Sport in Lebanon
Encyclopedia
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
's unique geography, both summer and winter sports thrive in the country. In fact, during autumn and spring it is sometimes possible to engage in both activities on the same day; for example, skiing in the morning and swimming in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
in the afternoon. In 1959, Beirut hosted the third Mediterranean Games
1959 Mediterranean Games
After visiting Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean Games were for the first time held in Asia in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, thus completing the trio of continents belonging to the Mediterranean Sea...
. Lebanon has hosted the Asian Cup in 2000 and the Pan-Arab Games in 1957 and again in 1997. Although the Asian Winter Games
Asian Winter Games
The Asian Winter Games is a multi-sport event held every four years for members of the Olympic Council of Asia which features winter events. The Japanese Olympic Committee first suggested the idea of holding a winter version of the Asian Games in 1982...
were under consideration to be held in Lebanon in 2009, they ultimately did not take place. However, Lebanon did host Les Jeux de la Francophonie
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
in 2009.
Autosports
Rally
Rally of LebanonRally of Lebanon
Rally of Lebanon is the only tarmac rally of the MERC, organised by the ATCL , the first event was held in 1968.-Past winners:-Driver Multiple Wins:-Make Multiple wins:-External links:* - official website...
, which is organized by the Automobile et Touring Club du Liban (ATCL), has been a popular sport in Lebanon since the late sixties. It is the only tarmac rally of the MERC
Merc
Merc may refer to:* Merc Clothing, classic British clothing brand* Merc MUD multi-user-daemon, a computer program for interactive communication* Mobile Emission Reduction Credit , used in pollution reduction* Middle East Rally Championship...
.
Grand Prix Racing
In 2001, SolidereSolidere
Solidere s.a.l. is a Lebanese joint-stock company in charge of planning and redeveloping Beirut Central District following the conclusion, in 1990, of the country’s devastating civil war...
revealed plans to build a racing circuit in the Beirut Central District
Beirut Central District
The Beirut Central District or Centre Ville is the name given to Beirut’s historical and geographical core, the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” At the heart of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut Central District is an area thousands of years old, traditionally a...
in a bid to stage Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
races in Lebanon. The plan was to make the Beirut Formula One the only in-city Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
outside Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. The plans never saw fruition. However, Lebanon entered the world of international motor sport in 2004 with the formation of the Lebanese A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...
team that included driver Basil Shaaban
Basil Shaaban
Basil Shaaban is a Lebanese racing driver, and was raised primarily in Abu Dhabi. Shaaban graduated with a Bachelor degree in astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley.-Early racing:...
, making Lebanon the first Arab nation to participate in the World Cup of Motorsport.
Jogging
Jogging is a popular sport, especially in the capital along the Corniche BeirutCorniche Beirut
The Corniche Beirut is a seaside promenade in Beirut, Lebanon. Lined with palm trees, the waterfront esplanade offers visitors a magnificent view of the Mediterranean and the summits of Mount Lebanon to the east...
, in the Horsh Beirut
Horsh Beirut
Horsh Beirut is an urban park in Beirut, Lebanon. The urban park is known as Horsh Al-Sanawbar or Bois de Pins ; it covers about 300,000 square meters of green space within municipal Beirut....
and The Shoreline Walk in Beirut Central District
Beirut Central District
The Beirut Central District or Centre Ville is the name given to Beirut’s historical and geographical core, the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” At the heart of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut Central District is an area thousands of years old, traditionally a...
. Outside Beirut, jogging is practiced at the Marina Joseph Khoury in Dbayeh
Dbayeh
Dbayeh in arabic , is a town located on the mediterranean sea in the matn district mount-lebanon governorate, between Beirut the capital of Lebanon ,and jounieh , almost all the population is christian exluding some gulf arabs muslims who reside in Dbayeh during the summerThe "Dog River" cuts...
and along the corniches of Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon.
