Dr. Nelson Todt, from the School of Health and Life Sciences, is first Latin American to hold executive position at organization
Dr. Todt was inaugurated in a hybrid ceremony / Photo: Personal archive
On Sunday, Dr. Nelson Todt, School of Health and Life Sciences professor, was elected vice president of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee. Todt is the first Latin American to hold an executive position at the organization. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the mission of the institution is to preserve and disseminate the memory of the creator of the modern Olympic games, Pierre de Coubertin, and the philosophy of life bequathed by him.
“This means that all the activities we develop here in Brazil have great magnitude. It is rewarding to see that what is being done has implications not only for me, but for everyone who was part of my career”, Todt comments.
Dr. Todt was inaugurated in a hybrid ceremony: some attendees watched it on Zoom, whereas others were able to be in person at the Committee’s headquarters, in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. The representative members of the organization’s executive board were chosen for the term 2022 – 2025, and Stephan Wassong was re-elected president.
More than just sports competitions, the Olympic Games carry a philosophy of life, created by Pierre de Coubertin: Olympism, which brings ideals such as excellence, equity, participation and peace. Created in 1975, from the Comité Français Pierre de Coubertin, the International Committee has national headquarters to disseminate the legacy bequeathed by the creator of the Olympic Games. In Brazil, PUCRS has been home to the National Committee, presided by Todt, since 2008. The organization also has the support of regional correspondents, as was the case with the professor, who was responsible for Latin America until he was elected vice-president.
Although it is recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the Pierre de Coubertin International Committee is an autonomous institution.
The Winter Olympic Games of Beijing, China, begin on Friday, Feb 4. However, not everyone knows that these competitions are related to Pierre de Coubertin.
Since the modern Olympic games were created, sports such as skating and ice hockey have been played in the competitions. Nevertheless, not all the cities that hosted the games had the structure for these sports. An exception to the rule was the 1924 Olympic Winter Sports Week, which was eventually recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the first edition of the Winter Olympic Games.
Coubertin was in favor of grouping sports that required cold climates (what he termed as Nordic Games). This type of event had been suggested even before thinking about the creation of the Winter Olympic Games. However, he believed that there should be no division of the Olympic Games because this would be a violation of the fundamental rules of Olympism.
