Governing Bodies

ORIGINAL 125-YEAR OLD OLYMPIC GAMES DOCUMENTS SOLD FOR $8.8 MILLION AT AUCTION

Published

6 years ago

December 20, 2019

BY DUNCAN MACKAY.

The manifesto which led to the revival of the Olympic Games more than 120 years ago has sold for a record $8,806,500 (£6,764,543/€7,916,191) at an auction in New York City.

The historic artifact was expected to sell for between $700,000 (£535,000/€630,000) and $1 million (£770,000/€900,000), but ended up in the hands of a bidder for over eight times the estimate.

According to Sotheby’s which hosted the auction, it is the highest price ever paid for an item of piece of sports memorabilia, breaking the previous record set by a Babe Ruth New York Yankees baseball jersey that sold for $5.4 million (£4.1 million/€4.8 million) earlier this year.

The previous record at auction for a piece of Olympic memorabilia was the $1,466,574 (£1,132,239/€1,324,488) that a buyer paid for one of Jesse Owens’ four gold medals from Berlin 1936.

The 14-page document dates back to 1892 and was written by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The price skyrocketed as those present at the auction in New York participated in a lengthy 12-minute bidding war.

Sotheby’s has not announced who the bidders were or who eventually won the battle for the documents.

The 5,000 words hand-written document highlights why Coubertin wanted to bring the Ancient Greek tradition of Olympic competition back during an address he gave at the Sorbonne University in Paris two years before the formation of the IOC in 1894.

He outlined how he believed the Games could be a way to provide peaceful competition between countries.

“It is clear that the telegraph, railways, the telephone, the passionate research in science, congresses and exhibitions have done more for peace than any treaty or diplomatic convention,” Coubertin wrote in the manifesto.

“Well, I hope that athletics will do even more.

“Those who have seen 30,000 people running through the rain to attend a football match will not think that I am exaggerating.

“Let us export rowers, runners and fencers; this is the free trade of the future, and the day that it is introduced into the everyday existence of old Europe, the cause of peace will receive new and powerful support,” he wrote in the document.

“That is enough to encourage me to think now about the second part of my programme.

“I hope that you will help me as you have helped me thus far and that, with you, I shall be able to continue and realize, on a basis appropriate to the conditions of modern life, this grandiose and beneficent work: the re-establishment of the Olympic Games.”

The unique piece of history went missing for quite some time between the two World Wars.

Frenchman Marquis d’Amat went searching for it in the 1990s and eventually located it from a collector in Switzerland.

The sale set a personal record for the auctioneer, too, who has never hammered numbers quite this high in his 30-plus years of book and manuscript sales.

“It was a personal honor to serve as today’s auctioneer, as this marks my highest price on the rostrum in more than three decades at Sotheby’s,” Selby Kiffer, senior specialist in Sotheby’s Books and Manuscripts Department, said.

-insidethegames

Governing Bodies

Akwa Ibom sports ministry begins state-wide sports assets inventory

Published

2 months ago

August 4, 2025

Kunle Solaja

The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Sports has commenced a comprehensive inventory of all sports infrastructure across the state, following a directive from Governor Umo Eno at a recent State Executive Council meeting in Uyo.

The initiative aims to enhance safety, ensure proper maintenance, and assess the viability of facilities for possible upgrades or replacements.

Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, emphasized that the inventory is crucial to sustaining the state’s reputation as Nigeria’s sports tourism centre.

Key facilities under review include the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo Township Stadium, Eket Stadium, Olympic-size swimming pool, Arise Park sports facilities, Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre sports facilities Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, West Itam Sports Centre and various sports centres and academies.

He noted that Akwa Ibom remains the only Nigerian state with a stadium certified by both CAF and FIFA for international football matches, attributing this to the state’s strong maintenance culture — a legacy the current administration seeks to expand under the Arise Agenda.

