Great Throughts Treasury

"The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

"The day when a sportsman stops thinking above all else of the happiness in his own effort and the intoxication of the power and physical balance he derives from it, the day when he lets considerations of vanity or interest take over, on this day his ideal will die."

"A better world could be brought about only by better individuals."

"A country can truly call itself sporting when the majority of its people feel a personal need for sport."

"All sports for all people."

"All sports must be treated on the basis of equality."

"For each individual, sport is a possible source for inner improvement."

"For me sport was a religion... with religious sentiment."

"Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history."

"I therefore think that I was right in trying from the outset of the Olympic revival to rekindle a religious awareness."

"If he is knocked out of the competition, he encourages his brothers with his words and presence."

"In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."

"In the Olympic Oath, I ask for only one thing: sporting loyalty."

"May joy and good fellowship reign, and in this manner, may the Olympic Torch pursue its way through ages, increasing friendly understanding among nations, for the good of a humanity always more enthusiastic, more courageous and more pure."

"Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of a good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles."

"Olympism... exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, mind and will."

"Racial distinctions should not play a role in sport."

"Sport is part of every man and woman's heritage and its absence can never be compensated for."

"Sport is the habitual and voluntary cultivation of intensive physical effort."

"Sport must be accessible to working class youth."

"Sport must be the heritage of all men and of all social classes."

"In no way can sport be considered a luxury object."

"Success comprises in itself the seeds of its own decline and sport is not spared by this law."

"The Games were created for the glorification of the individual champion."

"The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle."

"The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete."

"The important thing in life is not victory but combat; it is not to have vanquished but to have fought well."

"The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well. To spread these principles is to build up a strong and more valiant and, above all, more scrupulous and more generous humanity."

"The Olympic Games were created for the exaltation of the individual athlete."

"Winning medals wasn?t the point of the Olympics. It?s the participating that counts."

"The Olympic Games are for the world and all nations must be admitted to them."

"The Olympic Games are the quadrennial celebration of the springtime of humanity."

"The Olympic Movement gives the world an ideal which reckons with the reality of life, and includes a possibility to guide this reality toward the great Olympic Idea."

"The Olympic Spirit is neither the property of one race nor of one age."