ISOH International Society of Olympic Historians

For fans of World Athletics history, there's a new pop-up exhibition for Paris 2024 Olympics with amazing track and field objects on view near the Tuileries Garden. Check out details here:

Johnson’s Golden Spike Among Athletic Treasures on Display in Paris A golden running shoe worn by Michael Johnson when he completed the 200m and 400m double in 1996 is to be put on display in Paris for the duration of the 2024 Olympics. Johnson set a world record …

How did the 1924 Olympics opening ceremony compare to the in Seine-ity of this Friday's Paris 2024 river event? Check out details from 100 years ago via this ISOH article including film from a century-ago ceremony ...

Paris Opening Ceremony 100 Years Ago Although shrouded in secrecy it is safe to say that next Friday’s Opening Ceremony on the River Seine will look very different to the last time the Games were held in Paris a century ago. In 1924,…

The Australian Olympic Team honored 1912 Olympics gold and silver medalist Cicil Healy -- one of 143 known Olympians who died in WWI -- with a special tribute ceremony. For more details visit

Cecil Healy Tribute Australian Olympians Michelle Ford and Kaarle McCulloch have laid floral tributes at the grave of 1912 Olympic swimming gold medallist Cecil Healy who was killed on the battlefields of the Somme …

Olympics history in the making as the Hellenic Olympic Committee selects the next Greek flagbearers for the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 (photo via HOC). Check out detailed history at this link:

On this date in Olympics history, Romanian Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in Montreal, eventually earning five gold, three silver and one bronze medal in the 1976 and 1980 Games.

For anyone visiting Paris 2024, be sure to check out the free exhibition "Genius of Sport" created by ISOH International Society of Olympic Historians George Hirthler in collaboration with the Coubertin Family Association. It's at Town Hall of the 7th Arrondissement (116 rue de Grenelle 75007) open weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 to noon.

Some Paris 2024 Olympics history was made on Bastille Day with the Torch Relay (photo via Paris 2024). Check out this link: https://isoh.org/torch-relay-arrives-in-paris-for-bastille-day/

The votes are in and the 2024-2028 executive committee for ISOH International Society of Olympic Historians is now set.

Congratulations to the team including:

Christian Wacker (GER) as president

Konstantinos Georgiadis (GRE) as vice president

Markus Osterwalder (SUI) as secretary general

Héctor Arguelles (ESP) as treasurer

Mariia Bulatova (UKR) as member academic relations

Tolga Şinoforoğlu (TUR) as member projects lead

Nicholas Wolaver (USA) as member digital media lead

Philip Barker (GBR) appointed as Journal of Olympic History editor-in-chief

International Olympic Committee Member Richard W. Pound (CAN) appointed by the president of the IOC

Ex-officio member David Wallechinsky (USA)

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Olympic Programs are another tradition of the Games. Check out details for the official Paris 2024 edition as it makes history with fans in the coming days, via this Journal of Olympic History article. https://bit.ly/ISOHOlympicPrograms2024

In addition to his fantastic roles in Klute, MASH, Disclosure, Animal House and so much more, Donald Sutherland enjoyed an Olympics cameo as flagbearer in Vancouver 2010. RIP.

Legendary actor Donald Sutherland, Olympic flagbearer in 2010, dies at 88 The well-known actor Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88. Learn more about his contribution to the Olympic movement.

Live from the Team USA 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Swimming with a fresh Olympic Rings And Other Things blog post from poolside

USA Swimming Hosts '24 Olympic Trials Splashdown at Indianapolis, a.k.a. Racing Capital of the World Tonight through June 23, just over a thousand (1,007) qualified swimmers will compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Swimming inside the ...

On this date (5 June) in Olympics history, Australian Olympic Team gold medalist Emily Jane Seebohm was born in 1992. Nicknamed "C-Bomb" the four-time Olympian is giving it a go for Paris 2024 as a new mom, according to the The Sydney Morning Herald. Happy Birthday! And thanks to Olympedia.org for the five-ringed stats on this star swimmer. https://bit.ly/OlympicSeebohm

Seebohm aiming for record fifth Olympics - with a baby on board Lisa Curry did it in 1992. Hayley Lewis also pulled off a remarkable comeback to swimming in 2000. New mother Emily Seebohm wants to be in Paris at her fifth Olympics.

On this date 100 years ago (25 January 1924), the first Winter Olympic Games opened near Mont Blanc, France, welcoming 260 athletes from 16 national Olympic committees. The first to earn a gold medal was Team USA speed skater Charles Jewtraw in the 500m race. According to online sources, his medal is now in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History -- for a peek click on this link: https://bit.ly/ISOHCharlesJewtraw

On 15 September 2000, Australian Olympic Team Champion Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron at Sydney Olympic Stadium, which was recently renamed in her honor. What are your favorite memories from the Games of the XXVIIth Olympiad?

Are you an ISOH International Society of Olympic Historians member planning to attend our Congress in Colorado Springs? Now through 5 September is the time to lock in discounted hotel rates. Need more details? Please send questions via private message or the email address in this post's image. We hope to see you soon in Olympic City USA!

A little bit of Olympic history was unveiled today by Paris 2024

Paris 2024 Unveils Nouveau Olympic Torch Design Paris today revealed its 2024 Olympic torch design, with blended themes of equality, fluidity and tranquility. Or to be more precise, the n...

