Conseil International du sport militaire (CISM)

Conseil International du Sport Militare (CISM) was established during a fencing championship in Nice by participants of the games - Belgium, Denmark, Luxemburg, Holland, and France - on 18 February 1948. It is one of the biggest sports organisations worldwide declaring „Friendship through Sport". The Council is responsible for organisation of various sports events for the military from 131 countries. Troops that used to meet only on the gournd of operation or military exercise theatre now gather for friendly matches in athletic fields. Activities are implemented on the basis of ideology and philosophy approved in a meeting by all the CISM members in 1998. At the moment CISM unites 131 countries from all the continents of the world.

The main aim of CISM is to unify armies of the world through sports games and thus to contribute to promotion of global peace.

A great number of global, continental, and regional sports events are held almost for 300 days in a year. The events rest on the foundation of two main factors - sports and solidarity.

CISM holds an important position among other international sports organisations: it has weight in training sportsmen of excellence. Conseil International du Sport Militare was among the first to promote solidarity in international sports. CISM undertakes joint projects with IOC, the UN, and the EU. It also develops close cooperation with national and international sports federations, and the top managers of international sports.

Chairman of CISM is an elected position. Present Chairman of CISM is an Italian Brig. Gen. Gianni Gola. Secretariat General of the organisation is based in Brussels and run by Col. Michel van Meurs from the Netherlands.

CISM organises world military championships encompassing over 20 branches of sports on a yearly basis. All of the countries united by CISM are invited to take part in those events. The organisation also arranges continental and regional games, and the Military World Games takes places every other four years. It is a multi-sport event CISM organises along with its member states.

Individual branches of sports: track and field athletics, cross-country race, cycling, horse-riding, golf, modern pentathlon, mountain and plain skiing, biathlon, triathlon, sailing, swimming (diving, rescuing a drowning person, water-polo), orienteering.

Branches of sports: basketball, football, handball, volleyball.

Branches of combat sports: boxing, fencing, judo, wrestling, taekvando.

Military applied branches of sports: aviators pentathlon, military pentathlon, naval pentathlon, parachuting, and firing.

The first Military World Games took place in Rome in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. 93 athletes competed in 17 branches of sports. After four years more than 7000 sportsmen from 82 countries gathered in Zagreb, Croatia, to confirm the huge success of the Military World Championship. The third global military sports event was held in Catania, Italy, from December 4 to 11 in 2003. Representatives of 84 countries celebrated sports, global peace, and spirit of friendship and solidarity - the unity of CISM members.

The 4th CISM World Military Games were held in 2007 in Hyderabad, India from October 14 to 21 (Lithuanian Armed Forces was represented by a military pentathlon, firing, parachuting, track and field athletics, boxing, wrestling, judo, and handball delegation).

It would be hard to name all the sports celebrities that win gold in civilian games though they are servicemembers as well. Almost 25 percent of medals in the Olympic Games are won by CISM athletes. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (biathlon), Raphael Poiree (biathlon), Kati Wilhelm (biathlon), Eugeny Plyushenko (figure skating), and Katarina Neumanova (skiing) are just several of the military athletes constantly appearing on the top steps of pedestals of the international games. In 2002 CISM athletes won 13 gold medals in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, and 23 gold medals in the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 2004.

SYMPOSIUMS

CISM organises international symposiums on an annual basis. Officials gather to convene on various aspects of physical education and sports in the armed forces. The last international symposium „Importance and Influence of Sports in Society" was arranged in Washington, the USA, on 11-15 September 2006.

SPORTS and PEACE

From March 31 to April 2 of 2005 CISM held a seminar "Sports and Peace" in Mantua, Italy. Representatives of 22 states, such international organisations as the UN, UNICEF, and IOC, sports associations, and members and organisations of CISM gathered to share thoughts about peace, healthcare, sports, and education. Participants of the seminar represented several projects and ideas on the ways sports could serve for promoting peace and security.

All of the members agreed that sports is a powerful and important means of restructuring society of the regions affected by military conflicts. Development of sports programmes is acknowledged as the main tool of shaping the youth's set of mind in such regions, and it is equally important to use sports as a vehicle to convey understanding of other cultures.

SOLIDARITY

Solidarity is one of the most important factors in the activity of CISM. In fact, the Olympic model of solidarity has roots in the CISM's model of solidarity invented several decades ago. CISM solidarity programme embraces many areas, or various projects of organising clinics of technical support for underdeveloped countries, transporting representatives of such countries to the games, donating athletic inventory for undersupplied regions, etc.

The most recent project that has been launched already is a Centre of Regional Development in Kenya.

World Military Basketball Championship

World Military Basketball Championships are held on an annual basis. World Military Sports Games takes place every other four years.

The bests results achieved by the Lithuanian Armed Forces Team - silver medals in 2005 and 2008.

Results (2003-2008):

http://www.cism-milsport.org/eng/b1_sport/02_basket/02-results-basket.html