The sports movement started in Lebanon in 1920.The main sports at that time were athletics, football, swimming, ski, wrestling, boxing and weightlifting. These sports were practiced for a certain period without responsible authority. It wasn’t until 1933 that the federations were formed. Nowadays, the number of sports federations has reached 38. (For more information concerning the federations refer to appendix A).

In 1947, the Lebanese Olympic Committee was formed. Its purpose was to provide presence for Lebanon in the Olympics. Even when Lebanon didn’t have a National Olympic committee, still it sent a delegation of officials to the 11^th Olympics in Berlin in 1936.

Since 1948, Lebanon sent athletes to every summer Olympics with the exception of 1956. The Lebanese Olympic committee also participated in the winter Olympics since 1948 with the exception of 1994. All of Lebanon’s 4 Olympic medals came in the strength sports of wrestling and weightlifting.

The Lebanese Olympic committee hosted the Panarab Games in 1957 and in 1997, and the Mediterranean Games in 1959. In 1999,it hosted the west Asian games and the Arab championship.

The Camil Chamoun Sport’s City was reconstructed in 1997 in a way to hold against earthquakes.

Four parking spaces are available for 2590 cars. National and international championships were held in this city. In 1998, it hosted the Pan Arab Games, and in 1999, the Arab Championship, the Lebanese championship and the qualifications for the Asian Championship.

There are 5 stadiums in Lebanon where the games of the Lebanese championship take place.

An average of 1 to 3 courts, not including those in schools and universities, are available in every region where local tournaments take place.

Lebanon has 53 private clubs. To able to join these clubs, the members should be shareholders and should pay membership fees. Many facilities are offered in these clubs:

1. Arena: the arena features courts equipped to accommodate basketball, volleyball and tennis.

2. Swimming pools where a variety of activities are offered ranging from open swim to structured classes.

3. Weight rooms that house body building equipment.

4. Outdoor facilities: a track, tennis courts, a grass volleyball court and golf courts.

Some other few clubs offer different facilities like caving, biking, rafting, archery, rappelling and horse back riding.(for more information refer to appendix B)

There are 714 clubs listed in the General Directorate for Youth and Sports in Lebanon, distributed as follow:

The membership in these clubs is free. Any person can register to be able to use the facilities provided.

Lebanon has a total of 93 beach resorts distributed as follow:

These beach resorts provide swimming pools in different sizes (for children and adults), diving activities and 3 of them organize water polo tournaments. These resorts are private; the members should be shareholders or can pay monthly or seasonal fees. (For more information refer to appendix C)

Skiing in Lebanon gained wide recognition as a serious pursuit in late 1930’s thanks to the French army who set an army ski school in the area of the cedars in the north of the country. Early 1950, the first lift was constructed and from 1958 till today, many resorts began to take place. Today, 5 ski resorts are available for skiing and snowboarding:

1. Laqlouq: it is a ski resort situated on a plateau at an altitude between 1750m and 2000m. A ski school is also available for those who wish to learn the right techniques with professional teachers.

2. Zaarour: it is situated on a height of 1650meters at a distance of 45km from the capital. Zaarour is known for the opportunity for cross- country skiing over a distance of more than 4 km on the Sannine Mountain.

3. The Cedars: it is located at an altitude of 2000m at a distance of 122kms from the capital. The Cedars’ season start early November and often last until late April.

4. Faraya – Mzar: it is located at an altitude of 1850 m at a distance of 52 kms from Beirut. The season usually starts late in December and lasts until April. Ski, snowboarding and snowmobile are practiced on this resort.

5. Fakra Club: it is situated at an altitude of 1730 meters at a distance of 45 kms from Beirut. Other than skiing and snowboarding, the resort also offers a first class hotel with a Sauna, 3 tennis courts and fitness club.

In private and official schools, sports facilities are available. During class hours or after classes in a private session, the students are trained with professional sports teachers. Football, basketball, table tennis and athletics are taught to the students. Competitions are held to encourage the sports activities.

