Arvo Vartia

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games (non-medal events)
SexMale
Full nameArvo Antera•Vartia (Kyttä-)
Used nameArvo•Vartia
Nick/petnamesRyhti
Born13 May 1881 in Harjavalta, Satakunta (FIN)
Died11 May 1963 in Helsinki, Uusimaa (FIN)
NOC Finland

Biography

Arvo Vartia graduated as a gymnastics teacher from the Imperial Alexander University in Helsinki in 1910, and worked there for the following two years. Together with Lauri Pihkala, he was involved in the development of sports activities and promoted, among other things, women’s sports. Vartia became one of the most important personalities in Finnish gymnastics and was the leader of the Finnish men’s gymnastics team in London in 1908 and in Stockholm in 1912.

In his books Vartia also laid down the principles of the gymnastics movement that he had developed. In addition, he was editor-in-chief of the Finnish Sports Magazine from 1908-13 and secretary of the newly founded Finnish Gymnastics and Sports Federation from 1907-10. Subsequently, he served on the Executive Committee and the Federation’s Board of Directors.

Vartia joined the staff of the Jyväskylä Seminary in Central Finland as a lecturer in 1913, where he also played a significant role in the regional development of sports. However, he agitated against the participation of athletes who had fought on the side of the “Reds” in the Civil War. Back in Helsinki, he was an inspector of gymnastics and health care at the school board for 25 years. During this time, he was also the chairman of the State Sport and Gymnastics Committee, which was responsible for allocating state funds to the sports infrastructure.

In the early 1930s, Vartia was elected chairman of the Finnish Skating Federation and a member of the board of the Finnish Olympic Committee. Together with Martti Jukola and Akseli Kaskela, he was editor-in-chief of the sports magazine Urheilija from 1928-34. After World War II, Vartia was awarded the Great Cross of Merit for Finnish Physical Culture and Sports and appointed Professor of Physical Education. His 91-page book Esteettinen liikunta (Esthetic Movement) was published in Jyväskylä as early as 1938.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Summer Olympics Art Competitions FIN Arvo Vartia
Literature, Open (Olympic (non-medal)) AC