Football at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Last updated
Football at the 1896 Summer Olympics
Tournament details
Host countryGreece
City Athens
Dates12 April 1896
Teams2
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark XI
Runners-up Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Podilatikos Syllogos Athinon
Tournament statistics
Matches played1
Goals scored15 (15 per match)
1900

At the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, an unofficial football event was held on 12 April between two representative teams of Greece and Denmark at the Podilatodromio. [1] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not recognize the existence of an official football tournament at the 1896 Olympics and the majority of works devoted to the 1896 Olympic Games do not actually mention a football competition; however, there is incontrovertible evidence that the aforementioned match was played as either a part of the (unofficial) programme, or as a "demonstration sport" during the Olympic Games. [2]

Contents

The reason why this match was more or less ignored was because of a recommendation from Crown Prince Constantine, the chairman of the 1896 Olympic Organizing Committee, who publicly said that the sports which were not part of the official Olympic programme should not be mentioned, and thus, due to its unofficial classification, the football match was forbidden to be reported anywhere, neither by the local or the national press. [1] [2] [3] As a result, the final score of the game remains uncertain with various sources agreeing it was either a 9–0 or a 15–0 victory for the Danish, who were later awarded bronze medals by the local organizing committee. [1] Remarkably, it was Prince Constantine's younger brother, George, Prince of both Greece and Denmark, who refereed the football match. [1]

Background

The organization of a football tournament at the 1896 Games was directly raised during the first-ever IOC meeting held in November 1894, which means that an Olympic football tournament was originally planned to be held at the games. [1] By early 1896, the Greek Olympic Organizing Committee had been informed that four foreign football teams were interested in sending a team, and thus, on 17 March, it was decided to include football in the official programme of the 1896 Games. [4] However, none of the four clubs showed up in Athens, and thus, despite the Greek preparations for a football tournament, it was ultimately decided to remove football from the official Olympic programme due to the small number of participants on 28 March, in a meeting of the Greek organizing committee. [1]

The deadline for both federations and clubs to sign up was six days later (3 April). By that day the Secretary-General had only received name lists from Greece and Denmark. [1] Football was thus (like boxing, cricket, horse racing, rowing and sailing) only unofficially part of the Olympic programme in Athens in 1896. [1]

Squad

The Greek team was represented by sports club Podilatikos Syllogos Athinón (one of the pioneers of Greek football), who also represented Greece at the track cycling Competitions which were also conducted at the Neo Phaliron Velodrome. [2] The Denmark team, however, was much harder to put together. Københavns Roklub (KR) had a good football team in the 1890s, so they received an invitation from the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, to participate in the 1896 Olympics, but apparently, they sent just two players to represent them, Eugen Schmidt and Holger Nielsen, [2] who filled the rest of team with Danes who lived in Athens or who just happened to be there at the time for work reasons, such as sailors and businessmen, along with some members of Østerbro Boldklub (ØB). [1] [3] KR and ØB had been among the founding members of the Dansk Idræts-Forbund (DIF, Danish Sports Confederation), founded on 14 February 1896, which selected the team sent to Athens. [1] The ØB players who were sent to Athens were replaced by the ones who had left Boldklubben Frem, apparently for economic reasons. [1]

Czech author Jiří Guth-Jarkovský, who was one of the founding members of the IOC in 1894 and was in Athens in 1896 as an IOC member, reported in 1896 that Denmark had 12 participants at the Olympic Games, which explains how Denmark could field a whole football team. [1] Later reports state that Denmark only had 3 participants, but the 9 additional participants were most likely only part of the unofficial football match, and therefore they were never listed in official sources. [1]

Both Schmidt and Nielsen competed in other events at the 1896 Summer Olympics, with Schmidt competing in both the 100 metre sprint, and the military rifle shooting event, although he did not achieve any notable feats. [5] Nielsen competed in fencing, firearms and discus events. [6]

The 'Podilatodromio' in Athens, venue for the tournament, as seen in 1896 Podhlatodromio karaiskakh 1896.jpg
The 'Podilatodromio' in Athens, venue for the tournament, as seen in 1896

Venue

All the matches were hosted at "Neo Phaliron Velodrome" (or "Podilatodromio"), originally a velodrome and sports arena in the Neo Faliro District of Piraeus. This venue was also used for the track cycling events at the 1896 Olympics. [7]

