Olympic Games Manifesto

Who writes this item?

Pierre de Coubertin is the pioneer of modern games. The one who wrote Original Olympic Games Manifesto. He was a historian and educator in France. In addition, he was a founding member of the International Olympic Committee and served as its second president.

What makes this legend?

It’s a detailed version of de Coubertin’s speech at Paris’s Sorbonne University. De Coubertin’s 14-page handwritten letter explains why he desired to revive the Ancient Greek practice of Olympic competition. In addition, he claimed that he wanted the games to be a platform for countries to compete in a civilized manner. 

Photo Credit: ipacs.sport

According to NBC Sports, the historical artifact went missing between the two world wars for a long time. Then, in the 1990s, a Frenchman named Marquis d’Amat began seeking it. He found out about it through a Swiss collector.

The manifesto script is the only copy extant. It is in French words. It also pays homage to Pierre de Coubertin’s idea, which dates back nearly a century. Furthermore, the Olympic games are revered.

How much does it fetch in the auction?

The Original Olympic Games Manifesto sold for a stunning $8.8 million at an auction in New York. The historical item was supposed to sell for $700,000 to $1 million. But it ended up in the hands of a bidder for more than eight times that already high price. 

AFP Photo/Mark RALSTON

Who won the bid for this item?

The Original Games Manifesto by Pierre de Coubertin has sold at auction. After a 12-minute bidding war, Alisher Usmanov (President of the International Fencing Federation) won the historic document. After that, he donated it to the museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. He believes that keeping this rare text at the Olympic Museum is the right approach. 

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