Rapport Officiel des Jeux de la VII eme Olympiade Anvers 1920, EXTREMELY SCARCE, a typescript, in French, of the unpublished 1920 Antwerp Olympic Game

Rapport Officiel des Jeux de la VII eme Olympiade Anvers 1920, EXTREMELY SCARCE, a typescript, in French, of the unpublished 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games Official Report, 180 pages preceded by an additional 5 pages of transcripts of speeches made by dignitaries at the Opening Ceremony, folded plan of the Olympic Stadium and plate illustrating medals presented to the Organising Committee tipped in at the end, 4to, half brown cloth, marbled boards and end papers, gilt titling to spine, ex-library copy with annotated library stamp on title page, overall in very good condition The Organising Committee for the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games went bankrupt and as a consequence the anticipated Official Report for the Games was never published, making this comprehensive report with a preface from Alfred Verdyck, General Secretary of the Executive Committee of the VIIth Olympiad, an extremely exciting discovery. An approximate English translation of Verdyck's preface follows, and confirms that the Organising Committee had prepared an Official Report ready for publication, albeit an abbreviated version of what they had originally desired. As we now know, however, their dire financial situation would force the abandonment of the work. 'The Executive Committee of the Antwerp Games desires to produce a work similar to that of the Committees of London [1908] and Stockholm [1912], providing a fitting memento for all those interested in the development of physical education and in general the revival of the Olympic Games, and has decided to follow tradition and publish an Official Report. The work is not as thoroughly complete as that of Stockholm. I would say without false modesty that satisfactory results were obtained, but point out with perfect frankness that errors were committed that can be pointed at the organisers whether or not they resulted from regulations in force. Developing these regulations is work for the future. Also, the delegates of the Belgian Olympic Committee will endeavour, at their next congress, to indicate how to remedy the defects that the Antwerp Games has revealed, drawing on information provided to them by specific reports written by specialists connected to each sport, and from members of various committees. These items could not be inserted in this book as circumstances have forced us to shorten its length, but they are preserved in our archives.'