Sports are popular in Switzerland both as events to be watched in stadiums or on television and as a personal activity. There are some sports that are probably specific to Switzerland, but the most popular sports are well known worldwide.
Sports are an integral part of Switzerland's national life. The Swiss Olympic Association, the national clearinghouse for sports activities, estimated that its membership embraced some 3.5 million individuals and more than 25,000 separate organizations at the start of the 21st century, and nearly every commune in the country boasts several sports clubs, from mountaineering to football (soccer) to windsurfing.
Local competitions are abundant, the most famous of which is the annual Knabenschiessen festival, held in Zürich each September, bringing teenagers together to compete in archery and other shooting events. Along with regular Sunday-morning shooting, other sports played in the country include Swiss-style wrestling (Schwingen), gymnastics, Hornussen (a kind of Alpine baseball), tennis, golf, ice hockey, basketball, floor handball, gliding, paragliding, hang gliding, sailing, and swimming.
There is fishing in the lakes and rivers, and, when certain mountain lakes freeze over, they are used for curling and even horse racing. Skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering are among the most popular sports in Switzerland, the nature of the country being particularly suited for such activities. Winter sports are practiced by the natives and tourists since the second half of the 19th century with the in Mürren invention of bobsleighin St. Moritz.
The first world ski championships were held (1931) and St. Moritz (1934). The latter town hosted the second Winter Olympic Games in 1928 and the fifth edition in 1948. Among the most successful skiers and world champions are Pirmin Zurbriggen and Didier Cuche.
Many Swiss are fans of football and the national team or 'Nati' is widely supported. Switzerland was the joint host, with Austria, of the Euro 2008 tournament. Many Swiss also follow ice hockey and support one of the 12 clubs in the League A. In April 2009, Switzerland hosted the 2009 IIHF World Championship for the 10th time.
The numerous lakes make Switzerland an attractive place for sailing. The largest, Lake Geneva, is the home of the sailing team Alinghi which was the first European team to win the America's Cup in 2003 and which successfully defended the title in 2007. Tennis has become increasely popular sport, and Swiss players such as Martina Hingis and Roger Federerhave won multiple Grand Slams.
Motorsport racecourses and events were banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster with exception to events such as Hillclimbing. However, this ban was overturned in June 2007. During this period, the country still produced successful racing drivers such as Clay Regazzoni, Jo Siffert and successful World Touring Car Championship driver Alain Menu.Switzerland also won the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in 2007-08 with driver Neel Jani. Swiss motorcycle racer Thomas Lüthi won the 2005 MotoGP World Championship in the 125cc category.
Traditional sports include Swiss wrestling or "Schwingen". It is an old tradition from the rural central cantons and considered the national sport by some. Hornussen is another indigenous Swiss sport, which is like a cross between baseball and golf. Steinstossen is the Swiss variant of stone put, a competition in throwing a heavy stone.
Practiced only among the alpine population since prehistoric times, it is recorded to have taken place in Basel in the 13th century. It is also central to the Unspunnenfest, first held in 1805, with its symbol the 83.5 kg stone named Unspunnenstein.
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