Who and for what reason said the phrase "The main thing is not victory, but participation"

Everyone has probably heard that "the main thing is not victory, but participation." Participants of competitions and Olympiads, and not only sports, are especially familiar with it. Many believe that this is folk wisdom, but it is not. This catch phrase has an author. Moreover, an interesting and even dramatic story is connected with it.

The most important consoling phrase in world history was said by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. It is believed that he pronounced it on the opening of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. But this information is only partially true. The fact is that these words were said by the baron, but not on the opening of the games, and at the end. And he said them on a special occasion, which became a sensation.

The 1908 Olympics were no match for the current ones. Suffice it to say that it lasted from April 27 to October 31, that is, more than six months. It was the first large-scale Olympiad, in which 2000 athletes from different countries of the world participated. The first Olympic gold medal in the history of Russia was received here!

There were dozens of sports in the program of the games, but the attention of the audience was especially focused on the marathon. 55 athletes from 16 countries went to the start on July 24. Among the participants was a 22-year-old Italian Dorando Pietri. This guy today would hardly have had a chance to get to the Olympics, because his experience in sports was only 4 years. Nevertheless, Pietri was a runner from God and managed to win first places at several serious championships.

The day chosen for the marathon race was abnormally hot. Dorando Pietri bravely walked most of the distance, but 3 kilometers before the finish he had a heatstroke. Despite this, stumbling and staggering, the Italian was the first to run out onto the stadium track, where the finish line was located. There were some pitiful 500 meters left before the victory.

But Pietri, unexpectedly for everyone, stopped, looked around in confusion and ran ... in the opposite direction! The disoriented athlete was stopped and pointed in the right direction. Dorando corrected himself, but his legs no longer listened to him. He fell 5 times and each time the audience thought that he would not get up again.

The judges, violating the rules, helped the young man to get up and he continued his run. To pass the last 500 meters, the athlete spent 10 minutes! But Pietri still crossed the finish line first, with a solid margin from his closest rivals. It seemed that the winner was obvious, but it was not there. Due to the fact that the Italian was helped several times, the opinions of the judges were divided.

Some of the referees were in favor of giving the victory to the athlete who came second. It was the American John Hayes. He came to the finish line much later than Dorando Pietri, but no one helped him. While the discussion was going on in the judges' room, the audience could not find a place for themselves. Among the guests of the Olympiad was the writer Arthur Conan Doyle, the "father" of Sherlock Holmes. The writer then worked as a reporter for one of the London newspapers. He described the situation as follows:

Alas, the judges' decision was not in favor of Pietri and the American received the gold medal. But do not rush to complain about the injustice and feel sorry for the Italian athlete. He did not become a champion, but he became a real hero of the 1908 Olympics! His will to win impressed not only the audience, but also the organizers of the games.

His name flew around all the publications of the planet and was mentioned more often than the name of the official winner. Pietri's fans chipped in and cast him a gold cup — an exact copy of what the champion received. They composed songs and wrote stories about him. It was a real triumph.

A few days after the marathon, a solemn service was held in St. Paul's Cathedral. The bishop, who came from the USA, delivered a speech in which there were such words:

The main mastermind of the Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, remembered this. A few days later, at a government banquet, he quoted a wise bishop. And from himself he added the very phrase: "The main thing is not victory, but participation."

As for Dorando Pietri himself, his sports career was short. He performed for three more years, but managed to win many high-profile victories. After that, he ended his career and disappeared from view. It is known that his life was interrupted early. The hero of the Olympics died at the age of 56 from a heart attack.

Pietri's story is amazing, but there have been other equally interesting and touching cases at the Olympic Games.