The Calendar Conundrum: Why Russia Was Late to the 1908 Olympics

The Julian calendar, named after Gaius Julius Caesar and introduced in 45 BC, was used by many countries for centuries. In contrast, the Gregorian calendar, developed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, was only adopted by Catholic countries initially due to the non-Catholic nations' reluctance to follow a calendar devised by the Catholic Church. Over time, most European countries shifted to the Gregorian calendar, recognizing its greater precision.

Transition from Julian to Gregorian

Denmark made the shift to the Gregorian calendar in 1700, and the United Kingdom followed in 1752. However, Russia remained staunch in its adherence to the Julian calendar well into the 20th century. This decision to maintain the Julian calendar meant that Russia operated on a calendar that was 13 days behind the new Gregorian standard. The expression of dates during this period typically included both the Old Style (Julian) and New Style (Gregorian) equivalents.

Implications for the 1908 Olympics

The 1908 Olympics were hosted in London, where the Gregorian calendar was already in place. Given the difference in calendar systems, Russian delegations consistently informed their government of events using both Julian and Gregorian dates. Unfortunately, the Russian Olympic delegation did not fully grasp the significance of the transition, and the UK's organizers failed to communicate the calendar discrepancy to the Russians.

On the day the Games began, the Russian team arrived in London 13 days late based on their Julian calendar calculation. By this time, some Olympic events had already concluded, complicating the Russians' participation. Despite the setback, the lengthy duration of the Olympiads (which lasted for several months) provided an opportunity for the Russians to participate in and win medals in certain events.

The Consequences of a Misunderstood Calendar

The incident with the 1908 Olympics highlighted the severity of the calendar discrepancy between Russia and the rest of Europe. It posed significant logistical challenges and underscored the importance of unified calendrical standards for international events. This event also coincided with the turmoil of the Russian Revolution, where the timeline was further complicated with the use of different calendars, making the actual dates of key events subject to confusion.

In February 1917, the Russian revolution began on the Julian calendar but was later recognized as occurring in March 1917 in the Gregorian calendar. The Bolshevik revolution, which took place in October 1917 on the Julian calendar, was subsequently considered to have happened in November 1917 in the Gregorian calendar. Finally, on February 14, 1918, the new Bolshevik government officially adopted the Gregorian calendar, thus resolving the long-standing calendar discrepancy.

The story of the 1908 Olympics serves as a sobering reminder of the practical implications of calendar systems and the need for clear and comprehensive communication, especially in the context of international events and global standards.