Congratulations to ISOH Secretary General Markus Osterwalder, whose gorgeous two-volume book "Olympic Games - The Design" captured the Best Book category in the inaugural Festival of Olympic and Sports Literature in Paris last month. Be sure to secure your copy where books are sold and check out this video for a peek at the content. https://bit.ly/OlympicDesignVideo

Do you know which Olympic medalist was recently named U.S. Ambassador to Belize and which Olympian is running for Congress? Check out this fresh article about two Olympic figure skaters making history in new government roles.

U.S. Ambassador to Belize: Who is Michelle Kwan? When George W. Bush was president of the United States, he chose his former college roommate, Robert Dieter, to be U.S. ambassador to Belize. When Barack Obama became president of the United States, he chose his former college roommate, Vinai Thummalapally, to be U.S. ambassador to Belize. When Dona...

Congratulations to ISOH International Society of Olympic Historians members Ed Hula and Jean Durry, who today joined George Hirthler and other ISOH members as recipients of the Coubertin Medal presented by the International Olympics Committee at an Olympic Day ceremony in Lausanne. Bravo for all of their efforts, and decades of work, to share and preserve Olympic history for the ages.

IOC awards Pierre de Coubertin Medals to illustrious personalities who have made an outstanding contribution to Olympism Jean Durry, the author of Coubertin “Autographe”, and journalist Ed Hula were today awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal during a ceremony at Olympic House organised on the occasion of Olympic Day 2023.

Though her version was not performed at the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, all of the tens of thousands in the stadium and billions watching worldwide could sing along thanks to this historic recording that inspired dozens of covers. Rest in peace, Astrud Gilberto.

Astrud Gilberto With Stan Getz - Girl From Ipanema (1964) Get Yourself a College Girl is a 1964 Metrocolor film comedy in the style of a beach party movie. The plot involves a college co-ed who tries to balance her ...

Last week Paris 2024 unveiled their official poster series, bringing to mind this article from the Journal archives describing the poster process for the Games of 1928 via this link: https://bit.ly/ISOH1928Poster

Do you know which Olympics athletes made history with official roles in the King's coronation ceremonies? Check out Philip Barker's spot reporting from London: https://isoh.org/olympians-at-the-coronation/

The Olympic history checks out, even if other details don't, in the new film celebrating two-time gold medalist Michael Jordan. Check out this fresh review of "AIR" hitting theatres tomorrow.

Fleet of Foot Film "AIR" Scores Big with Olympic Nods and Matt Damon/Viola Davis Bank Shots Cinephiles and sports fans of all shoe sizes may revel that " AIR " -- the new Nike-centric feature directed by Ben Affleck -- scores with ...

Details to be announced ...

Today the team at Paris 2024 revealed their Olympics mascot is based on a centuries-old hat design. What do you think of this history-meets-new creation and how does it compare to your favorite Games mascot?

Paris 2024 Mascot = Chapeau du Papa Smurf With about 620 days, seven hours and 53 minutes until the next opening ceremony, Paris 2024 officials today unveiled the upcoming Games masc...

This week 54 years ago, Olympics champion Tommie Smith and teammate John Carlos made a statement for human rights. Smith's five-ringed history now appears in a new graphic novel in line for a major youth book award. Check out details from the co-authors' creative process.

Tommie Smith's Life and Olympic Feats Get Graphic Novel Treatment in Page-Turner "Victory. Stand!" On Oct.16, 1968, in Mexico City, three Olympians became global icons. In the decades since, the medals won by Team USA's Tommie Smith and J...

Netflix's new five-ringed documentary "The Redeem Team" touches on Team USA basketball history at the Olympics. Check out one ISOH member's review to reveal whether it's a slam dunk or air ball.

Netflix Scores w/Olympic Doc "The Redeem Team" Telling it like it is: this blogger has very little interest in the NBA. Curiosity in this area is consistently so low, I was oblivious to ...

During ISOH’s recent general assembly in Germany, ISOH Secretary General Markus Osterwalder presented a moving video featuring hundreds original Munich 72 images recently unearthed from a basement-stored collection. All photos were snapped for the organizing committee’s design team as the Olympics got underway, and they capture in glorious detail the scene from 50 years ago. Check out the presentation here:

FORGOTTEN AND UNKNOWN IMAGES FROM THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN MUNICH 1972 For the first time in 50 years, these images are presented to the public. Not long ago these were discovered in a basement in Munich, which has been complete...

When the world lost Elizabeth II last month, the Olympics honored Her Majesty the Queen's many five-ringed contributions including multiple Games appearances. Check out ISOH member Philip Barker's royal summary in memoriam via this link on our homepage ... https://bit.ly/ISOHRemembersQueen

Congratulations to ISOH member George Hirthler on becoming the third American and 42nd overall recipient of the Pierre de Coubertin Medal presented today by the IOC at their Olympics headquarters! https://bit.ly/SaportaHirthlerStory

IOC awards Pierre de Coubertin medal to George Hirthler Atlantan George Hirthler, who wrote the bid book that brought the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta, today received one of the highest honors given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – the Pierre de Coubertin Medal – in a ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.