The centenary of the International Olympic Committee and the first participation of the Slovak Republic in the Olympic Games

200 Sk commemorative silver coin

The modern Olympic Games were initiated by the French Baron Pierre de Coubertin. A Congress for the Revival of the Olympic Games met in Paris in 1894 on his initiative. The congress elected the International Olympic Committee, which approves candidates for organizing the Olympic Games, their programme, guarantees the fairness of competition and the regularity of conditions. The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens.

The founding assembly of the Slovak Olympic Committee was held on 19th December 1992. Slovakia entered the Olympic arena for the first time as an independent country at the Winter Olympic Games at Lillehammer in 1994. Forty two sports men and women took part, with representatives in ice hockey, skiing, biathlon and sledging.