The match attracted a significant number of spectators at the time, over 6,000 people attended the Velodrome. [2]

The match

Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Podilatikos Syllogos Athinon0–9
or
0–15
Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark XI
Report
Podilatodromio , Athens, Greece
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Prince George (Greece)

Tournament ranking

Pos.TeamPldWDL
1 Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark XI (DEN)1100
2 Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Podilatikos Syllogos Athinon (GRE)1001

Disputes and proof

Disputes

In 2017, Olympic historians Volker Kluge and Bill Mallon published the results of an investigation into a possible football game at the 1896 Olympic Games. They cite a book (published in 1998) about the 1896 Olympic Games written by Bill Mallon himself and Ture Widlund. In the book, they concluded that;

"Football is sometimes listed as having been contested in 1896 as an exhibition sport or demonstration sport at the Olympic Games, although no such designation existed at the time of the 1896 Olympics. Supposedly, a match between a Greek club and a Danish club was conducted. No 1896 source supports this and we think this is most likely an error that has been perpetrated in multiple texts. No such match occurred." [8]

The theory that Mallon and Kluge put forward is that the match between Denmark and Athens at the 1906 Intercalated Games has, in the course of history, been wrongly reported as happening at the 1896 Olympic Games. [8] In fact, one source dictates that the 1896 match was contested by an Athens XI and a Smyrna XI, but this game actually took place at the Intercalated Games and is alleged to be a mistake that has persisted through time. [3]

Proof

Olympic historians Erik Bergvall, Fritz Wasner, Herbert Sander and Peder Christian Andersen all independently agree that football was played at the 1896 Olympic Games, and that there can be no question of a confusion between the football tournaments played in 1896 and 1906. [1]

In 1970, an old Greek footballer Malonis Isaias, who also played at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games, gave an interview about the beginning of Greek football, in which he stated that football was played at the 1896 Olympic Games. [2] [9]

The information about the match most likely comes mostly from one of the founders of the IOC Aleksei Butovsky (1838–1917), who was a witness to the match in 1896. According to him the score was 0–9. [2] [10]

FIFA News number 155 from April 1976 lists Denmark as the first Olympic champions. [2] [11] Later that year in July, FIFA held its 40th congress, which officially recognised the 1896 Olympic Games as the first Olympic football tournament. [2] [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Olympic Games</span> Major international multi-sport event

The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece, and the most recent was held in 2024 in Paris, France. This was the first international multi-sport event of its kind, organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) founded by Pierre de Coubertin. The tradition of awarding medals began in 1904; in each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals for second place, and bronze medals for third place. The Winter Olympic Games were created out of the success of the Summer Olympic Games, which are regarded as the largest and most prestigious multi-sport international event in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1896 Summer Olympics</span> Multi-sport event in Athens, Greece

The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad and commonly known as Athens 1896, were the first international Olympic Games held in modern history. Organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which had been created by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin, the event was held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics</span> Six cycling events were contested at the Neo Phaliron Velodrome

At the 1896 Summer Olympics, six cycling events were contested at the Neo Phaliron Velodrome. They were organized and prepared by the Sub-Committee for Cycling. Events were held on 8 April, 11 April, 12 April and 13 April 1896. Nineteen cyclists, all men, from five nations competed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1906 Intercalated Games</span> International multi-sport event in Greece

The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games, held from 22 April 1906 to 2 May 1906, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, the medals that were distributed to the participants during these games were later not officially recognised by the IOC and are not displayed with the collection of Olympic medals at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark national football team</span> Mens association football team

The Denmark national football team represents Denmark and Greenland in men's international football competitions. It is controlled by the Danish Football Association (DBU), the governing body for the football clubs which are organised under DBU. Denmark's home stadium is Parken Stadium in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the 1906 Intercalated Games</span> International football competition

At the 1906 Summer Olympics in Athens, an unofficial football event was held. Only four teams competed, with three of them being clubs from Greece and the Ottoman Empire. Medal tables list the gold medalist as Denmark, with the silver medals given to a mixed team from Smyrna, and the bronze medalists from Thessaloniki listed as Greece. Both were cities in the Ottoman Empire at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greece national football team</span> Mens association football team

