Olympic opportunities started with a bronze medal

On Friday, July 25 the opening ceremony will kick off the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. The ceremony, which has been part of the event since the first modern games in 1896, gives viewers around the world a chance to see the athletes representing over 200 countries before events begin on Saturday.

Douglas Brown, dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, says he’s going to be keeping his eyes peeled for a few familiar faces, like Bisons swimming alum Kelsey Wog.

“I love to see the Canadians come in and see what athletes I recognize,” says Brown. “I really am a geek for these sports, particularly track and swimming.” 

Brown says his interest in the Olympics goes all the way back to high school, where he found out the mother of one of his physical education teachers competed in the 1938 Berlin Olympics. 

Brown says Betty Taylor, his teacher’s mother, once showed him the bronze medal she brought home. Seeing such a piece of such a historical event solidified an interest in the games beyond just watching it as a fan. 

“I was interested in the bigger picture of what the culture was, why [the Olympics] mean something to us and why are they the way they are?” Brown says.

Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, Douglas Brown

Every four years, Brown tuned into the Olympics, remembering the fervour and excitement around Montreal in 1976.  

“I was collecting newspapers and watching it every day in school,” says Brown. 

Brown followed his interest in the Olympics throughout the years, completing his Master’s in Physical Education (Sport Administration) from the University of Ottawa (1988) and obtaining his PhD (Sport History) from the University of Western Ontario (1997).  

At Western, Brown was the first PhD dissertation of the International Centre for Olympic Studies, which encourages, generates and disseminates a broad range of social and cultural themes related to the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and the Olympic Movement. 

Brown’s dissertation, Theories of Beauty and Modern Sport: Pierre de Coubertin’s Aesthetic Imperative for the Modern Olympic Movement, 1894-1914, explored the “father” of the modern Olympic games, Pierre de Coubertin and the origins of the origins of the games themselves. 

Pierre de Coubertin

“I was fascinated by this character and his singular vision of what modern sports should look like. He brought this to an international community, and they bought it,” says Brown. 

Brown says many of the complex relationships between the business and production sides of the games and how they relate to the competitions has been with the modern Olympics since their inception. Brown says it can be a challenge at times to talk openly and with a critical lens about an event that means so much to so many, both athletes and fans.

“How do you be a fan and at the same time look at it critically?” Brown says. “And that’s something I still wrestle with.” 

Brown researched his dissertation in the archives of the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland. The collection houses Coubertin’s writings and publications from 1894 and earlier. 

“It was my job for four months to go into the archives daily and read and research,” says Brown. “It was a tremendous experience.” 

Brown’s experience with the games extends beyond the archives. During the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, Brown served as the clinic manager of the medical team. 

Brown says the experience was eye-opening, allowing him to see first-hand the behind-the-scenes pageantry that goes into broadcasting the games. He says it was fascinating to see athletes stepping over camera cables and loading onto cramp buses before performing on possibly the largest stage of their careers. 

“I was really enamoured with the whole experience,” Brown says. “I just thought the whole production was intriguing.” 

Brown says his experience at the games also highlighted that he didn’t want to be as hands on in Canadian sport for his entire career. And while today Brown says he isn’t as involved in the following the games as he once was, he will be tuning in and supporting the Canadian athletes, especially former Bisons.

Want to watch the Olympics on campus?

You’re invited to the Paris 2024 Viewing Lounge in the Active Living Centre Agora!

Presented by the Canadian Centre for Sport Manitoba and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, come watch the CBC coverage on a big screen, every day from the Opening Ceremonies (Friday, July 26, at 1 pm) to the Closing Ceremonies (Sunday, August 11 at 1 pm). We’ll be showing events featuring former University of Manitoba Bison Athletes, Manitoban competitors and Canadian teams completing this July and August.

Can’t make it to the Agora? Tune into CBC Gem for full coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11.

Connor Boyd