In 1854, in Tsarskoye Selo, known for Pushkin, one of the founders of Russian sports, Georgy Ribopier, was born. He came from a noble family: his father Ivan was the son of the Swiss count Alexander Ribopier, and his mother Sofia was from the princely family of Trubetskoy.

The name Ribopier is little known, as during the Soviet era, historical figures were evaluated in terms of class affiliation, and mentioning the achievements of a nobleman was risky.

Georgy's childhood was spent in Italy, and at 16 he returned to St. Petersburg. From a young age, he showed excellent physical abilities, practiced gymnastics, and even performed in a circus. In his free time, he enjoyed hiking, swimming, diving, and skating.

At 19, Georgy joined the army, where he later became a gymnastics instructor. In 1879, he founded a horse-breeding farm in St. Petersburg and then headed the Moscow Imperial Society of Horse Racing, becoming its main driving force.

His sporting spirit led him to athletics, and from 1885 he actively attended a club where he practiced kettlebell lifting and wrestling. Thanks to his financial support, members of the organization were able to participate in international competitions. Ribopier laid the foundations of weightlifting and wrestling in Russia, and thanks to him, the "champion of champions" Ivan Poddubny became known.

In 1897, Georgy founded the Athletic Community in St. Petersburg, where, in addition to kettlebell sports and wrestling, competitions in boxing, fencing, and shooting were held.

His aristocratic background and acquaintance with foreign sporting principles led to a meeting with Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic movement. Coubertin invited him to join the International Olympic Committee. Ribopier organized the first trip of Russian athletes to the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908.

In 1913, he withdrew from Olympic affairs and returned to equestrian sports. Georgy Ribopier passed away three years later at the age of 61 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. In 2007, a monument was erected at his abandoned grave.