The official history of the Olympic Games and the IOC (2008)

The Official History of the Olympic Games and the IOC is the updated and expanded account of the world’s foremost sporting spectacle. This lavishly illustrated volume tells the story of the recreation of the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin, of the often tempestuous fortunes of the governing body, including the Salt Lake City scandal of 1998 and the recent controversial host city elections of London (2012) and Sochi (2014), together with the drama of the Games themselves. It also tells the story of the historic competitors – from Spyridon Louis (the inaugural marathon winner) and such heroes as Jim Thorpe, Paavo Nurmi, Sonja Henie, Jesse Owens, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Emil Zátopek, Herb Elliot, Kip Keino, Mark Spitz, Franz Klammer, Sebastiaan Coe and Carl Lewis through to Hicham El Guerrouj and Michael Phelps. For this updated edition, over 50 IOC members have been interviewed. Detailed background is provided to the many crises: the Nazi Games of 1936; the massacre at Mexico City in 1968; the terrorist slaughter of Israelis at the 1972 Munich Games; the three boycotts; the advent of professionals from 1988; the Ben Johnson and Marion Jones drugs scandals; and the debate on new events. As the sporting world awaits, with eager expectation, the 2008 Games in Beijing, this official history gives an unparalleled account of the story so far.