Marathons
The Beirut International Marathon (BIM) has been an annual, international event since 2003. It is held every fall, drawing top runners from Lebanon and abroad. Shorter races are also held for youth and less serious competitors. Race day is promoted as a fun, family event, and it has become a tradition for many to participate in costumes or outlandish clothing.Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a popular sport with Lebanese athletes, like George FarahGeorge Farah
George "Bulletproof" Victor Farah is an IFBB professional bodybuilder.-Biography:Farah grew up in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War where he participated in combat operations as a child...
, Samir
Samir Bannout
Samir Hassan Bannout is an IFBB professional bodybuilder.-Biography:Known as "the Lion of Lebanon", Samir Bannout won the Mr. Olympia title in 1983. At that time, only 6 men had held this most prestigious title since the contest was first introduced in 1965...
and Mohammad Bannout
Mohammad Bannout
Mohammad Ali Bannout , informally referred to as Moe Bannout, is a Lebanese IFBB professional bodybuilder...
, winning international competitions. Edward Michel Kaouk was another Lebanese bodybuilder who won the Championship of Arabs and the Middles East in 1979, the Paris Amateur Bodybuilding Championship in 1980, and the World Amateur Bodybuilding Championship the same year. Malih Alaywan, once IFBB's vice president for the Middle East, was credited with creating support for bodybuilding in Lebanon and the Arab world.
Greco-Roman Wrestling
Khalil Taha was a bronze medal winner in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games in Greco-Roman Wrestling while Zakaria Chihab won the silver. In 1980, Hassan Bechara won the bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.- Martial Arts
Equine Sports
The Beirut HippodromeBeirut Hippodrome
The Beirut Hippodrome, officially called Hippodrome Du Parc De Beyrouth, is a horse-racing facility in Beirut, Lebanon. It was built in 1885 in Bir Hassan, a suburb of Beirut...
, a horse-racing facility built in 1885, is once again operating and regaining its former popularity after years of neglect during the war. Additionally, private clubs have been established in Lebanon, such as The Lebanese Equestrian Club (CHL) also known as Club Hippique Libanais, which was founded in 1981
Mountain Sports
Hiking, trekking and mountain biking are popular sports in the summer when ski lifts can be used to access some of Lebanon's best trails, with panoramic views stretching as far as CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
to the west and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
to the east. The Lebanon Mountain Trail
Lebanon Mountain Trail
The Lebanon Mountain Trail is a long-distance hiking trail in Lebanon. It extends from Qbaiyat in the north of Lebanon to Marjaayoun in the south, a path that transects more than 75 towns and villages at altitudes ranging from 600 to 2,000 meters above sea level...
is Lebanon’s first national long-distance hiking trail that covers 440 km and passes through 75 villages, starting in the north and trecking over the spine of Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
until it terminates in the south of Lebanon. The Baskinta Literary Trail, a 24-km long, offers hikers a chance to discover 22 literary landmarks related to several acclaimed, Lebanese literary figures. Cross-country running, rock-climbing, and caving are also practiced across Mount Lebanon.
Hiking & Mountain Biking Areas
- Baskinta Literary Trail
- Cedars of Jaj
- Chouf Cedars Nature Reserve HikeAl Shouf Cedar Nature ReserveAl Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Chouf District of Lebanon. It is located on the slopes of Barouk mountain and has an area of 550 km², nearly 5.3% of the Lebanese territory....
- Faraya Mzaar KfardebianFaraya Mzaar KfardebianFaraya is a Lebanese village located in Kisrwan, at an altitude of 1350 m above sea level. The village of Faraya is a populated village with residents that stay there in summer as well as in winter, in spite of the harsh weather in winter. Above Faraya are the summer/ski resort cities of Mzaar,...
- Horsh Ehden
- Lebanon Mountain Trail
- Kadisha ValleyKadisha ValleyThe Kadisha Valley is a valley that lies within the Becharre and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorate of Lebanon. The valley is a deep gorge carved by the Kadisha River, also known as the Nahr Abu Ali when it reaches Tripoli...
- Tannourine Nature Reserve
Tennis
According to the 13th century13th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 through 1300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era...
