Georges Duperron


Georges Aleksandrovich Duperron, born 24 September 1877, died 23 July 1934, was a Russian sports journalist, football organizer and one of the founders of the Olympic movement in Russia. He was of French descent.
Duperron was a footballer who played at the first ever football match in Russia. It was arranged on 24 October 1897 in Saint Petersburg. In 1901, he was one of the organizers of the first Russian football league, the St Petersburg Football League. After the establishment of the Russian Olympic Committee in 1911, Duperron was elected as its first secretary. From 1913 to 1915, he was a member of the International Olympic Committee. Duperron was also the first manager of the Russian Empire national football team as the team participated in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.
Duperron published more than 30 books about football, athletics, gymnastics and winter sports. He wrote articles for the sport magazines Samokat, Le Cycliste and Sport.