The 1981 Congress in the picturesque German spa town, overseen by then newly-elected IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, saw the beginning of the end for the Olympic amateur rule, the installation of the IOC Athletes' Commission, an increased fight against doping, the first signs of commercialism and the first election of women into the IOC.

"In many ways, those five days in Baden-Baden ushered in the Olympic Movement's modern era," Rogge said at a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the Congress.

"The Baden-Baden Congress came a year after more than 60 National Olympic Committees were forced to join a politically inspired boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, and three years before a retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

"Our Movement's financial foundation was weak, and many cities were reluctant to take on the expense of hosting the Games.

"Los Angeles was the only serious bidder for the 1984 Games.

"The gap between National Olympic Committees from the industrialised nations and the developing world was all too apparent.

"Athletes - the heart of Movement - had no real voice in sports governance or administrative matters.

"Doping had emerged as the single most serious threat to the integrity of sport.

"In many ways, those five days in Baden-Baden ushered in the Olympic Movement's modern era.

"The 1981 Congress marked the start of a revolution - the Samaranch Revolution.

"Juan Antonio Samaranch had been elected IOC President at the Moscow Games, so Baden-Baden was his first real opportunity to exert his leadership."


Rogge singled out Germany's Thomas Bach and Coe, who then as Olympic champion fencer and the world's best middle-distance runner, adressed the Congress to support the Athletes' Commission.

"It was obvious even then that Seb Coe and Thomas Bach were destined for leading roles in the Olympic Movement," said Rogge.

Bach, the host of this anniversary celebration, recalled that he was motivated partly by being denied the opportunity to take part in the previous year's Olympics because West Germany boycotted the Games over the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

"Nothing less than the future of the Olympic Games and the Olympic idea that was at stake," said Bach, who is now the vice-president of the IOC and President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). 

"And, as you will recall, there were quite a few people who painted it in the gloomiest of colours.

"Only one year after the partial boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow, the Olympic family found itself confronted by an extremely difficult situation and the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles were also already under political pressure.

"As then chairman of the German Athletes Commission I, together with many fellow athletes, fought against boycotting the 1980 Olympic Games, because any boycott contradicts the Olympic idea and because - dubious - political intentions were shifted onto the backs of the athletes.

"We found this absolutely unacceptable at the time, and we still do so today.

"So it was a truly painful defeat for us to learn that we were unable to prevent the erroneous decision that was taken by our National Olympic Committee. 

"Of course for us the painful experience of 1980 was not a reason for despair, but instead motivated us even more to bring the athletes' legitimate interests adequately to bear."

Bach had particular praise for Coe the two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion, who got "to the heart of the matter by stating: I believe that by taking part in the Congress, and the tenacity we have shown in the way we approached our tasks, will clear up once and for all the widespread misconception that athletes are just robots incapable of thinking."

As well as Rogge, the 300 prestigious guests comprised many several other leading IOC members, including Hungarian President, Pal Schmitt, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Britain's Sir Craig Reedie and Ireland's Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees.

Frankie Fredericks, the current chairman of the IOC Athletes' Commission, Nadia Comaneci, Romania's five-time Olympic gymnastics champion, and Kip Keino, Kenya's two-time Olympic gold medallist, joined the celebrations.


Finland's five-time Olympian Peter Tallberg (pictured), who had been asked by Samaranch to oversee he first discussions among athletes and to lead the first IOC Athletes' Commission, also recalled the Congress.

"His decision to invite 38 active medal-winning athletes, of whom eight were women, to Baden-Baden was significant, and it was right – and this was repeatedly stated in the course of the Congress," said Tallberg.

"It was considered to be a signal and an obligation of the IOC, the NOCs (National Olympic Committees) and IFs (international federations) to finally include athletes in the Olympic family as full members.

"The athletes who had been invited to Baden-Baden understood the importance of their role and immediately realized that this was THE moment for them to show what an important, new and vital partner of the Congress they represented."

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