French tale, L'histoire d'Apollonius de Tyr, the Stoic philosopher
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early . The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.Stoics were concerned...
and Phoenician
Phoenician
Phoenician may refer to:*Phoenicia, the ancient civilization*Phoenician alphabet*Phoenician languagePhoenician may also be:*A native or resident of Phoenix, Arizona-See also:*Phoenix *Phoenicia...
king, Apollonius of Tyre was the oldest tennis player and champion on record, albeit fictional.
In reality, Lawn tennis did not come to Lebanon until 1889 when it was first introduced in the village of Brummana
Brummana
Brummana is a town in the Matn District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate in Lebanon. It is located east of Beirut, overlooking the capital and the Mediterranean.-Overview:...
. Ainab
Ainab
Ainab is a town on the western slopes of Mount Lebanon overlooking Beirut. It is in the Aley District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate from Beirut, on the road South from Aley.-History:...
was also one of the first villages in Lebanon to have a tennis court, which was built by five professors from the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
early in the twentieth century. The annual tennis tournament, which was an international event prior to the war but now mostly a national one, is held at Brummana High School
Brummana High School
Brummana High School is a secondary school in Lebanon. It is located in the village of Brummana, situated in Metn, Mount Lebanon, east of the capital city Beirut.This school was established in 1873, by the Quaker Theophilus Waldmeier...
in August.
Association football
Federation Libanaise de Football
The Lebanese Football Association is the governing body of football in Lebanon. It organizes the Lebanon national football team, the Lebanon women's national football team, the Lebanon national under-23 football team, the Lebanon national under-20 football team, the Lebanon national under-17...
.
Lebanon has never made it to the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
or, in fact, ever won a trophy. The national team, which also competes in the West Asian Football Federation Championship
West Asian Football Federation Championship
The West Asian Football Federation Championship is a football competition of mainly West Asian countries and territories. The event is organised by West Asian Football Federation...
, progressed to the first round of qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
by eliminating India, 6-3 on aggregate, but failed to qualify. In 2011, coached by the German Theo Bücker
Theo Bücker
Theo Bücker was born on the 10th of July, 1948 in Bestwig, Germany and is a German football manager and a former player.-Coaching Career:On the 8th of August in 2011, it was reported that Bücker was announced as Lebanon's new head coach, with the former national team manager taking over the reins...
, Lebanon beat UAE 3-1, tied with Kuwait in Beirut, but overwhelmmed them 1-0 in Kuwait City. The team then beat Korea in Beirut, moving Lebanon within "one point of advancing in the World Cup qualifying process".
The top division of football in Lebanon
Football in Lebanon
Football is a popular sport in Lebanon. Football in Lebanon is governed by the Federation Libanaise de Football Association. The country's most popular clubs are Al-Ansar and Al-Nejmeh...
is the Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League is the top division of the Federation Libanaise de Football Association football league competitions. It was founded in 1900 and began in 1934 and their confederation is the AFC...
. Twelve teams compete. The lexicons of football in Lebanon are Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
clubs Nejmeh and Al-Ansar. The lower division is the Lebanese Second Division
Lebanese Second Division
The Lebanese Second Division is the second division of Lebanese football. It is controlled by the Federation Libanaise de Football Association...
. Cup competitions include the Lebanese Elite Cup
Lebanese Elite Cup
The Lebanese Elite Cup is a Lebanese cup competition played by the top-6 league finishers of the previous season.The competition was first played in 1996 and was contested by the top four of the league and the cup winners. It was known as the Super League Cup...
, the Lebanese FA Cup
Lebanese FA Cup
The Lebanese FA Cup is the top knockout tournament in Lebanese football. The most successful team is Al-Ansar, winning 12 titles.- Finals :*1938 : Al Nahda FC *1939 : Helmi Sport*1940 : Helmi Sport*1941 : Al Nahda FC...
, Lebanese Super Cup
Lebanese Super Cup
-Winners:*1996 : Al-Ansar*1997 : Al-Ansar*1998 : Al-Ansar*1999 : Al-Ansar*2000 : Nejmeh*2002 : Nejmeh*2004 : Nejmeh*2008 : Al-Ahed*2009 : Nejmeh*2010 : Al-Ahed-External Links:...
and the Lebanese Federation Cup
Lebanese Federation Cup
-Winners:*1999 : Al-Ansar*2000 : Al-Ansar*2004 : Al-Ahed-External Links:...
