This is a new section with examples of misinformation and propaganda published by the International Olympic Committee. There are thousands of examples out there but only a limited amount of time to list them on this website. Zappas.org will concentrate on some recent examples in the hope that the IOC will stop calling Baron Pierre de Coubertin "the founder of the modern Olympic Games". Since most of these examples will be linked directly to www.olympic.org the IOC may revise their articles. Pointing at URLs may be a bit like trying to hit a moving target. Relevant extracts will be quoted so that the information is not lost (and all will be done with respect to the IOC's copyright, since all sources are quoted).

2007 June 23 - Get Involved in Olympic Day! - Olympic.org Press Release (United Kingdom)
"23 June marks Olympic Day - an important day in the history of the modern Olympic Games. On 23 June 1894, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French pedagogue who was convinced of sport’s moral and educational value, began the task of reviving the Olympic Games. He set up a committee in charge of organising the first Games and created an international Olympic Movement. Hence the first Games of the modern era were staged in Athens in 1896 and the International Olympic Committee was officially created." (first paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: The IOC continues to blatantly manipulate history. The IOC ignores the fact of the first modern international Olympic Games that took place in Athens in 1859. The IOC ignores the fact that the first modern international Olympic Games to take place in a stadium was held in the Panathenian stadium in 1870. The same stadium that was used for the IOC's Olympic Games twenty-six years later in 1896. The IOC claims that the Baron began the task of reviving the Olympic Games in 1894. When are they going to acknowledge that there was a revival before Baron Pierre de Coubertin's hindsight gave him the idea for a revival.]

2007 May 30 - USOC Invites Statewide Colorado Community to Celebrate Worldwide Olympic Day - USOC Press Release to Sports Features Communications (United States)
"Olympic Day is a worldwide commemoration of Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s June 23, 1894, convening of the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting at the Sorbonne in Paris, and the founding of the Modern Olympic Games." (sixth paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: Yes, the Baron founded the IOC. Unfortunately, the IOC was less than a twinkle in his mother's eye when the Olympic Games was re-established in Athens, Greece in 1859.]

2007 May 30 - Rechelle Hawkes: constant class - Olympic.org Press Release (United Kingdom)
"It was time for the Olympic oath, a tradition introduced by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games." (second sentence, in second paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: Either blatant ignorance or blatant propaganda.]

2007 May 14 - Paris 1900: The Games on Exhibition - Olympic.org Press Release (United Kingdom)
"Olympism breaks through barriers. The Paris Olympic Games in 1900 were the second Games of the modern era. The first took place in Athens in 1896, and were enthusiastically greeted. For this reason, the Greeks were keen to keep them. Their wish was not granted, and Paris hosted the Games in 1900. The principle of rotation was an important element for Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. This principle proved to be a decisive factor in the spread of Olympism throughout the world." (second paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: The Paris Olympic Games were not the second Olympic Games of the modern era. The second modern international Olympic Games took place in 1870 at the Panathenian stadium in Athens. Paris didn't even have a stadium. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894 and had not been born when the first modern Olympic Games was held in a city square in Athens in 1859. The Baron was only 7 years old when the second modern international Olympic Games took place in 1870. The first modern Olympic Games to be held outside of Greece that resembled an Olympic Games was that held in London, in 1866 at the old Crystal Palace. It was a national event, there was no stadium at that time, but they did hold events inside the Crystal Palace. Why is the IOC prepared to lie blatantly about recent history? Why is the IOC trying to erase what really happened? What has the IOC got to lose if it is honest about the history of the modern Olympic Games?]

Undated (viewed 2007 May 3) - Olympic Movement - Official webpage at Olympic.org (United Kingdom)
"The Olympic Movement groups together all those who agree to be guided by the Olympic Charter and who recognise the authority of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)," (from the first paragraph of the section called "Who Belongs to the Olympic Movement?")

[Zappas.org says: The IOC's "Olympic Movement" excludes Dr William Penny Brookes to their great shame. If he were included they would have to call him "Founder of the Olympic Movement" which he undoubtedly was.]

"When he announced in Paris, on a winter's evening in 1892, the forthcoming re-establishment of the Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin was applauded, ... The IOC was created on 23 June 1894; the 1st Olympic Games of the modern era opened in Athens on 6 April 1896; ..."

[Zappas.org says: The "re-establishment of the Olympic Games"! This must be a practical joke. The Baron knew about Dr William Penny Brookes and Dr William Penny Brookes would have undoubtedly told him about Evangelis Zappas. Re-establishment from when exactly? Once again the IOC ignores the modern international Olympic Games that took place in Athens in 1859, 1870, 1875, and the national Olympic Games that took place in London in 1866. Once again the IOC ignores Evangelis Zappas, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Once again the IOC ignores Dr William Penny Brookes, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, who had organised a national Olympic Games in London in 1866 and who gave the Baron many of the ideas that were adopted for the IOC's exclusive "ignore the true founding fathers of the modern Olympic Games" Olympic Movement.]