Regarding the universities, the Lebanese Federation of University sports’ objective is to gather the students in sports activities to encourage sports in Lebanon.

The major activities of this federation are the sports tournaments held all through the year between universities on different university fields and in different sports. Every 2 years, all the Lebanese universities participate in the world championship for universities called Universiade".

In 1999, this Universiade took place in "Palma de Mallorca", in Spain. A group of 54 people were sent to represent Lebanon.

In most of the Lebanese universities a complete program of athletics in the form of individual or team sports is made available for the students, faculty and staff. The program include football, basketball, volleyball, softball, handball, track, tennis and table tennis, Swimming, archery, body building, physical fitness, wrestling, boxing, martial arts, canoeing and windsurfing. Students can also join at the beginning of the year the varsity team and throughout the year a variety of intramural championships are organized. In the past 2 years, various teams competed in tournaments in Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and France.

From the sports activities in Lebanon, a Lebanese championship is held every year in different sports on different stadiums. Other than the Lebanese Championship, many sports activities from tournaments to championships take place in Lebanon or in different countries where Lebanon was a participant. The major activities are the following:

1. Table tennis: The Table tennis federation founded in 1964 organizes many activities including the First Lebanon Open Table Tennis Championship in 1997 which was a major ITTF pro-tour event. In 1999, it organized the Arab Championship and the Asian Championship.
2. Badminton: Lebanon national team ranks 13/90 and there are currently 6 clubs enlisted in the federation. In 1998, Lebanon participated in the second Arab Badminton Championship in Syria.
3. Tennis: the Tennis federation organizes every year other than the Lebanese Championship, the Davis Cup Championship as well as national tournaments. In 1993, Lebanon played the FED Cup.
4. Cycling: in 1998, the Cycling federation organized the Independence Cycling tournament and in 1999, the Lebanese Syrian tournament.
5. Golf: the golf Club of Lebanon organizes monthly competitions. The Pan Arab tournament introduced by he club in 1975 and the Lebanon Open are international competitions held in Lebanon.
6. Equestrian: today the number of players exceeds 100, these players compete in all the events of the equestrian federation such as the Lebanese National Championship and such the Independence tournament and the Arab championship in 1999.

7. The federation participates also in most of the regional tournaments occurring in Syria, Qatar, Dubai, Jordan and Italy.

8. Archery: locally, the Archery federation organized in 1998 the 4^th tournament of martyr Bassel Al Assad and the 2^nd International tournament for Archery and in 1999, the Olympic week commemoration contest. Lebanon also participated in international events such as the Cyprus tournament , the Istanbul tournament and the US tournament all in 1997.
9. Basketball: locally, the federation organizes on yearly basis other than the Lebanon’s Championship, the Cup of Lebanon and the Federation’s cup. It furthermore directs tournaments for both national and schools selection. Regionally, Lebanon participates through its teams and clubs in the Arab Club Champions Championship and in the Pan Arab games.
10. Volleyball: the Volleyball federation organizes on yearly bases the Lebanon’s Cup and the Provinces Championship. Regionally, the federation participates yearly in the Asian championship, in all Arab Championships for the national teams or for the clubs. The federation also participates in the World cup and the Olympic games every 4 years.
11. Football: every year, the Football federation organizes the Super Cup played between the cup holder and the League Championship. It is planned that in the year 2000 Lebanon will be hosting the Asian Cup 2000.
12. Chess: the Lebanese chess federation organized in 1993 and 1995 two major Arab events: the Second Arab Chess tournament and the individual Arab Championship.
13. Martial arts: the Karate federation participated in 1996 in the international tournament held in Syria and in 1997 in the Mediterranean games held in Italy.

    The Taekwando federation organizes regional tournaments such as the first class championship, the Beginners Championship, the Independence Day tournament and the Christmas tournament. It also participated in international contests such as Beirut tournament for Arab clubs, the Egyptian world tournament the Pyramid world tournament and the world championship.