During the recent Town Hall meeting in Eket, the Governor engaged the sports commissioner on the functional state of facilities at the Eket Stadium and asked him to report back to Exco as soon as possible, as directed.

“Akwa Ibom State has been Nigeria’s sports tourism centre for some years now, and Governor Umo Bassey is determined to maintain the status quo as we have seen in his administration’s resolve in maintaining sports infrastructure and facilities across the state.

“The fact that Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is the only stadium in Nigeria that meets CAF and FIFA standards for hosting international football matches is a testament to the maintenance culture of past and present administrations in the state.

As outlined in the Arise Agenda of the governor, we are committed to extending the maintenance culture to all sports infrastructure and facilities in Akwa Ibom State.

“The comprehensive compilation and sports assets inventory exercise is a step towards repositioning and ensuring proper maintenance of sports infrastructure and facilities while promoting and marketing our state as a sports tourism destination”.

The initiative is expected to support strategic planning for future sports development and enhance the state’s capacity to host local and international sporting events.

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Governing Bodies

FIFA President Infantino Tours Historic Chefchaouen During Private Visit to Morocco

Published

2 months ago

July 30, 2025

Kunle Solaja

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was reportedly spotted in the picturesque hillside town of Chefchaouen in northern Morocco, as part of a private visit to the country.

Infantino, accompanied by family members, toured the famous blue-painted alleys of the town’s medina (market) and visited the central square, Outa El Hammam.

Morocco World News reports that local sources revealed that the FIFA president received a detailed briefing on Chefchaouen’s architectural significance and its place in Moroccan cultural history.

He also posed for photos with residents and praised the town’s beauty and warm hospitality.

The FIFA chief’s appearance in Chefchaouen comes on the heels of an earlier family stop at Taghazout Bay, a coastal resort near Agadir.

Although his trip has been officially described as personal, Infantino’s presence in Morocco has drawn public interest, especially in light of the country’s growing prominence in world football.

Morocco is preparing to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and is one of the three co-hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, alongside Spain and Portugal.

Major infrastructure and stadium upgrades are currently underway across Moroccan host cities in preparation for the tournaments.

Earlier last week, Infantino was in Rabat for the official opening of FIFA’s new Regional Development Office for North and West Africa.

Situated adjacent to the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, the new office will coordinate FIFA programmes throughout the sub-region.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa. The event was described as a landmark in FIFA’s ongoing collaboration with Moroccan football authorities.

Morocco has emerged as a key player in international football, thanks to its sustained investment in youth development, world-class facilities, and capacity to host major tournaments.

Infantino has previously highlighted the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maamoura as a model for football development worldwide.

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Governing Bodies

FIFA President Hails Reconstructed Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium as Symbol of Modern Morocco

Published

2 months ago

July 28, 2025

Kunle Solaja

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Sunday paid a visit to the newly reconstructed Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, describing it as one of the most modern and innovative stadiums in world football.

Infantino was accompanied on the inspection tour by the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa. The FIFA chief commended Morocco’s commitment to sports infrastructure development, noting that the stadium reflects the country’s ambitions to position itself as a global football hub.

“A football stadium today is much more than just a place to play football. It is a symbol for a country and a place to unite people,” Infantino wrote in a social media post following the tour. “This particular stadium is already a true jewel, showing the modern Morocco — a country projecting itself into the future and choosing football to unite the world.”

The old Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah

The original Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah was demolished in the summer of 2023 to make way for a state-of-the-art facility that aligns with Morocco’s aspirations on the global football stage.

The revamped stadium is expected to play a pivotal role in both continental and global tournaments.

The new Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah

Strategically, the stadium is slated to host one of the semi-final matches of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal. It is also billed to feature prominently during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with plans to stage several high-profile matches.

Infantino’s visit underscores FIFA’s recognition of Morocco’s football infrastructure transformation, with the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium serving as a flagship example of the country’s modernisation drive in sports development.

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