The Olympic motto is a phrase that expresses the ideals and aspirations of the Olympic Movement. It is composed of three Latin words: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which mean Faster, Higher, Stronger. The motto was adopted in 1894 at the suggestion of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
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The Origin of the Motto
The motto was inspired by a Dominican priest named Henri Didon, who used it in the opening ceremony of a school sports event in 1881. Coubertin, who was present at the event, was impressed by the phrase and decided to use it for the Olympic Movement. He believed that the motto represented not only the athletic and technical aspects of sport, but also the moral and educational values.
The Change in the Motto
On 20 July 2021, the IOC Session approved a historic change in the Olympic motto that recognises the unifying power of sport and the importance of solidarity. The change adds the word “together” after an en dash to “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The new Olympic motto now reads: “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together”.
The Latin version of the new motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter” and the French version is “Plus vite, Plus haut, Plus fort – Ensemble”. The change was proposed by IOC President Thomas Bach, who explained that solidarity fuels the mission of making the world a better place through sport. He said that athletes can only go faster, higher and stronger by standing together in solidarity.
The new motto also reflects the IOC’s global campaign, entitled “Stronger Together”, which celebrates the journey of athletes to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and how they have kept moving even when the world around them stopped. The campaign emphasises the message of unity and the belief that the world moves forward only when it moves together.
The Meaning of the Motto
The Olympic motto is not meant to be a competitive slogan that encourages athletes to win at all costs. Rather, it is a personal challenge that invites them to give their best during competition and to strive for personal excellence. The motto can be compared to the Olympic creed, which says: “The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.”
The motto also implies respect for oneself and others, fair play and friendship. By adding the word “together”, the motto reinforces the idea that sport can foster peace and cooperation among people, communities and nations. The motto also reminds us that we are all part of one human family that shares common values and goals.
The Relation to Events
The Olympic motto can be related to any event that takes place at the Olympic Games, as they all require speed, height and strength in some form or another. However, some events may be more closely associated with one or more aspects of the motto than others. For example:
– Faster: Events that involve running, swimming, cycling, skating or skiing are examples of events that test speed.
– Higher: Events that involve jumping or throwing are examples of events that test height.
– Stronger: Events that involve lifting, wrestling, boxing or gymnastics are examples of events that test strength.
– Together: Events that involve teamwork, such as team sports or relays, are examples of events that test solidarity.
According to News18, some athletes have also expressed their views on how they relate to the new motto. For instance:
– Naomi Osaka (tennis): “I think it definitely resonates with everyone right now because we all had to go through this really tough time together.”
– Simone Biles (gymnastics): “We’re not only competing as Team USA but also as Team World because we want everyone to be healthy and safe.”
– Kevin Durant (basketball): “We know how powerful our voice is and how powerful our game is as well. We want to continue to inspire people all over.”
Therefore, we can see that the Olympic motto of stronger is related to any event that showcases human potential and spirit through sport. It is also related to the collective effort and solidarity that athletes and people around the world have shown during these challenging times.
