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Information about Demetrius Vikelas

Demetrius Vikelas, also known as Bikelas (Greek: Δημήτριος Βικέλας; February 15, 1835 – July 20, 1908) was a Greek businessman and the first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), from 1894 to 1896.

Born in Ermoupoli, on the island of Syros in Greece, he was often sick as a child. Because of his bad health, he had a spotty education. He left home at 17 to work for his uncle in London, first as a bookkeeper, and then as a partner. In London, he met and became friends with future Prime Minister of Greece Charilaos Trikoupis, the son of the Greek ambassador.

Vikelas represented the Pan-Hellenic Gymnastic Club at the 1894 Paris congress convened by De Coubertin, where the modern Olympic Movement was founded.

Originally, it had been De Coubertin's idea to hold the first celebration of the modern Olympics in Paris in 1900, but Vikelas convinced him and the newly created IOC that they should be held in Athens, in order to symbolically link them to the original Games. As the constitution of the IOC at that time required the IOC president to be from the country which would host the next Games, Vikelas became the IOC's first president.

After these first Olympics, which proved a success, Vikelas withdrew from the IOC and turned his attention elsewhere. He died in Athens, aged 73.

Today, the Sports Center (Stadium) in Ermoupoli, which seats 2000 people, with an Olympic-size swimming pool, four tennis courts, two gym halls, basket and volleyball courts, track and field, floor football court and soccer field, bears Demetrios Vikelas' name.

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Presidents of the IOC
Demetrius Vikelas (1894–1896) | Pierre de Coubertin (1896–1925) | Godefroy de Blonay (acting 1916–1919) | Henri de Baillet-Latour (1925–1942) | Sigfrid Edstrm (1942–1952) | Avery Brundage (1952–1972) | Lord Killanin (1972–1980) | Juan Antonio Samaranch (1980–2001) | Jacques Rogge (2001–current) |
Greek}}} 
Writing system: Greek alphabet 
Official status
Official language of:  Greece
 Cyprus
 European Union
recognised as minority language in parts of:
 European Union
 Italy
 Turkey
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February 15 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

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  • 399 BC - The philosopher Socrates sentenced to death.

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Year 1908 (MCMVIII
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International Olympic Committee (French: Comité International Olympique) is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on June 23 1894. Its membership is 205 National Olympic Committees.
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Location

Coordinates Coordinates:
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max): 0 - 10 m (0 - 0 ft)
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Syros
Σύρο?

Port of Ermoupoli
Geography

Island Chain: Cyclades
Area:[1] 101.9 km (0 sq.mi.
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Motto
Ελευθερία ή θάνατος
Eleftheria i thanatos  
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London
Canary Wharf is the centre of London's modern office towers
London shown within England
Coordinates:
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
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Greece

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Greece


  • Constitution
  • Parliament
  • Presidium

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Charilaos Trikoupis (Greek: Χαρίλαος Τρικούπης) (July 11 1832 (O.S.) – April 1896) was a Greek politician who served as a Prime Minister of Greece seven times from 1875 until 1895.
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The Panellinios Gymnastikos Syllogos had a team of gymnasts compete at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.

The team’s leader was Sotirios Athanasopoulos. Members included Nikolaos Andriakopoulos, Petros Persakis, Thomas Xenakis, and 29 others.
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Pierre de Fr̩dy, Baron de Coubertin (January 1, 1863 РSeptember 2, 1937) was a French pedagogue and historian best known for founding the International Olympic Committee.
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The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee.
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Ville de Paris

City flag City coat of arms

Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur
(Latin: "Tossed by the waves, she does not sink")

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro.
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Elevation (min-max): 70 - 338 m (0 - 0 ft)
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The Ancient Olympic Games, originally referred to as simply the Olympic Games (Greek: Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες; Olympiakoi Agones
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The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. These games were the first modern international Olympic Games to be organised by the International Olympic Committee.
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swimming pool(3,000L), swimming bath(500L), or wading pool(30 L) is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest and deepest is the Olympic size.
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Tennis is a game played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players (doubles). Players use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court.
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Volleyball

Typical volleyball action

Highest governing body FIVB
First played 1895, Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA)
Characteristics
Contact No Contact
Team Members 6
Mixed Gender Single
Category Indoor
Ball Volleyball
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Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing and jumping. The name is derived from the Greek word "athlon" meaning "contest".
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Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players. It is the most popular sport in the world.
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Project Gutenberg

Location Salt Lake City, UT
Established 1971
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Director Michael Hart
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Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive and distribute cultural works.
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