IOC President marks 100 year anniversary of the Olympic Winter Games

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first Olympic Winter Games - held in the French community of Chamonix in 1924 - this weekend, taking part in a day of official ceremonies and cultural festivities in the legendary Alpine town at the foot of Mont Blanc.

Along with Olympic dignitaries, President Bach addressed the local population gathered at the event, commenting “this first edition of the Winter Games was a real success among the people, and the media for its time, thanks to the determination, commitment and enthusiasm of the organisers and the people of Chamonix. The beauty of your mountains and the magic of winter sports won over the whole world

“One hundred years on, the Chamonix Games are continuing to inspire people in the best possible way, through the staging of an event that left a sustainable legacy to future generations.

“I would like to warmly thank the town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the people of Chamonix, and its Mayor, Mr Fournier. Thank you for perpetuating this 100-year-old legacy, and for bringing together so many of your citizens to bring the Olympic spirit to life.”

A number of Olympians from Chamonix joined the centenary celebrations, which culminated with the unveiling of the Olympic rings at the entrance of the Parc Olympique - the historic grounds of the 36,000 metre² ice rink used for the 1924 Games.

During the celebrations, guests visited a temporary exhibition, Chamonix 1924: invention of the Olympic Winter Games, which offered an in-depth look into the organisation of the first Olympic Winter Games.

Mayor Fournier also presented the IOC President with a curling stone that was used during the 1924 Games. The historic gift will be added to the collections of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The first Olympic Winter Games took place from 25th January to 5th February 1924, and saw 258 athletes from 16 national teams compete in 16 events in nine sports/disciplines: bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, military patrol, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating.

Chamonix 1924 was a landmark moment in the development of the Olympic Movement, and a springboard for the growth of the French resort and winter sport. The Games boosted Chamonix’s national and international reputation as a tourism destination, which today has over eight million overnight visitors each year spread equally between the winter and summer seasons.

Including this first edition, 24 editions of the Olympic Winter Games have been hosted so far by 21 regions and 13 countries. Over the years, they have helped introduce winter sports to wider audiences, for professionals and amateurs alike, and have propelled their hosts onto the global map of world-class resorts and destinations, bringing tourism, economic and community benefits.

Click here to find out more about the history of the Olympic Winter Games, their evolution and the legacies they have created for their hosts.

Images: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc celebrates 100 years of the Olympics (top) and IOC President Thomas Bach addresses the crowd at the weekend (below). Credit: IOC/Greg Martin.