Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques
Sport | |
---|---|
Jurisdiction | France |
Abbreviation | USFSA |
Founded | November 1890 |
Headquarters | Paris |
Replaced | |
Closure date | 1919 |
The Union of French Athletic Sports Societies (
As well as contributing to the growth of sport in France, the USFSA also helped pioneer the development of international sport. Among its founding members were Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games. In 1900, together with the Union Vélocipédique de France, it was also one of two federations that represented France at the inaugural meeting of the Union Cycliste Internationale.[1] Then in 1904 Robert Guérin, secretary of the USFSA football committee, was one of the principal movers behind the foundation of FIFA. He also served as its first president.[2]
History
Foundation
On 29 December 1885 Georges de Saint-Clair, the secretary-general of
Influence on Olympic Games
In 1891 when the USFSA organised its first athletics championship,
Rugby union
On 20 March,
Football
In 1894 the USFSA also organised the first recognised
In 1900 the USFSA sent players from Parisian Club Français to represent France at the 1900 Summer Olympics.[9][10] On 1 May 1904 the USFSA also selected the first official France national football team. They held Belgium to a 3–3 draw in Brussels[11] In the same year, Robert Guérin, secretary of the USFSA football committee, was also one of the principal movers behind the foundation of FIFA. He also served as its first president.[2]
However the USFSA did not have a monopoly on organising
In 1907 the USFSA fell out with FIFA when the latter refused to admit the (English) Amateur Football Association. FIFA only recognised one national association per country, and so stood by the (English) Football Association, whereupon the USFSA left FIFA. They were replaced as France's representative by the CFI.[12] As a result, they also lost the right to select the national team.[13] USFSA along with the AFA and Bohemian ČSF founded the UIAFA in March 1909.[14] By 1913, however, the USFSA football committee had also become a CFI affiliate and in 1919 the CFI was reorganised as the French Football Federation. 1919 was also the last year that the USFSA organised the Coupe National as a national football championship.
As a tribute to the USFSA, the members of the France national football team wore a reproduction of the kit worn in their first match in 1904 (displaying the USFSA emblem) during the FIFA Centennial celebration match against Brazil at Stade de France in May 2004.[15]
References
- ^ "www.uci.ch". uci.ch. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ a b "www.fifa.com". fifa.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ a b The Official History of the Olympic Games and the IOC- Athens to Beijing, 1894–2008: David Miller (2008)
- ^ a b c Origins of the French League by François Mazet and Frédéric Pauron on the RSSSF
- ^ a b "This Great Symbol" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
- ^ "R.C. France 4 – Stade Francais 3". lnr.fr. Archived from the original on 25 November 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2006.
- ^ The Story of The Brennus (Top 14) Championship Trophy by James Harrington, 14 May 2014
- ^ Football in France, a statistical record 1894–2003: Alex Graham (2004)
- ^ Games of the II. Olympiad - Football Tournament by Søren Elbech and Karel Stokkermans on the RSSSF
- ^ The Complete Results & Line-ups of the Olympic Football Tournaments 1900–2004: Colin Jose (2004)
- ^ "www.iffhs.de". iffhs.de. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ Ingo Faulhaber. "www.iffhs.de". iffhs.de. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ "www.iffhs.de". iffhs.de. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ "Grand Tournoi Européen (Roubaix) 1911". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Fifa centenary match France host Brazil, The Guardian