Sunday in Lausanne was a much-needed restful day. After a day of hiking and sightseeing, and a busy day of meetings and presentations on Friday, we visited the Olympic Museum and had a picnic by Lake Geneva. In the museum, exhibits highlighted the rich history of the Olympics, encompassing both the modern and ancient games. The first part of the museum detailed the rich history of the ancient Olympic Games, held annually in Olympia, Greece. The Ancient Olympic Games were held 293 times from 776 BC to 393 BC. These games were referred to as Panhellenic games, as "pan" means "all," indicating that they were held for all of Greece. In the 1890s, the Modern Olympics were created by Pierre de Coubertin, a French aristocrat. This was the next exhibit featured in the museum. The first Modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, but the idea of the games was conceived much earlier.
In 1888, Coubertin created a committee dedicated to reviving the Olympic Games. Coubertin was a firm believer in the idea that sport can be a driver for world peace; he organized these worldwide games to promote the positive impacts that sport can have, such as promoting peace, education, and physical fitness. Coubertin also created the motto of the Olympics, “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” which translates to “Faster, Higher, Stronger” in English. After showcasing where the Olympics started, the Museum then highlighted how far the Olympics have gone. The games did not begin as the global spectacle we see every two years. The museum displays the torch from every Olympics, allowing you to see the journey of each one. For example, you watch a video of the 2014 Sochi torch traveling all over the country as it took an unprecedented journey into outer space. The goal of the torch is to spread the Olympic movement and showcase the unique message the upcoming Olympic games will promote. I loved our experience at the Olympic Museum. I am a huge fan of sports history, and in my opinion, there is no better place to see the rich history of sport than at the Olympic Museum. You can see the significant impact of the games on the world, and so they have evolved into one of the largest events globally. There is so much that goes into the Olympics, and the rules are no exception.
After exploring the museum, we discussed Olympic Rule 40, Olympic Solidarity, and doping regulations, which have all generated controversy over the years. Rule 40 discusses player sponsorship regulations, stating that athletes are not allowed to showcase non-Olympic partner sponsorships during the games. In the United States, we are accustomed to seeing sponsorship thrust into our faces by players, but this rule prevents that; it prevents over-commercialization and showcases the games for what they truly are. These rules are tied to the Olympic Solidarity movement. Olympic Solidarity ensures that all 206 National Olympic Committees receive the necessary funds and programming. There have been disagreements in the past about whether these rules should remain in place, primarily due to larger NOCs, which have the most to gain from sponsorships. Smaller NOCs require these rules and programs to remain in place and operate effectively.
We then took a trip to Lake Geneva to have a picnic, with cooking supplies we bought at a nearby supermarket. The group enjoyed hot dogs prepared by Heavenly and sat by the lake, and relaxed. It was one of the best moments of the trip.
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