The Greece national football team represents Greece in men's international football matches, and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece is one of only ten national teams to have been crowned UEFA European Champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the Summer Olympics</span> Association football at the Olympics

Association football has been included in every Summer Olympic Games as a men's competition sport, except 1896 and 1932. Women's football was added to the official program at the Atlanta 1996 Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugen Schmidt</span> Danish sportsman (1862–1931)

Eugen Stahl Schmidt was a Danish shooter, athlete, and tug of war competitor. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens and at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Holger Louis Nielsen was a Danish fencer, sport shooter, and athlete. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. He is probably best known for drawing up the first set of rules for the game of handball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Masson (cyclist)</span> French cyclist (1876–1944)

Paul Michel Pierre Adrien Masson was a French cyclist who raced at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo Phaliron Velodrome</span> Sports venue in Piraeus, Greece

The Neo Phaliron Velodrome was a velodrome and sports arena in the Neo Faliro District of Piraeus, Greece, used for the cycling events at the 1896 Summer Olympics held in Athens. The property was donated by the Athens-Piraeus train company to the Hellenic Olympic Committee. It became the home of two football clubs which expanded into more sports: Ethnikos Piraeus (1923) and Olympiacos CFP (1925).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">France at the 1900 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

France was the host of the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. France was one of many nations that had competed in the 1896 Summer Olympics in Greece and had returned to compete at the 1900 Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Denmark first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the sparsely attended 1904 Games. Denmark has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games several times since 1948, including every Games since 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw</span>

The men's discus throw was one of two throwing events on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. The discus throw was the fourth event held. It was contested on 6 April. 9 athletes competed, including one each from France, Sweden, the United States, and Great Britain as well as three Greeks and two Danes.

The Greece Football Clubs Association (FCA), founded in 1919 as the Athens-Piraeus FCA, was the first governing body of football in Greece, before the Hellenic Football Federation. Prior to the FCA's founding, football competitions had been organised by the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association, the Committee of the Olympic Games, or local clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karaiskakis Stadium</span> Football stadium in Piraeus, Attica, Greece

The Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, commonly referred to as the Karaiskakis Stadium, is a football stadium in Piraeus, Attica, Greece, and the home ground of the Piraeus football club Olympiacos. It is named after Georgios Karaiskakis, a military commander and national hero of the Greek War of Independence, who was mortally wounded in the area.

The 1907 SEGAS Championship was the second championship organized by SEGAS and the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark national football team results (1908–1929)</span>

This is a list of the Denmark national football team results from 1908 to 1929.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mixed team at the 1906 Intercalated Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Early Olympic Games allowed for individuals in a team to be from different nations. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) groups their results together under the mixed team designation. There were also mixed teams at the 1906 Summer Olympics in Athens, now called the Intercalated Games and no longer considered as an official Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee. During the 1906 Intercalated Games two teams comprising international members won medals in different events.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Games of the I. Olympiad". RSSSF. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Olympic Football: 1896 Demonstration Match between Denmark and Greece". www.topendsports.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "What was the first Football World Championship?". atletifo.com. 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  4. Young 1996, p. 139.
  5. "Eugen Schmidt". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. "Holger Nielsen". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. "1896 Summer Olympics official report" (PDF). digital.la84.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 May 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 "The Rumoured Football Matches at the 1896 Olympics" (PDF). isoh.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. "ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟ ΑΡΧΕΙΟ ΕΡΤ - ΓΕΓΟΝΟΤΑ ΔΕΚΑΕΤΙΑΣ 1970" [HISTORICAL ARCHIVE ERT - EVENTS OF THE 1970s]. archive.ert.gr (in Greek). 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. "ОРГАНІЗАЦІЯ ТА ПРОВЕДЕННЯ ЗМАГАНЬ З МІНІ–ФУТБОЛУ" [ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT OF MINI FOOTBALL COMPETITIONS]. duikt.edu.ua (in Ukrainian). 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  11. "FIFA NEWS No. 155" (PDF). www.topendsports.com. 1 April 1976. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  12. "Ретроспектива змагань з футболу та особливості їх проведення в Oлімпійських іграх" [Retrospective of football competitions and the peculiarities of their conduct at the Olympic games](PDF). molodyvcheny.in.ua (in Ukrainian). Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  13. "Olympic Football Tournament London 1908". FIFA. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.

Further reading