Sweden and the International Olympic Movement
When Pierre de Coubertin invited personalities and organisations to support his move towards re-establishing the Olympic Games, he included the Royal Swedish Court.On May 1, 1894, the Marshal of the Court wrote to Coubertin:"By order of HRH the Prince Royal of Sweden and Norway, I have the honour to inform you that His Royal Highness has pleasure in accepting patronage of the International Athletics Congress from 16th to 24th June 1894 which you have so kindly offered him."Having won this support, Coubertin then turned to the Central Gymnastics Institute in Stockholm, and of its Director, at the time Captain Viktor G. Balck (1844-1928). Balck became an honorary member of the Organising Committee for the 1894 Sorbonne Congress at which the International Olympic Committee was founded. Attending the Congress were two Swedish delegates, representing Svenska Gymnastikförbundet, Lieutenant Fredrik Bergh and Major Sten Adalrik Drakenberg.Two IOC session have been held in Sweden and Stockholm, the 15th session in 1912 and the 41st session in 1947. In 1947, the 2nd meeting of the Executive Board with the International Federations was also held in Stockholm. The IOC Executive Board has met in Stockholm three times, in 1947, 1956 and 1988.
The first meeting of the Executive Board of the Associations of European National Olympic Committees, after the 1976 General Assembly, was held in Stockholm January 13-14, 1977. The 26th 1997 General Assembly was held in Stockholm, November 14-15.
