Olympic Capital

Lausanne is the Olympic Capital, to say it is THE Olympic Capital is not bragging. It is a fact: there is only one Olympic Capital, in the same way that Paris, London and Berlin are the only capitals of their respective countries. When Juan Antonio Samaranch gave this title to Lausanne in 1994, he did so because he believed that, if it was to be the universal embodiment of the values he defended, the Olympic Movement needed to have a clear territorial expression, a place recognised by all as the repository of these values. And he chose Lausanne.
“The Olympic spirit will find an independent and proud atmosphere where reigns the pledge of freedom that it needs to progress”, declared Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1915, when he chose the town on the shores of Lake Geneva to set up the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Since then, the city captures the Olympic spirit so perfectly that it was promoted Olympic Capital in 1994. Indeed, the main institutions related to the Olympic Movement as well as over 50 international sports federations and organisations have joined the IOC in making Lausanne their home.

The Youth Olympic Games – Lausanne 2020

26 years after becoming the Olympic Capital, Lausanne became an Olympic City, as it hosted the 3rd edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
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Lausanne and the olympic spirit