London Olympics Of 1908

The 1908 Games were due to be held in Rome, but the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906 left Italy needing to divert resources into disaster relief and rebuilding. With time running out, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked Britain to step in as host. That gave London less than two years to prepare. But with Lord Desborough, the British Olympic Association's dynamic chairman, to the fore, and the support of King Edward VII, the challenge was accepted. 22 nations participated.