The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad have come to Paris, where Pierre de Coubertin — dubbed the “Father of the Modern Olympic Games” — was born in 1863.
Coubertin was an aristocrat raised Catholic and educated by Jesuits during a tumultuous time in the history of France.
As a boy, Coubertin watched as his nation suffered defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), which resulted in a series of government upheavals.
In 1874, Coubertin’s parents enrolled him in a Jesuit boarding school, hoping he would develop a strong moral character and commitment to the faith. He did.
At 20, he set out to become an educator with a deep interest in sociology, history, and literature. He went to England to study that country’s education system and was impressed with its incorporation of sporting events.
He subsequently believed athletic competitions and their preparation could strengthen scores of youths, thereby forming a robust national character to deter defeats like the war of his youth.
Coubertin dug deeper and learned about the gymnasiums of ancient Greece, particularly in Athens, which simultaneously taught physical and intellectual development.
These “gyms” also prepared athletes for the ancient Olympic games, which reached their height of popularity in the 5th century BC but dissolved around 400 AD when the Roman Empire gained power over Greece.
Coubertin unsuccessfully tried to develop Athenian-style gyms in the French school systems. Still, his research sparked a different idea — the revival of Olympic-style games with the best athletes representing nations around the world.
Athletic officials in other countries had similar ideas, but Coubertin’s leadership brought them together to form the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894.
The first games under IOC leadership were held in 1896 in Athens, with 14 participating nations. The organization has since grown to 105 member nations and 45 “honorary” members.
Coubertin was not yet finished helping to develop the physical and spiritual well-being of youth.
In 1911 he founded Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs de France (Guides and Scouts of France) — an interreligious and coeducational scouting organization.
Coubertin was 74 when he died in 1937.
