Popular sport, which is available to everyone as we know it today, would never have seen the light of day without Pierre de Coubertin. He spent his life promoting social diversity in sport. Thanks to his innovative and ambitious vision, he promoted sport, using it as a means to help foster lasting peace between countries.
A visionary of popular sport
Pierre de Coubertin devoted his life to making sport more popular. When he was 31, he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC), helping to relaunch the modern Olympic Games in 1894, which had first been organised 3,000 years earlier in Ancient Greece. His commitment has left its mark on the history of sport to this day:
🏫More than 600 sites in France and 40 sites worldwide bear the name of Pierre de Coubertin.
💪 A medal was created in his honour to reward athletes who truly embody the sporting spirit.
🎖️ He worked to develop secular scouting, which was almost exclusively religious at the time.
Pierre de Coubertin will be remembered for his emblematic phrase: “The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight. The essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.”
While today's celebrities have to attend 3 sittings so their wax replica can be made, a single black and white image, dating from his 31st birthday, was used to create Pierre de Coubertin’s waxwork. His family shared details with the production workshops to ensure they respected his physical features as closely as possible.
At the museum, you can find him alongside your favourite champions like Aurélien Giraud, Théo Curin, Clarisse Agbégnénou and many others!
