The Olympic and Paralympic Games

On 26 June 2024 in Strasbourg, the Olympic torch was carried into the  Council of Europe in the presence of leaders, parliamentarians and members of staff. It marked a historic milestone and a first in the history of this Strasbourg institution as the torch made its way to Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President, Theodoros Rousopoulos, celebrated the event by recalling the origins of the Olympic Games dating back 2,800 years to Greece, and their revival in France thanks to Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. He hailed the Flame as a symbol of peace, and the "cradle of human rights".

This event was not only a celebration of sport, but also a moment to reflect on the inextricable link between sport and politics. The history of the modern Games shows that international sporting events have often been forums for contemporary geopolitical issues. Numerous significant episodes have shown how the Games have been the stage for political rivalries, demands and symbolic gestures, underlining the political dimension of sport.

The Olympic Games have thus become a mirror of the world's tensions and hopes. Emblematic images such as the friendship between Jesse Owens and Luz Long in 1936, the Black Power gesture of Tommie Smith and John Carlos in 1968, or the Munich tragedy in 1972, bear witness to the political impact of the Games. Even today, by hosting the Olympic torch, the Council of Europe is reaffirming this interconnection, illustrating how sport can serve as a bridge for peace and human rights.