Pierre de Coubertin medal
The Pierre de Coubertin medal (also known as the De Coubertin medal or the True Spirit of Sportsmanship medal) is a special decoration awarded by the International Olympic Committee to those athletes and former athletes who exemplify the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events or through exceptional service to the Olympic movement.[1][2]
The medal was inaugurated in 1964 and named in honour of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee. According to the Olympic Museum, "It is one of the noblest honours that can be bestowed upon an Olympic athlete."[3]
Recipients
| Athlete |
Country |
Event |
Date |
Place |
| Luz Long |
.svg.png) Germany |
1936 Summer Olympics |
1964 (Awarded posthumously) |
Berlin, Germany |
| Emil Zátopek |
 Czechoslovakia |
1952 Summer Olympics |
December 6, 2000 (Awarded posthumously) |
Helsinki, Finland |
| Eugenio Monti |
 Italy |
1964 Winter Olympics |
1964 |
Innsbruck, Austria |
| Karl Heinz Klee |
 Austria |
1976 Winter Olympics |
February 1977 |
Innsbruck, Austria |
| Franz Jonas[4] |
Austria |
– |
July 1969 |
– |
| Lawrence Lemieux |
 Canada |
1988 Summer Olympics |
September 1988 |
Seoul, South Korea |
| Raymond Gafner |
 Switzerland |
– |
1999 |
– |
| Spencer Eccles |
 United States |
2002 Winter Olympics |
February 2002 |
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Tana Umaga |
 New Zealand |
2003 Rugby Test Match |
June 2003 |
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom |
| Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima |
 Brazil |
2004 Summer Olympics |
August 29, 2004 |
Athens, Greece |
| Elena Novikova-Belova |
 Belarus |
2007 XI International Scientific Congress |
May 17, 2007 |
Minsk, Belarus |
| Shaul Ladany |
 Israel |
"unusual outstanding sports achievements during a span covering over four decades"[5] |
May 17, 2007 |
Minsk, Belarus |
| Petar Cupać |
 Croatia |
2008 Summer Olympics |
November 18, 2008 |
Beijing, China |
| Ivan Bulaja |
Croatia |
2008 Summer Olympics |
November 18, 2008 |
Beijing, China |
| Pavle Kostov |
Croatia |
2008 Summer Olympics |
November 18, 2008 |
Beijing, China |
| Ronald Harvey |
 Australia |
|
2009 |
|
| Richard Garneau |
Canada |
2014 Winter Olympics |
February 6, 2014 (Awarded posthumously) |
Sochi, Russia |
| Michael Hwang [6] |
 Singapore |
2014 Asian Games |
October 14, 2014 |
Incheon, Republic of Korea |
|
Quotations
- “Nash didn't win because I gave him the bolt. He won because he had the fastest run.”
- —Eugenio Monti when interviewed after giving a bolt from his own bobsled to his competitors, the British bobsled team, at the 1964 Winter Olympics. Monti was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for his sportsmanship.
- “It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler... You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the twenty-four karat friendship that I felt for Lutz Long at that moment."
- —Jesse Owens after being advised by his competitor, Lutz Long, at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Long was posthumously awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for his sportsmanship.[7]
- "I can't accept Emanuel's medal. I'm happy with mine, it's bronze but means gold."
- —Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, in September 1, 2004, after Brazilian beach volleyball player Emanuel Rego, who won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, gave his gold medal to him on a television program. Deeply touched, Vanderlei returned it.[8]
See also
References
