1900 Paris Olympic Games: why France regained a silver medal this Thursday, more than 100 years later ?

La France a récupéré une médaille olympique. EPA – TERESA SUAREZ

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday June 13 re-awarded to France a silver medal in cycling dating back to the second edition of the modern Olympics, in 1900 in Paris, initially awarded to Great Britain.

Meeting Thursday in Lausanne, the executive commission of the body "agreed to rectify its records" to bring "to the assets of France" second place for Lloyd Hildebrand, in the men's 25km on the track, announced IOC spokesperson Mark Adams.

"As the rule was at the time", he explained, "athletes only had to send the number of their license established by the national federation for which they competed regularly and pay the registration fees.

However, according to the spokesperson, "recent research has led to the conclusion that, although Lloyd Hildebrand was a British citizen, he was born and raised in France, and that he had participated in competitions for a French club before and after the 1900 Paris Games.

The IOC has agreed to rectify its historical records to reflect the fact that a silver medal from the Olympic Games Paris 1900 will now be credited to France rather than Great Britain. This was approved today by the IOC EB.

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— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) June 13, 2024

Blue-white-red podium

"Based on this new information, the IOC Executive Board has decided to apply the same policy as for previous cases brought to the attention of the IOC. This policy consists of placing the medal in the assets of the national Olympic committee of the territory in which the club which registered the athlete was based, explained Mark Adams.

With the silver of Hildebrand, framed by the gold of Louis Bastien and the bronze of Auguste Daumain, the podium of the event becomes entirely blue, according to the IOC website, and the host country is a little further at the top of the medal table, with 103 charms compared to 31 for Great Britain.