Discourses of olympism

Most of what has been written in relation to the modern Olympic movement has focused on the Games or more recently on the failings (both in terms of ethics and more practically of governance) of those operating within the Olympic movement. Yet the Olympic movement was intended by Pierre de Coubertin, the central figure in the revival of the Olympic Games, to be based upon a philosophy, ‘Olympism’. This book evaluates the moral project of Olympism, developing an analysis of the changing value positions adopted in relation to the ideology of Olympism from the 1890s to the present day. The book also explores contemporary concerns with youth, governance, sport for development and international relations.