EN
There is no doubt that the first postwar Olympic Games held in London in 1948 played a role in the history of sports that was far from being negligible as that event was intended to become a symbol of the reestablished unity of all nations. Therefore, much of the postwar efforts of the Czechoslovak Olympic Committee from the very beginning concentrated on the preparation for the Olympic Games. This did not include only the pre-Olympic training of sportsmen; also the money needed for the participation had to be raised. Owing to the Committee's efforts and also thanks to the government a sufficient amount of money was obtained and many excellent sportsmen could attend the event. It was hoped that the Czechoslovak representatives would gain many Olympic medals. Indeed, they often showed surprising performances. Through its work, the Czechoslovak Olympic Committee could influence to some extent the political development in the country even after February 1948, as the Communist regime was still consolidating at that time and paid much more attention to other priorities than to sports.