The modem Olympic Games, which in their current form originated in the 1890
s as an educational reform movement, have become a "profound and deeply emb
edded component of our global culture" (Segrave gr Chu, 1996a, p. 3). Chall
enges, paradoxes, and future possibilities of a revisioned Olympic educatio
n are explored in this article. The context for these reflections is an Oly
mpic curriculum project based in Athens, Greece and focussed on the develop
ment and implementation of an international teacher's resource book for ele
mentary schools. In this particular project, negotiated through the complex
ities of contemporary curriculum theory, Olympic Eurocentric universalist v
alues, and cross-cultural diversity, a great deal was learned about whether
the transnational phenomenon of the Olympic movement is an appropriate con
text for helping teachers throughout the world address global educational p
riorities. The preliminary conclusions have significant implications for ph
ysical education.