Türki̇ye’ni̇n Erken Dönem Oli̇mpi̇zm Serüveni̇ Ve Ay-Yildiz’in Oli̇mpi̇yat Oyunlari’nda İlk Resmi̇ Temsi̇li̇ (1896-1921)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the Ottoman State period in the history of the development of olympism and the olympic movement in Turkey. The Ottoman State, which was in contact with the olympics in the diplomatic and political context at the beginning, from the first Olympic Games, started to hold official contacts with the olympic movement since the beginning of the 20th century. The Ottoman State, which was not officially represented in the 1896, 1900 and 1904 Olympic Games, officially met with olympism for the first time, with the Brussels Charge D'affaires of Mihran Kavafyan Efendi, who was sent to the 1905 Brussels Meeting on behalf of the Ottoman Government. Although there was a significant number of participation in the 1906 Intermediate Olympic Games, the games are not officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Even though there are two names of athletes from Turkey in the official report of 1908 London Olympic Games, there is no official existing document that they participate in the competitions of these athletes. Immediately after the Second Constitutional Era, declared in July 1908, Selim Sırrı Tarcan began to set up Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC). The recognition of TOC by the IOC was in 1911. Official recognition by the Ottoman State, was in the following years. Selim Sırrı Tarcan, the pioneer of olympism in Turkey, was elected as the Turkish representative of the IOC on December 15, 1908. He tried to promote and adopt the olympic soul to the new emerging sports societies with his intelligence about teaching and spreading of olympism philosophy which he had by attending the IOC meeting between the years 1908-1914.