Media and international sporting rivalry: the Anglo-German sporting rivalry and the shaping of international sporting competition between nations

Abstract

This article examines the emergence the sporting angle to Anglo-German rivalry from 1908 to 1920, with the focus upon the Olympic Games. Since the cold war international sport has been awash with rivalries between nations that attempt to demonstrate their superiority upon the sports field. Although certainly not the first international sporting rivalry, but perhaps the first which was emblematic of military tensions. Here, the focus will be upon the British perspective to rivalry. The majority of the primary material comes from the British press chosen because of the wide variety of opinions upon German participation and athletes that reveal aspects of British identity revealed via comment and comparison between the two nations. The rivalry and tensions between Britain and Germany illustrated here spilled over into war in July 1914. In the period before the outbreak of war, British interest in German Olympic participation grew, as did fears of their abilities. While in the period after the conclusion of hostilities in November 1918 illustrated the regard by which Germany was held in after the war.

Notes

1. Athletics, Cycling, Diving, Fencing, Figure skating, Gymnastics, Hockey, Rowing, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis and Wrestling.

2. Germany’s gold medals came in from Arno Bieberstein in the 100 m backstroke, pairs figure skating and the 3 m springboard diving.

3. The medley race consisted of four athletes running, the first two each ran 200 m, the third 400 m and the final 800 m.

4. Part of the desire of Irish nationalists was for wider participation in traditional Irish sports such as hurling and gaelic football, resulting in the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in November 1884. The growth of this association and the sports it governed was that Irish participation in athletics, diminished (despite the fact that they did have an athletics programme). This was particularly noticeable in field events that had been an area of Irish strength, demonstrated by that at the close of the nineteenth century her competitors had won over 50% of long jump Championships, three quarters of the 16 lb weight throwing Championships, including an unbroken sequence of six victories by Denis Horgan (he won 13 in total). By comparison England provided few quality field event athletes; the consequence was that Britain struggled in these events at the 1908 Olympics onwards.

5. German Gold medallists at Stockholm: Paul Gunther (Men’s 3 m springboard Diving), Men’s Coxed fours, Walter Bathe (Men’s 200 m breastroke & Men’s 400 m Breastroke) and Dorothea Koring and Heinrich Schomburgk (Mixed doubles Tennis).

6. These replies came from the A.A.A., Scottish A.A.A., Clay Bird Shooting Association, Amateur Fencing Association, National Wrestling Association and the Amateur Gymnastic Association. ‘British Olympic Council Meeting’). The Times, 26 April 1913, 15).