Children, sport and the Olympics: Observations from the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London

摘要

Pierre de Coubertin's vision for children in France in the 1880s is as applicable in 2012 as it was back then. The French educator and rugby enthusiast, more famous for founding the International Olympic Committee, believed that introducing sport into the curriculum of French schools would 'create moral and social strength'. While the reasons for including sport as an essential part of the school curriculum may be perceived differently now, its importance remains. In the 130 years since de Coubertin espoused the benefits of sport in schools, evidence has grown for the positive health benefits in addition to the sociological benefits he championed. It is the other legacy of Pierre de Coubertin that I focus on here. As founder of the modern day Olympics in 1894, Coubertin had a somewhat different vision to that of most modern day Olympic spectators. The goal of his modern Olympics was to encourage participation not winning: 'I/important c'est de participer'. He saw the Olympic Games as a forum for promoting a peaceful environment through nations coming together with a common purpose in sport. Despite these noble ideas, de Coubertin was not completely inclusive and forward thinking. He believed that female athletes should not be allowed to compete at the Olympic Games as they might provide a distraction for male athletes. The current Olympic charter however promotes equality for all and female athletes have competed at every Olympic Games since 1900, with all sports open to both genders for the first time in 2012 (with the inclusion of women's boxing).