.
Basketball
BasketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
is one of the most popular sports in Lebanon. In basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
the main federation is the Lebanese Basketball Federation it's a member of FIBA Asia
FIBA Asia
FIBA Asia is a zone within the International Basketball Federation which contains all 44 Asian FIBA federations.-National teams:East AsiaGulfMiddle AsiaSoutheast AsiaWest Asia-Top ten FIBA Asia teams:...
. The first time basketball was played was in the mid of 1920's.The Lebanon national basketball team
Lebanon national basketball team
The Lebanon national basketball team is the basketball team representing Lebanon in international competitions.-History:The first time basketball was ever played in Lebanon was in the mid-1920s in the American University of Beirut...
has qualified three consecutives times to the FIBA World Championship in 2002
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
, 2006
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
, 2010
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
and he's ranked 24th in the world and the women national team is ranked 61st in the world. Lebanon owns his own basketball league:Lebanese Basketball League
Lebanese Basketball League
The Lebanese Basketball League or FLB League or BANKMED FLB League is the top basketball league in Lebanon and one of the top leagues in Asia. It is organised annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation . The Men Division A made up of...
for men and women in addition of the Lebanese basketball cup. The most succeful Lebanese basketball clubs are Sporting Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, also known as Riyadi Club and Sporting Club is a Lebanese Basketball club based in Raouché, Beirut where both men's and women's tournaments are held every year....
and Sagesse
Hekmeh
Hekmeh SC, or Hekmeh Sports Club also known by its French synonym Sagesse or Club Sagesse or Club Sportif Sagesse is a multi-sports club in Lebanon....
for men and Antranik SC
Antranik SC
Antranik SC is a Lebanese-Armenian multi-sports club most known for its professional basketball program. It is located in Antelias, Matn District, Lebanon...
for women.
Very famous basketball players include:
- From LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
: Fadi El KhatibFadi El KhatibFadi El Khatib , born January 1, 1979, is a Lebanese basketball player currently playing for Champville SC in the Lebanese Basketball League...
and Elie MechantafElie MechantafElie Mechantaf is a retired Lebanese international basketball player. He started his basketball career in the Cypriot Basketball League, before becoming the captain of the Lebanese Hekmeh BC basketball club, a leading club of the Lebanese Basketball League for more than ten years, wining the... - From the Lebanese diasporaLebanese diasporaLebanese diaspora refers to Lebanese migrants and their descendants who by choice or coercion emigrated from Lebanon and now reside in other countries....
: Rony SeikalyRony SeikalyRonald Fred "Rony" Seikaly is a retired Lebanese-born American professional basketball player.-Early life:Seikaly was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At the age of 9, Rony moved from Beirut where he'd been attending elementary school at the Athenee de Beirut to Greece, where he spent the rest of his youth...
, Brian Beshara and Matt FreijeMatt FreijeMatthew Wayne Freije is a Lebanese American professional basketball player who currently plays for Hebraica y Macabi in Uruguay. Freije attended Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas before attending Vanderbilt University where he was an All-SEC performer... - Naturalized Lebanese players from the United States: Joe VogelJoe VogelFor American author, see Joseph VogelJoseph Vogel is an American-Lebanese basketball player. Vogel attended Colorado State. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Draft...
and Jackson VromanJackson VromanJackson Vroman is a US-born Lebanese professional basketball player. He was naturalized as a Lebanese citizen to play in the Lebanon national basketball team, substituting the other naturalized American Lebanese player, Joe Vogel...
