The International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) is a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
founded in 1991 with the purpose of promoting and studying the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games. The majority of recent books on the Olympic Games have been written by ISOH members.
The ISOH publishes the ''Journal of Olympic History'' (''JOH'', formerly ''Citius, Altius, Fortius'') three times a year.
History
The International Society of Olympic Historians was formed as the result of a meeting in London, England, in December 1991. The idea of forming an Olympic historical society had been the subject of correspondence – mainly between
Bill Mallon
William James Mallon (born February 2, 1952) is an American orthopedic surgeon, former professional golfer and a leading authority on the history of the Olympic Games.
Golf career
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Mallon studied at Duke Universit ...
(United States) and Ture Widlund (
Sweden) – for many years. On Thursday, 5 December 1991, a group of potential members met at the Duke of Clarence, a small pub in the Kensington section of
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. Those present were Ian Buchanan (
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
), Stan Greenberg (
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
),
Ove Karlsson (
Sweden), Bill Mallon (United States), Peter Matthews (
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
),
David Wallechinsky
David Wallechinsky (born David Wallace, February 5, 1948) is an American populist historian and television commentator, the president of the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) and the founder and editor-in-chief of AllGov.com and ...
(United States), and Ture Widlund (
Sweden). The invited guests who sent regrets were: Anthony Bijkerk (
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
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, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
), Peter Diamond (United States), Pim Huurman (
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
), Erich Kamper (
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
), Volker Kluge (
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
), John Lucas (United States), and Wolf Lyberg (
Sweden).
ISOH was formed with the purpose of promoting and studying the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games. This purpose is achieved primarily through research into their history, through the gathering of historical and statistical data concerning the Olympic Movement and Olympic Games, through the publication of the research via journals and other publications, and through the cooperation of the membership.
From its inception to 2000, Ian Buchanan has been the president of the ISOH. In 2000, this function was taken over by Bill Mallon. From 2004 to 2012 Dr. Karl Lennartz (Germany) and from 2012 to 2020 David Wallechinsky (United States) served as presidents. Since 2020 the archaeologist and sports historian Dr. Christian Wacker (Germany) is president.
''Journal of Olympic History''
The ISOH publishes the ''Journal of Olympic History'' (formerly ''Citius, Altius, Fortius'').
Membership
, the ISOH has about 340 members from 48 nations.
[ISOH 2007, cited.] The membership includes well-known Olympic historians and researchers on Olympic topics. The majority of recent books on the Olympic Games have been written by ISOH members. Over 20 ISOH members have received the Olympic Order for their contributions to the Olympic Movement, and several members of the IOC and several Olympians are members.
[ISOH 2007, cited.] Other members are collectors of Olympic memorabilia, such as
Raleigh DeGeer Amyx.
See also
*
Sports history organizations
References
; Sources consulted
*
; Endnotes
External links
*
{{Authority control
Sports organizations established in 1991
History of the Olympics
Historical societies
International non-profit organizations
1991 establishments in England