The Hungarian University of Sports Sciences (HUSS) and the Hungarian Olympic Committee (HOC) held a joint sporty commemoration of the World Olympic Day on Thursday 23 June at the university campus.
As known, this day was first celebrated in 1948 at the initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic movement on 23 June 1894. Its aim is to enable everyone, regardless of age, gender or fitness level, to participate in sport and share in the Olympic values and Olympism.
On this special day, a commemoration ‘seasoned’ with streetball action was held on the HUSS campus, where several Olympic champions and medal-winning athletes, senior members of HOC Dr Ádám Schmidt, member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the University of Physical Education, State Secretary for Sport and other prominent representatives of Hungarian sport gathered to launch a new and noble initiative.
As part of this, HUSS and IOC will now commemorate World Olympic Day every year, as a tradition-building measure to strengthen Olympism, by worshipping the statue of Baron Pierre de Coubertin behind the library building and jointly organising a special sports event.
‘It is a great honour that so many people have accepted our invitation’, recalled HOC President Zsolt Gyulay in his speech. ‘It seems that there is a great need for the Olympic family to celebrate together again. On this day 128 years ago, the International Olympic Committee was founded under the leadership of Baron Coubertin. We can be proud that among the 16 founding members there was a Hungarian, namely Ferenc Kemény, the father of the Hungarian Olympic movement. The International Olympic Day is very important for the Olympic family and it is our intention to revive this fine tradition and raise awareness of the importance of sport and physical activity. Today we will commemorate our Olympic champions with a series of spectacular events and activities across the country.’
After the President's welcome speech, HUSS Rector Dr Tamás Sterbenz took the microphone.
‘We are delighted to have received the HOC’s request to celebrate the World Olympic Day here at the university’, the Rector began his speech. ‘Let us not forget that in 1894, Baron Coubertin held the Athletics Congress at the Sorbonne University in Paris, which only came to mind because the university is indeed the most appropriate venue for such commemorations. For the Hungarian University of Sports Science, it is essential that the Olympic ideal permeates its everyday life and every square metre of the campus. I am confident that we will soon be able to inaugurate the marble plaque with the names of the Olympic champions in our old building which our students should see every day. The triangle formed by the HOC, HUSS and the State Secretariat is an effective representation not only of the Olympic idea but also of the competitiveness of the Olympic Games. I believe that the success of Hungarian sport in the future must be built on the sports science background provided by HUSS.’
After the welcoming speeches, the HUSS teachers and members of the HOC team dressed up in sportswear and marched to the streetball court set up in the parking lot where a friendly street basketball tournament took place.
The teams played round robin matches in a great atmosphere and we were surprised to see the former Olympic swimmers, pentathletes, water polo players and kayakers, who were less familiar with basketball, sometimes playing some nice games – three-point baskets, slick passes – to the large and enthusiastic crowd. For the sake of historical fidelity, it should be noted that at the end of the tournament, HUSS took the top step of the imaginary podium, but on this day, sport and Olympism were the real winners.
photo: Péter Szalmási