2007 Mar 27 - London 2012 Appoints Head of Education - International Sports Movement Press Release (United States)
"Education and learning will be a significant part in our plans for London 2012. Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Games, placed education at the heart of his sporting vision for the Games ..." (excerpt and first sentence of quote from Bill Norris, London 2012 Director of Culture, Ceremonies and Education.)

[Zappas.org says: Bill Morris, of London 2012, needs some "education and learning" on modern Olympic history. Baron Pierre de Coubertin is neither the first or only founder of the modern Olympic Games. However, the Baron did found the International Olympic Committee. Unfortunately, that's not quite the same Bill. Hope you make that clear in the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.]

2007 Mar 16 - First winners of the IOC Sport and Photography Contest - Olympic.org Press Release (United States)
"The results of the first IOC Sport and Photography Contest were announced this week after an international jury, chaired by Zhenliang He, Chairman of the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education, met and deliberated at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Through this contest, the IOC is promoting one of its priorities, the association of sport with art and culture, in keeping with the idea of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games." (last sentence of the first paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894. The first modern international Olympic Games to be held in a stadium took place in Athens in 1870 and was sponsored by the Greek billionaire philanthropist Evangelis Zappas. This was preceded by a modern international Olympic Games held in an Athens city square, in 1859 (also sponsored by Evangelis Zappas). Note that the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, which were held outside of Greece, also did not have a stadium.]

2007 Jan 3 - The Most Famous Unknown in History - Olympic.org Press Release (United States)
"As many people know, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Although his life’s work is globally known and recognised, the man himself is less so." (the first two sentences)

[Zappas.org says: If you keep telling everyone that the Baron was the founder over a period of more than 112 years then most people are going to believe you. But some people are going to find out sooner or later that he was not the sole founder. Baron Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the International Olympic Committee but he was not the sole founder of the modern Olympic Games. If you keep telling the world that he is the sole founder then nobody is going to hear about the founding fathers who preceded him: Panagiotis Soutsos, Evangelis Zappas, and Dr William Penny Brookes.]

Undated (viewed Jan 2007) - Fencing - Olympic sport since 1896 - Official webpage at Olympic.org (United Kingdom)
"It was the first to include recognised professionals in a medals competition after modern Olympic Games founder Pierre de Coubertin arranged special events for professional fencing "masters" in the original 1896 and 1900 competitions." (from the second paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: This is typical IOC propaganda. Tells you the founder of the IOC is the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Use of the word "original" to describe the competitions of 1896 and 1906. Fencing events were included at the Olympic Games held in London in 1866 (Dr William Penny Brookes was the President of the Olympic organizing committee), no stadium, but they were held inside the original Crystal Palace). The fencing events of 1896 and 1906 were held in an indoor arena (called the Zappeion) that was paid for by the philanthropist Evangelis Zappas (hence why it is called the Zappeion). The building was still called the Zappeion when it was used as the Olympic Press Center at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.]

Undated (viewed Jan 2007) - Collectibles and Olympism - Official webpage at Olympic.org (United Kingdom)
"Collecting items commemorating the Olympic Games is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it started with the first Games of the modern era in 1896." (the first two sentences)

[Zappas.org says: First modern international Olympic Games was held in an Athens city square in 1859. Second modern international Olympic Games was held in the Panathenian stadium, in Athens, in 1870. Yes, collectors do collect memorabilia from these Games and they particularly like the medals that have the portraits of King Otto (the first King of Greece) and King George I who most likely witnessed the Olympic Games of 1870, 1875, 1896, and 1906. But collectors go further back than 1859 since they can collect ancient Greek coins commemorating the ancient Olympic Games (including the wrestlers of Aspendus, and Alexander the Great's equestrian Olympic victory).]

2002 - The Olympic Movement (PDF file) - Olympic Museum and Studies Centre, Lausanne (Switzerland)
"... At the beginning of the 20th century, the founder of the modern Olympic Games hoped to create a museum responsible for gathering together and preserving the legacy of the Games. " (page 9, second sentence in "History" paragraph)

[Zappas.org says: Evangelis Zappas was not only thinking about preserving the legacy in the middle of the 19th century. He also put his money where his mouth was. Did the Baron dig deep into his own pockets to pay for the building of the Olympic Museum? No he didn't. Evangelis Zappas bought the land that the Panathenian stadium stood on, paid for the refurbishment of the ancient Olympic stadium (which was used for Olympic Games in 1870, 1875, 1896, 1906, and 2004), and paid for the building of the first indoor Olympic arena specifically built for the Olympic Games, as well as paying for the staging of the Games in 1859, 1870, 1875, and leaving his vast fortune for the Games to be held every four years in perpetuity. On a recent visit to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne the museum was still promoting Baron Pierre de Coubertin as "the founder of the modern Olympic Games" instead of the more accurate "founder of the International Olympic Committee".]