1920 Antwerp Olympics and the first Olympic Oath

Lore & Background

The 1920 Antwerp Olympics were a testament to resilience. Belgium, devastated by the Great War—its towns razed, its fields churned into mud by trenches—hosted the Games as a defiant symbol of recovery and international unity. The Opening Ceremony on August 14, 1920, at the hastily built Olympisch Stadion, saw the debut of the Olympic Oath, proposed by Pierre de Coubertin to reinforce the fading spirit of amateurism and fair competition. Victor Boin, a Belgian water polo player and fencer who had also served as a pilot in the war, stepped to the podium and recited the oath on behalf of all athletes, marking a shift toward ritualized solemnity that would echo through every future Games.

In Their Own Story

The stadium hummed with the quiet of a crowd still remembering war—the crack of rifles, the groan of artillery. Flags of nations, some newly born from the wreckage of empires, fluttered in the Antwerp breeze. Victor Boin, his voice steady but carrying the weight of a continent's grief, stepped forward: 'We swear. We will take part in the Olympic Games in a spirit of chivalry, for the honor of our country and for the glory of sport.' The words hung in the air like a prayer, a promise etched not just into the history of every future Games, but into the very soul of a world desperate for peace.

Reader's Guide

The 1920 Antwerp Olympics define an era of rebirth and ritual for the Olympic movement. After the cancellation of the 1916 Games due to World War I—a conflict that had turned Europe into a slaughterhouse—these Games reestablished the quadrennial tradition in a war-torn continent. The introduction of the Olympic Oath was a defining feature, adding a layer of ceremonial gravitas that persists today. For the club's identity, this era matters because it underscores the Olympics' role as a force for peace and unity, with Antwerp as a crucible where modern traditions were forged from the ashes of war. The oath's emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play remains central to the Olympic ethos, reminding us that the Games are more than competition—they are a covenant of honor, sworn by athletes who knew all too well the cost of broken promises.

Did You Know?

• The Olympic Oath was first recited by Belgian athlete Victor Boin, who competed in both water polo and fencing at the 1920 Games.
• The original oath included the phrase 'in a spirit of chivalry,' reflecting the ideals of amateurism and honor.
• The release of doves as a symbol of peace was actually introduced at the 1896 Athens Olympics, not the 1920 Antwerp Games.
• Antwerp's Olympisch Stadion was built in just over a year, using a design that included a cycling track around the field.