新澳门开奖结果

Low-class competitors were not the only ones to suffer a form of ostracism during the Olympic Games organized in Paris in 1900 and 1924. Women and people of color were also subject to particular treatment, with some being surprised of their prowess, with others openly criticizing their participation in the Games. And in this matter, Baron de Coubertin is not the most open-minded…

If the Athens Olympics in 1896 were 100% male, certain events were accessible to women four years later, in Paris. However, Coubertin’s reluctance resonates like a blade: for him, every woman is only a “future mother” and must “be raised with a view to this immutable future”. She must 鈥渁void making a spectacle of herself鈥� and be content to 鈥渃rown the winners鈥�. This opinion is, unfortunately, only a reflection of a point of view widely shared at the time. And should we be surprised that the poster for the fencing competition represents a woman when this discipline is strictly reserved for men? Ah! The 鈥渓ittle women of Paris鈥濃��

In the confusion of the international competitions intertwined with the activities of the Universal Exhibition*, it is impossible to know the exact number of women who lined up in 1900. At most we know that some participated in the fishing competition, but the two names that remained in history are those of two champions registered in sports officially recognized by the IOC: golf and tennis.

On July 11, 1900, Charlotte Cooper*, English tennis player, was the very first woman medalist in the history of the Olympic Games, in the individual event and then in the mixed doubles. She is 29 years old, won Wimbledon a little earlier, and wins in the final against the French champion, H茅l猫ne Pr茅vost.

The same year, at the beginning of October, Margaret Abbott* won the women’s golf tournament. She became the first American Olympic champion but would never know it, because the IOC would only later validate some of the competitions organized as part of the International Competitions.

These two major successes did not prevent Coubertin from writing, in 1912: 鈥淎 small female Olympiad next to the great male Olympiad? Impractical, uninteresting, unsightly, and we are not afraid to add: incorrect, such would be, in our opinion, this half women’s Olympics. 禄 We dare not imagine his reaction to the Women’s World Tennis Games organized in Paris in 1922 to overcome the reluctance of the IOC towards women…

But the 鈥渇emales鈥� are not the only ones to attract 鈥渟urprised鈥� comments, to say the least. People of color are also singled out when they win. Thus Constantin Henriquez is widely referred to as 鈥渢he first black champion鈥�. Of Franco-Haitian origin, he is, in fact, a member of the French rugby union team and a member of the Stade fran莽ais. But more than his technique, it is the color of his skin that calls out.

Likewise, in 1924, Jos茅 Andrade was baptized 鈥渢he black marvel鈥�. A member of the Uruguay football team (whose participation in the Olympics is the first time), he amuses the commentators with his (very serious) statements about his dribbling: 鈥淚 work on them by running after the chickens鈥�. So dark and so naive at the same time…

Finally, the first colored athlete to win an individual medal was William De Hart-Hubbard*, in 1924, in the long jump. For him, no qualifiers, no juicy story. Just a brilliant competitor, having cleared 7.44m. An American athlete among many other Olympic medalists.