The Olympic Games belong to the athletes and not to the politicians.

As soon as you take money for playing sport, it isn't sport, it's work.

The sportsman knows that a sport is a recreation, a game, an amusement and a pastime, but his eyes are fixed on a higher goal, on the most important thing in his life, which is his education or his vocation.

Sport is an international phenomenon, like science or music.

The ancient Greeks kept women athletes out of their games. They wouldn't even let them on the sidelines. I'm not sure but that they were right.

The Olympic Movement is a 20th century religion. Where there is no injustice of caste, of race, of family, of wealth.

For too long the world has failed to recognise that the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement are about fine athletics and fine art.