In Catalonia, the introduction of modern sports in the late 19th century was considered tantamount to a quest to modernise society. Clubs organised by civil society played a key role in consolidating sports as both practice and entertainment, and in league with Catalanism these clubs sought to put forth Barcelona’s candidacy to host the 1924 Olympics. The Franco dictatorship subjugated all sports activities and strove to eliminate the Catalanist and democratic meaning of organisations like Futbol Club Barcelona. The resumption of democracy rekindled all sports, with the drive for “sports for everyone” and the international recognition of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics