Arne Ljungqvist, Swedish Champion in high jumping. At the 1952 Helsingfors Summer Olympics.
Professor Arne Ljungqvist is 93 this year. When he was 23 he competed in the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics. Being the Swedish high jumping champion, he knew what it took to reach the top. He also knew exactly how high 2.01 meter is when you have to jump that high using the scissor-style technique. It was 2.01 up and 2.01 down, landing on sand.
Winding the tape fast forward to his 80th birthday reception in 2011 is a brutal journey, skipping an endless list of groundbreaking efforts as the world's foremost anti-doping crusader. His journey is described in books, documentary films and articles. They all come to the same conclusion as Sir Sebastian Coe, President of the World Athletics did, when sending a video greeting to Professor Ljungqvist in connection to the unveiling ceremony of Et Purus 2 in Stockholm:
Sir Sebastian Coe's greeting was one of many on that day – from colleagues, athletes, and friends from around the world. Take a look at all of them here.
A description of Professor Ljungqvist's remarkable career is described more in detail here. Scrolling down on this page will tell the story of the sculpture Et Purus:
ET PURUS – THE STORY
(The story is a work in progress – in meantime, here is a short excerpts from the ceremony program folder)
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On his 80th birthday reception in May 2011, Professor Arne Ljungqvist was awarded a sculpture idea created to honor his then 40-year global crusade against doping in sports and in society. It portrays the classic hand gesture ”No 1”, used all over the world by all cultures, celebrating performance victory. A ring on the index fingertip symbolizes excellence performed with a clean and doping-free body (the ”window” into an “inspected and a clean body”).
The monument was sculpted by renowned artist Sassona Norton. It was named ” Et Purus” in Latin, meaning “And Clean”. Ten years later, with substantial support by Fabege and other parties, the first bronze monument Et Purus No 1, was unveiled in Monaco (the home of World Athletics) by HSH Prince Albert II (image above). Now, the time has come for Et Purus No 2, in Arne´s hometown. The sculpture Et Purus is intended, in a series of 20, to be placed in cities around the world. As a reminder of the conscious choice to stay away from doping – as a pure and healthy citizen and as a clean and competitive athlete
The No 1 gesture is an “all people’s gesture” no matter sports, age, gender, color of skin, cultural roots, political direction or religious beliefs. Everybody and nobody owns the gesture. The added ring, on the index fingertip, symbolizes an open window into a clean body.