14. Swimming: the Swimming federation participates in all the Middle Eastern Championships, in the Olympic Championship and the Arab tournament.
15. Yachting: the Lebanese Yachting Association organized a yachting show in the St George for the world champions. Lebanon also participates in the Arab tournaments of Yachting. In 1998, the ATCL club organized the first sailing competition for the winter season.
16. Ski: the federation organizes on yearly basis the Giant Slalom and the Special Slalom Championship for all categories. Regionally, it participate in all the skiing activities of the Cypriot, Turkish and Iranian federations. In addition, Lebanon attended the World
17. Championship held every 2 years and the Olympics winter games every 4 years.
18. Wrestling: in 1998, Lebanon participated in the Egyptian "Greeko- Roman" wrestling tournament that took place in Cairo.
19. Shooting: the Shooting federation organized a cup tournament for Northern Lebanon in addition to the Beirut Shooting Championship and the National Sand Shooting tournament.
20. Auto racing: Lebanon organized the Rally Des Cedres, winter rally, the Lebanese Carting Championship, the Speed Rally, the spring rally and the 4x4 challenge.

The media in Lebanon plays a major role in covering all the national and international sports events.13 journal sports, 16 sports magazines, 9 television programs, 7 radio programs, 15 Lebanese/Arab news agencies and 13 international news agencies are available to cover the activities.

1. BEACH CLUB
2. CORAL BEACH HOTEL
3. COSTA BRAVA
4. FAMILY BEACH
5. GOLDEN BEACH
6. KHALDEH BEACH
7. LEBANON BEACH
8. LONG BEACH
9. MERRY LAND
10. MIAMI BEACH
11. MIRADOR
12. RIVIERA
13. ST GEORGE YACHT MOTOR CLUB
14. ST MICHEL
15. SIESTA
16. SPORTING CLUB
17. SUMMERLAND
18. SUMMER SEA
19. VILLAMAR

1. AIGUE MARINE
2. AMWAJ
3. AQUAMARINA
4. ARCADA MARINA
5. A.T.C.L
6. BEL AZURE
7. BLUE BEACH
8. BYBLOS SUR MER
9. BYBLOS MARINE
10. CANARIAS
11. DONA MARIA
12. FOUR SEASONS
13. GONDOLA
14. GREEN BEACH
15. HALATE SUR MER
16. HALF MOON
17. HAMAC
18. HOLLYDAY BEACH
19. HORIZON
20. KHALIJ BEACH
21. LAGON SKI CLUB
22. LA MEDINA
23. MANAR
24. MALIBU BAY
25. MIDDLE BEACH
26. NEW KASLIK
27. NOVA MARE
28. PALMA
29. PERLA PLAYA
30. PORTEMILIO
31. 31. RABIEH MARINE
32. 32. LES RESIDENCES DE LA MER
33. 33. RIMAL
34. 34. SAFRA MARINE
35. ST GILLES
36. 36. ST JADE
37. 37. ST PAUL
38. 38. ST RAPHAEL
39. SAMAR
40. SAMAYA
41. SAM SUR MER
42. SANTA TEREZA PLAYA
43. SOLEMAR
44. STELLAMAR
45. SUMMER TIME BEACH
46. SYRENA PLAYA
47. TABARJA BEACH
48. TOUR MARINE
49. WIND SURVING

1. AQUALAND
2. COTE D’AZAR
3. LAS SALINAS
4. MANARA NORTH MARINA
5. MARINA DEL SOL
6. MIRA MAR
7. NAJI BEACH
8. NAOURA RESORT
9. PALMA TOURISTIC CENTER
10. SAN STEPHANO BEACH
11. SAWARY
12. SILVER SHORE

1. COTTAGE CLUB
2. EL SINDIBAD
3. ELISSA BEACH CLUB
4. FOUAD VILLE
5. MINA BEACH
6. MOUNES HOTEL
7. ORASS
8. RMEILEH CLUB
9. SARAFAND CLUB
10. TYR-REST HOUSE