Asachildofanoblefamily,PierredeCoubertinreceivedagoodeducationanddevelopedastronginterestinliteratureandhistory.Herefusedthemilitarycareerplannedforhimbyhisfamily,aswellasrenouncedapromisingpoliticalcareerinordertoservehispeoplebetter.Coubertinwasconvincedthatsportwasthespringboardformoralenergyandhedefendedhisideawithraretenacity.HisstudyofhistorymadehimwishtheOlympicGameswerestillbeingheld.Hewassurethatbringingamateurathletestogetherwouldpromotefriendlyrelationsbetweenthecountries.ItwasthisconvictionthatledhimtoannouncethathewantedtorevivetheOlympicGames.Althoughhisstatementwasgreetedwithlittleenthusiasm,Coubertinwasnotdiscouragedandon23June,1894,hefoundedtheInternationalOlympicCommitteeinaceremonyheldattheUniversityofSorbonneinParis.Twoyearslater,in1896,thefirstOlympicGamesofthemodernerawasheldinAthens.OnthatoccasionCoubertinwaselectedpresidentoftheIOCandheremainedpresidentuntil1925.Duetothe1stWorldWar,CoubertinrequestedpermissiontoestablishtheheadquartersoftheIOCinLausanne,Switzerland.CoubertinwithdrewfromtheIOCin1925todevotehimselftohispedagogicalwork,whichhetermedhis“unfinishedsymphony”.CoubertinsuddenlydiedofaheartattackonSeptember2,1937,inaparkinGeneva.