E D U C A T I O N: International Olympic Academy Participants Association

E D U C A T I O N The International Olympic Academy Participants’ Association “I like to believe in the sturdiness of an enterprise that begins modesty”. Pierre de Coubertin Ten years ago 61 former delegates to the International Olympic Academy (IOA) met in Olympia once again to renew friendships and share memories. Five days later they emerged from the IOA as members of a new part of the Olympic Movement: the International Olympic Academy Alumni Association, known today as the International Olympic Academy Participants’ Association (IOAPA). The IOAPA has grown from those humble beginnings into an organization of more than 475 IOA delegates who believe in Olympism and wish to keep it as an active part of their lives. Participation in an IOA session is the only requirement for becoming a member of the IOAPA. Members pay minimal dues every two years, which support association operations. For those participants who are interested in the work of the association but are not able to contribute financially, a few “Sport for All” gratis memberships are available. The IOAPA publishes a newsletter, Arete, named after the ancient Greek word that connotes man’s striving for perfection, and it meets every two years in Olympia to discuss its role in the Olympic Movement and share ideas on contributing Olympism. In addition, its members help the IOA by acting as discussion coordinators at sessions and as volunteers at Olympic Games athletes’ villages. Next summer is the tenth anniversary of the creation of the IOAPA. The seeds of the IOAPA were sown, innocently enough, at a social evening

by Rusty Wilson during the 25th Session of the IOA. On Monday, 8 July 1985, four participants from Belgium, Great Britain, Chinese Taipei and the United States - were chosen to speak as fast as they could for one minute on a subject of their choice. Hans Van Haute, the Belgian participant, chose as his topic “The New Olympic Movement”, which had more to do with the extracurricular activities at the river, the cafes and other locales around Olympia than with Olympism itself. After that evening, the phrase became the unofficial theme of the session. As groups got together for late night escapades they would always announce another meeting of “The New Olympic Movement”. As time wore on everyone realized that there was more to the phrase than they had thought. What participants were experiencing in “The New Olympic Movement” was Olympism, pure and simple. At the closing ceremonies of the 25th General Session, IOA President Dr. Nikolaos Nissiotis, pleased with the creation of “The New Olympic Movement”, said “We shall be separated only by geographical distances but not by the spirit of Olympism, which shall keep us all united here, as Olympians, forever”. Inspired by these words, we promised that we would keep in contact. But it took the actions of Hans Van Haute to fulfil this promise. He created a newsletter that he distributed at his own expense, for four years, to ensure that everyone stayed in touch. Unbeknownst to the 1985 group, IOA participants from 1986 took similar

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actions. At the end of that session a group headed by Laurel Brassey Iversen (USA), Ingolfur Hannessonn (ISL) and Yiannis Zoumpoulis (GRE) met with Dr. Nissiotis to discuss a possible reunion. He encouraged the idea and granted the use of IOA facilities free of charge for an IOA alumni meeting. In October 1986 Hannessonn began publishing a newsletter for the ’86 delegates. After the first issues, Zoumpoulis informed Hannessonn of the activities of Hans Van Haute and the 1985 group. Ultimately Van Haute and Hannessonn contacted one another and discussed coordinating the efforts of both the ’85 and ’86 delegates. By this time the 1987 IOA participants also expressed interest in a reunion. Almost immediately Paul Baldacchino (MLT), an active ’87 delegate, joined forces with the ’85 and ’86 groups and the efforts for a reunion gained greater impetus. In March 1988 Hannessonn and Zoumpoulis met in Athens with IOC member Nikos Filaretos, then IOA president, following the death of Dr. Nissiotis in an automobile accident. Many topics were discussed. With Zoumpoulis leading the way in Athens, the final plans for a reunion in 1989 rapidly took shape. Invaluable support came when Nikos Filaretos sent a formal letter on 27 March 1989 informing all NOCs and NOAs around the world about the upcoming meeting and the value of such an endeavour for the Olympic Movement. From 19 to 24 July 1989 a dream was finally realized, when the 61 past IOA participants met in Olympia for the first IOA reunion. The hard work scheduled for the conference surprised some. Many

