Abstract
In 1859, the first Modern Panhellenic Games were held in Athens. The Games, initiated by the wealthy entrepreneur Evangelos Zappas, although originally planned as a regular event, were held only three more times – in 1870, 1875 and 1888/1889. These were also pioneering times in the development of Polish sport. The Polish press was interested in the competitions in distant Greece, calling them the Olympic Games. Especially their first edition received relatively great in- terest in the Galician and Warsaw press. The press releases contained information about the com- petition programme, the involvement of the royal family in the event, the setting of the event and the interest of the audience. However, short, laconic references prevailed, and the Games them- selves were presented as an exotic curiosity rather than an event of great social and cultural im- portance. There is also little evidence that the press reports on the events of 1859–1889 had a significant impact on the development of Polish sport.