SIR – During the opening ceremony of London 2012, Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee president, and Lord Coe, the chairman of the organising committee, proclaimed that London is the only city to have hosted the Olympics three times.

Athens hosted Olympic Games in 1896, 1906, and 2004. Moreover, Athens 1906 was recognised by the International Olympic Committee as its second Olympic Games, against the wishes of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics. This is well documented by Olympic historians.

The opening parade of athletes was a key innovation of the 1906 Games. It is despicable not to honour those who first marched it during an opening ceremony.

Yours faithfully,
Zappas.org


[Zappas.org says: This is an example of how misinformation is propagated. The letter has been amended by the letter editor and the content and meaning have been changed. It was done without contacting the author. It is common practice among letter editors and it is utterly infuriating when you have agonized over the wording. The original letter is copied below so that you can see the difference for yourself. A strongly worded letter was written and it has been chained and tamed.]


Dear Editor,

During the opening ceremony of London 2012, Jacques Rogge and Lord Coe proclaimed loud and proud that London is the only city to have hosted the Olympics three times.

Athens hosted Olympic Games, under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, in 1896, 1906, and 2004. Moreover, Athens 1906 was recognised by the IOC, against the wishes of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, as its second Olympic Games. At that time, athletes knew that they were participating at the IOC’s second Olympic Games and it is well documented by Olympic historians.

There is no doubt that Rogge & Coe knew that they were posthumously dishonouring the Olympians of Athens 1906. Moreover, they assumed that nobody would notice. But the parade of athletes by nation that we all witnessed last Friday was a key innovation of the 1906 games. There could not be a more despicable crime than to dishonour those who first marched it during an opening ceremony.

Clearly, they must have decided that since the Olympians of Athens 1906 are all dead and buried that Coe would not have to outrun any of them. However, that does not prevent the ghosts of Olympians past from haunting their political meanderings.

Yours faithfully,
Zappas.org