To learn more about what the Olympic Charter is, you need to look at the history of its emergence, the formation of the Olympic movement, the creation of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the establishment of the Olympic Games. Everything related to this clearly illustrates the problematic theme of “personality and history”.
Unique personality
Without Pierre de Fredi, Baron de Coubertin, perhaps all of this would not have happened, or would have been, but in a slightly different form. He successfully caught the moment of increased interest in society in Ancient Greece, which was due to a number of successful excavations. People, even very distant from sports, were intrigued by archaeological finds in Olympia. For Coubertin himself, sport was everything - the goal, meaning and way of life. The idea of promoting it internationally prompted the idea of a revival of the Olympic Games. He was a talented person - a public figure, writer and, obviously, a manager, because the approach to resolving the issue was sensibly and on a grand scale, which provided his brainchild with centuries of life, and did not become another fun spoiled aristocrat.
The wealth of mankind
There is nothing in our world that can be compared with the Olympic movement in terms of mass, social and political significance. And the greatness and nobility of his postulates, which are reflected in the Olympic Charter, can be compared, except perhaps with religious commandments. But there are many religions, and the Olympic Games alone, and they unite the whole world.
High principles of movement
Through the efforts of Coubertin, the IOC was created, the Secretary General of which he became (with his submission the Charter of the Olympic Games was drawn up). The baron headed this committee from 1896 to 1916 and from 1919 to 1925. In recognition of his merits and as a tribute to his deep appreciation, the Pierre de Coubertin Medal was established. It is considered more valuable than Olympic gold because it, in addition to being awarded for sporting achievements, also embodies the spirit of fair play - Fair Play, on which the Olympic Charter is based, uniting the principles and goals of the movement. The concept of “victory at all costs” is completely unacceptable.
The beginning of the way
In 1894, the International Athletic Congress was held in Paris, which later became known as the 1st Olympic Congress. During the years of Coubertin's reign, on his initiative, 9 congresses were convened (1894-1930), and all of them were legislative in nature. A powerful global movement was gradually formed. At each of the congresses, the main topic subject to priority consideration was announced, in honor of which he received his name. The purposeful work of Pierre de Coubertin allowed to hone such an organizational form of the Olympic movement as a congress, at which fundamental decisions are made: create government, resume the games themselves, give them the appropriate status - in fact, do everything so that humanity is enriched with such an asset as the Olympic Games. At the First Congress of 1894, held in Le Havre, the Olympic Charter was adopted - the main document of the movement. Pierre de Fredi, Baron de Coubertin, is not in vain called the “father” of the OI, because it was he who invented it, developed and implemented almost everything during his life, including the future oath (Code of Honor), and symbolism - five rings, symbolizing five continents . At the same time, the colors of the rings were established, which can never be changed under any circumstances. The baron himself ordered the first Olympic banner, which was raised to the 1914 Olympic Games. The motto of the Olympics is “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” was first made public in Antwerp in 1920.
The basic Law
The Olympic Movement consists of three components - the IOC (International Olympic Committee), the NOC (National Olympic Committees) and the IFs (International Sports Federations). And they are all based on the basic law, which is the Olympic Charter. Its text includes absolutely all the subtleties, all questions, the possibilities of their solutions. It has a legal abbreviation and consists of a preamble, five chapters and notes to them.
In addition, the charter is also the charter of the Olympic Movement. It contains the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, as well as the main provisions of the Olympic movement, discloses its basic principles, which are a life philosophy that, combining the mind, will and body of a person in a single whole, elevates them above everyday life. Thus, the Olympic Charter represents both the basic law of the vital sports and philosophical movement, as well as a set of rules and instructions for its construction. The principles laid down in the charter declare equality and brotherhood of all peoples, honesty and peace (in Greece, all wars stopped during the Olympic Games) and, most importantly, a person’s desire to become better, to come closer both externally and internally to the ideal.