Teaching the Values of Olympism/Olympic Values Education

Summary

The term Olympism is embedded in a broad historical, philosophical, and sociological literacy context and has been defined very controversially and assessed by many philosophers, sociologists, and pedagogues throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries across different cultural regions of the world (between different European cultural regions, such as France and Germany, as well as between Europe and South America and Europe and Asia). The term Olympic values lacks this comparable historical dimension and is currently less diverse, defined, and discussed across cultural regions than the term Olympism. There are also some authors who prefer the term Olympism education to highlight not only the broader range of objectives in teaching Olympic education (e.g., ancient and modern games development, symbols of the Olympic movement, Olympic heroes) but also the focus on the core moral values in Olympic education like respect, fairness, excellence, and friendship. Coubertin’s conception of Olympism combined the revival of the modern Olympic Games with a broader philosophical and pedagogical project, including the establishment of a new gymnasium as a permanent educational institution. Later interpretations of Olympism, including the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter, further developed this educational dimension. Approaches to Olympic education have accordingly sought to integrate Olympic knowledge, moral values, social interaction and communication, and physical and athletic learning with the personal development and life-worlds of children and young people. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has promoted Olympism and Olympic education through numerous initiatives, most notably the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), introduced in 2007 in connection with the establishment of the Youth Olympic Games. Since then, OVEP has been revised and supplemented, with a clear shift towards promoting the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games as core values rather than fostering the personal development of children and adolescents. In response to contemporary social developments and challenges facing the Olympic Movement, the future of Olympism and Olympic values education requires renewed attention to its original educational purpose, together with new educational tasks for children and young people.