Syracuse

Olympism and today's reality / Nikolaos Nissiotis

Nissiotis, Nikos Angelos (1925-1986)

Nikolaos Nissiotis bases his address on the necessity of taking into account the philosophical principles of Olympism in order to effectively confront the current dangers facing the Olympic movement; power-political influences, commercialisation, outward glamour, gigantism and doping. In this connection he mentions the significance of the mythological roots of ancient Greek philosophy, the striving for unity through the association of opposites (universality), the use of matter and form through movement with established goals, the universal ideal of education in the sense of Kalokagathia, Olympism, and the overcoming of biological and mechanical technocracy. The education of athletes in order to combat the athlete star-system, to understand the concept of competition against an opponent as a form of partnership and to educate an individual and collective humanistic conscience is also closely interlinked with the above. Olympism provides the opportunity to develop a balanced character and to be involved in intense activity using self-discipline and a clearly defined goal.

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