A religion

The first essential characteristic of the Modern Olympics is that，like the Olympics of Ancient Greece，they constitute a religion.Through exercise，the athlete of classical times sculpted his physique much as an artist chisels a statue，and，in doing so，he was honoring his gods.Inmodern times，the athlete in his achievementhonors his country，his race and his national flag.I think，therefore，that Iwas right to restore the religious sentiment as one of the fundamental principles of the renascent Olympics；a religious sentiment transformed and widened by the Internationalism and the spirit of Democracy which distinguish the present age，but yet the samewhich used to bring the young ambitious Hellenes fresh from theirmuscular triumphs to the foot of the altar of Zeus.

Internationalism and Democracy are two of the fundamentals of the new human society which，amongst the civilized nations，is progressing towards enlightenment，but they are not the only ones.Science also has its part to play.In its continued progress，it has provided man with new means of promoting bodily health，of guiding and correcting Nature and of freeing his body from the tyranny of the dissolute passions towhich，in the name of individual freedom，he had allowed it to become enslaved.