Futsal
The Lebanese play mini footballMini football
Mini football may refer to:* Mini footy, a derivative of rugby league football for children.* Table football* Mini-futbol , alternate name for futsal...
which is very similar or identical to futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
. The Lebanon national futsal team
Lebanon national futsal team
The Lebanon national futsal team represents the Republic of Lebanon in international futsal competitions. Their official nickname is The Cedars...
represents Lebanon in international futsal competitions and is controlled by the Futsal Commission of the Federation Libanaise de Football Association. It is one of the rising teams in Asia. In December 2007, Lebanon ranked 34 in the Futsal World Ranking, the sixth highest ranking Asian team that year. In 2010, Lebanon ranked 41 and in 2011, the country ranked 48.
Rugby Union
Rugby union in Lebanon dates back to the French colonial period. Lebanon has a national league, and national team, and the sport continues to grow.Rugby League
Rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
is also popular in Lebanon. The Lebanese Rugby League Federation is based in Safra in Lebanon. They are associate members of the Rugby League European Federation and full members of the Rugby League International Federation. The national rugby league team
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
qualified and played in the 2000 World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
, and nearly qualified for the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, but were narrowly beaten by Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
in their final game. In 2011, Lebanon again nearly qualified for 2013 Rugby League World Cup but lost to Italy that became the 14th and final nation to qualify for the event. The league, which was managed by Danny Kazataan, has become popular amongst university students and the army.
Touch Football
In 1998, Lebanese AustralianLebanese Australian
A Lebanese Australian is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Lebanese descent. The community is multi-religious, and includes a Christian, mostly Maronite Catholic, majority, as well as a large Muslim minority of both the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam, and various other Christian and...
s founded The Lebanon Touch Football Association. Since Lebanon's international debut in 1999 they have qualified for the 1999 World Cup in Australia where the Men's O30's won silver, Mixed Open won bronze and Men's Open came 5th. In the 2001 Youth World Cup in New Zealand the Lebanese Men's U18's team finished 4th and Men's U20's came 6th. In the 2005 Youth World Cup in Australia the Men's U20's defeated South Africa to win the bronze medal. In the 2007 World Cup in South Africa the Men's Opens team defeated Japan to win the bronze medal. Lebanon is currently ranked third in the world behind Australia and New Zealand.
Volleyball
Volleyball has some popularity in Lebanon where there is an amateur volleyball league. This team sport was introduced to LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
through foreign schools after the First World War in 1918. In the 1920s it spreads widely in some schools, namely the Sacré Coeur, Al Makassed and La Sagesse and in some universities such as the Saint Joseph University (USJ) and the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
(AUB). In 1973, the Lebanese government signed a sport's cooperation treaty with the USSR to have Soviet coaches train the Lebanese national volleyball team. Lebanon has competed in numerous international volleyball events. In 1952, Israel defeated Lebanon 3-0 and then lost to Lebanon 3-2 in the World Volleyball Championships in Moscow. Beach Volleyball is also practiced in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Water Sports
Swimming, water-skiing, yachting, sailing, scuba diving, windsurfing are practiced along the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon, especially on that stretch between Beirut and TripoliDiving
Diving is a popular sport in Lebanon with interesting wrecks to explore. The air temperatures is above 70 °F from May through October, which along with its unexplored waters along the 180 miles coastline, Lebanon has a lot to offer visiting divers.Water Skiing
An international water ski championship was held in the Saint George BaySaint George Bay
The Saint George Bay is located on the northern coast of the city of Beirut in Lebanon. The Saint George Bay is believed to be the place where Saint George slew the dragon. Today the bay houses Beirut's western marina and extends to the north until the marina of Dbayeh...
in Beirut, beginning in 1955, but the event was discontinued at the beginning of the war.
- Fishing
- Jet-Skiing
- Sailing
- Snorkeling
- Wind Surfing
Weightlifting
Since the mid-20th century, weightlifting has been one of the biggest success stories for Lebanese athletes who have participated in numerous international competitions. In the Munich Summer Olympics in 1972, Mohamed Traboulsi won the silver medal, in addition to many gold medals in continental and regional championships and is considered one of the most reverred athletes in Lebanon.Winter Sports
Lebanon boasts six skiSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
resorts, with slopes suitable for skiers and snowboarders
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
of all ages and levels of experience. Off-slope, there are many opportunities for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.