Sport in East Timor
Encyclopedia
Sport in East Timor
East Timor
is a new country, and as one of the world's poorest countries, with lack of money and investments, sport activities are very few and very limited at the professional level.
(IOC). The IOC board has granted full recognition to the East Timorese Olympic
Committee (COTL). The IOC had allowed a mainly symbolic four-member team to take part in the 2000 Sydney Games under the Olympic flag as "Independent Olympic Athletes." The Federaçao Timor-Leste de Atletismo had joined the International Association of Athletics Federations
(IAAF). The Federaçao de Badminton de Timor-Leste had joined the International Badminton Federation (IBF) in April 2003. The East Timor Cycling Federation
had joined the Union Cycliste Internationale
. Confederacao do Desporto de Timor Leste also joined the International Weightlifting Federation. East Timor is also a full member of the International Table-Tennis Federation (ITTF). In September 2005, East Timor's national football team
joined FIFA
.
held in Vietnam
in 2003. In the 2003 ASEAN Paralympics Games, also held in Vietnam, East Timor won a bronze medal. In the Athens 2004 Olympic Games
, six athletes participated in three sports: athletics, weightlifting and boxing). East Timor won three medals in Arnis at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
. East Timor was also one of the competing nations in the first
Lusophony Games
, winning a bronze medal in the women's volleyball competition (finishing third out of three teams), despite the fact the team had lost all its three games. On October 30, 2008, East Timor earned their first international points in a FIFA
match with a 2-2 draw against Cambodia.
East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
is a new country, and as one of the world's poorest countries, with lack of money and investments, sport activities are very few and very limited at the professional level.
International sports associations
East Timor has joined many international sport associations, including the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC). The IOC board has granted full recognition to the East Timorese Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Committee (COTL). The IOC had allowed a mainly symbolic four-member team to take part in the 2000 Sydney Games under the Olympic flag as "Independent Olympic Athletes." The Federaçao Timor-Leste de Atletismo had joined the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
(IAAF). The Federaçao de Badminton de Timor-Leste had joined the International Badminton Federation (IBF) in April 2003. The East Timor Cycling Federation
East Timor Cycling Federation
The East Timor Cycling Federation is the national governing body of cycle racing in East Timor.The Federation is a member of the UCI and the OCC....
had joined the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
. Confederacao do Desporto de Timor Leste also joined the International Weightlifting Federation. East Timor is also a full member of the International Table-Tennis Federation (ITTF). In September 2005, East Timor's national football team
East Timor national football team
The Timor-Leste national football team is the national team of East Timor and is controlled by the Federação de Futebol de Timor-Leste. They are currently one of the weakest teams in the world and the weakest team in ASEAN region...
joined FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
Participation in international events
East Timor has taken part in several sporting events. Although the athletes came back with no medals, East Timorese athletes had the opportunity to compete with other Southeast Asian athletes in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games2003 Southeast Asian Games
The 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5 December - 13 December 2003. The games were opened by Vietnamese prime minister Phan Van Khai in the newly constructed My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi. The games torch was lit by Nguyen Thuy Hien of Wushu...
held in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 2003. In the 2003 ASEAN Paralympics Games, also held in Vietnam, East Timor won a bronze medal. In the Athens 2004 Olympic Games
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, six athletes participated in three sports: athletics, weightlifting and boxing). East Timor won three medals in Arnis at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
Arnis at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
The arnis tournament at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games was held on December 1, 2005 to December 4, 2005 at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gymnasium in Ermita, Manila. This is also the same venue as the wushu events....
. East Timor was also one of the competing nations in the first
2006 Lusophony Games
The 1st Lusophony Games were held in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China between 7 and 15 October 2006...
Lusophony Games
Lusophony Games
The Lusophony Games is a multinational multi-sport event organized by the ACOLOP, which involves athletes coming from Lusophone countries, namely those belonging to the CPLP , but also others where there are significant Portuguese communities or that have a common past with Portugal.Participating...
, winning a bronze medal in the women's volleyball competition (finishing third out of three teams), despite the fact the team had lost all its three games. On October 30, 2008, East Timor earned their first international points in a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
match with a 2-2 draw against Cambodia.