had come prepared to relax and enjoy each other’s company. However, efforts were required to create the organization. Most participants met until the early hours of the morning debating the structure and function of the new association. Finally, after five days, the International Olympic Academy Alumni Association (IOAAA) was established. When the bylaws were presented, a cheer of accomplishment rose from the lecture hall. The main focus of the new organization was to perpetuate the spirit of Olympism and to encourage Olympic education. What most thought would be a one-time reunion became a biannual event in Olympia. Something unique and special had been created. The first officers were: - Laurel Brassey Iversen (USA) President (1980 and 1988 Olympian) - Ulrike Hasbach (GER) - Secretary - Paul Baldacchino (MLT) - Treasurer - Lauren Page Riker (USA) Communications - Ingolfur Hannessonn (ISL) Reunion Chairman. Throughout the meetings there was a strong movement to name Hans Van Haute as the IOAAA’s first president. But he steadfastly refused any discussion on the subject. He claimed that he had worked hard over the past four years and that this, besides building a new house and normal work obligations, took too much time from his family, However, those who knew him felt that there was something out of the ordinary. At times, in private conversation, he would become sullem, and sometimes irritated at what he thought were trivial matters, This was not the carefree optimistic Hans that everyone knew. Not long after returning hame from Greece we learned that Hans was suffer-

ing from cancer. Some months later his treatments showed success and everyone looked forward to the 1991 IOAAA Conference. Then on 13 June 1991, weeks before the second alumni conference? the crushing news came that Hans had lost his battle with cancer. During the third alumni conference, which met from 30 July to 4 August 1993, the IOAAA faced many surprises. As most youngsters do, the IOAAA struggled with “growing pains” to define its personality. Martin Szymiczek, then IOA first vice-president, who recognized the value of the IOAAA to the IOA and the Olympic Movement. also attended the conference, He submitted several proposals that would change the future of the organization. These included offers of financial support, clerical assistance, and the use of IOAAA members to help the IOA in different capacities at events aroud the world. As with all proposals. some materialized while others did not. When members came together for the fourth alumni conference from 18 to 23 July 1995, the IOAAA met its first major challenge, and with a once-in-a-lifetime gift that rewarded the organization for its years of commitment to the Olympic Movement. In Olympia the IOAAA faced a proposal by the past Greek IOA participants that the responsability for the administration of the IOAAA should be handed over to them. Both sides presented proposals, debated issues, and after a few days a vote was taken. By a wide margin the IOAAA refused the Greek offer and decided it would continue as it had in the past. When the results were reported all participants, Greek and non-Greek alike, joined forces behind the new IOAAA. The highlight of the 1995 conference came following the elections when Athanasios Kritsinelis, technical director of the Olympic flame lighting and relay,

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invited the IOAAA to participate in the Greek leg of the Olympic flame relay for the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, the Centennial Games, in Atlanta in 1996. Eight months later, 42 IOAAA members travelled to Olympia, at their own expense, to witness one of the most spectacular traditions in the world, the lighting of the Olympic flame. The next day, 31 March 1996, all those in attendance took turns carrying the flame for approximately 12 kilometres over historic Mt. Taigetos in pouring rain. It was an experience of a lifetime. Following their leg on the relay the delegates regrouped in Athens on April 6th, where they were honoured guests of the IOA and the Hellenic Olympic Committee at the Centennial Celebration in the Panathenaic Stadium, of the Games of the I Olympiad. In 1997 the IOAAA conference was honoured with the presence of IOA president Niko Filaretos. It was a tribute to have present the man who had helped the organization from its inception. The meetings were fruitful and beneficial. The 48 delegates, representing 21 countries, voted to officially change the name of the organization to the International Olympic Academy Partitipants’ Association to better reflect the membership. During the summer of 1999 Participants will meet in Olympia once again. this time to celebrate ten years of the IOAPA and our common belief in Olympism. In ten short years the association has shown an astounding growth rate of over 75%, and the number continues to grow with each IOA session. The International Olympic Academy participants’ Association has become what Dr. Nissiotis prophetically predicted at the 1985 IOA Closing Ceremonies: “a miniature replica of the universal family: a family which you will form beyond and over the level of any religious, political and racial discrimination”.