He is one of the rare French athletes to have taken part in the 1904 Olympic Games in the United States. Albert Corey, born in Meursault in Côte d’Or, won two Olympic medals there… as an American sportsman. Today, an enthusiast wants to give these medals back to France.
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It took 120 years! More than a century for two Olympic medals to go to a French athlete, more precisely to a Burgundian marathoner. The story of athlete Albert Corey is worthy of a novel or a movie. During the 1904 Olympics held in the United States in Saint-Louis, Albert Corey won two silver medals. He finished second in the marathon race in 3 hours and 34 minutes and second in the four mile team race. But at the time, these medals were considered … as American.
The American dream of a Burgundian
Albert Corey is nevertheless indeed Burgundian! Born in 1878 in Meursault, a wine-growing town in Côte-d’Or. He joined the army at 18 in the 8th battalion of hunters on foot. He stayed there for four years from 1898 to 1902. But very quickly, he left the army to go and start a new life in the United States.
This former US Paris runner then attempted the Olympic challenge under the colors of the Chicago Athletic Association. At the time, the organizers did not bother with details. Competing for an American club, Albert Corey is therefore registered as an American athlete. On the website of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the name of the Burgundian runner is also spelled Albert Coray.
The third edition of the modern Olympics, which was to be held in Chicago, finally takes place in Missouri in St. Louis in overwhelming heat. A few images remain from this 1904 edition. We can see the ceremony and disciplines that no longer exist today, such as sack racing.
The fight of a passionate
If the name of Albert Corey has so far remained little known, his story fascinates Clément Genty. Associate researcher at Ensam (National School of Arts and Crafts), he has accumulated dozens of documents on the 1904 Games. He submitted a recognition file to the IOC so that his French nationality of the athlete is recognized. A long process of conviction, given the rules in force at the time. “The nationality of the athletes is absolutely irrelevant. What matters is the nationality of the club affiliated to the athlete ” explains Clément Genty. This is the reason why Albert Corey’s victories are considered acquired in the United States while he is French.
It is unfortunate that his nationality can be confused with the country for which he competed
Finally, the IOC recognized this inconsistency 116 years later thanks to the research of Clément Genty. It is a letter dated January 25, 2021, sent by the Olympic Studies Center, which depends on the IOC, which formalizes the information. “It is unfortunate that his nationality can be confused with the country for which he competed. It is however quite correct to say that Mr. Corey is the only French Olympic participant and medalist in the 1904 edition”.
If Albert Corey is now well registered as a French athlete, his medal does not go to France. On the website of International Olympic Committee, it is always an American flag which flies next to the name of Albert Corey. Because Albert Corey is not the only medalist concerned. A reallocation of medals by country would have serious consequences. “To do it for Corey would mean for the CIO to considerably modify the tables [sportifs] that we know today. That will be the next step. We do not know if it will experience the same success as the first recognition we recently obtained ” explains Thierry Terret, ministerial delegate to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Other athlete nationality recognition files are currently in progress. If Albert Corey’s medal were to be awarded to France, that would make our country the only one to be medaled at every edition of the modern Olympic Games.
After the recognition of the victory of the French Albert Corey at the Olympic Games, Clément Genty, also elected municipal in Meursault, now wants to pay tribute to him. He wanted to set up in his city a space dedicated to the practice of athletics events for the 1904 Games. These are disciplines that no longer explain: the high jump without momentum, the long jump without momentum or the triple long jump without momentum.
(Re) see the report
Paul Abran, Gabriel Talon and Margaux Martin set off in the footsteps of Albert Corey in Meursault (Côte d’Or)
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