catalyst that would;
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