ATHLETICS AND SPORTS

By its Five-Year Development Plans C.S.O. aimed at the setting of a serious athletic infrastructure throughout Cyprus. Very fruitful was the first Five-Year Development Plan of 1978-1982 in the context of which several stadia, sports halls for indoor events, swimming pools etc, were built in every town.

Subsequent Five-Year Development Plans provided for the construction of more sports halls and swimming pools particularly in the free part of Famagusta and in Paphos, and for the improvement of the facilities already existing all over Cyprus. In addition to that, grants and subsidizations to sports associations, clubs and other athletic bodies were increased substantially.

In the meantime, C.S.O. was putting emphasis on promotion of its international relationships. To this effect C.S.O. signed several protocols with the Commonwealth of Independent States Bulgaria, Czech and Slovak Republic, Austria and Germany. Relations with Greece are of a high level and cover mutual financial and technical aid in all athletic fields and sports.

The third Five-Year Development Plan, which covers the period 1988-1993, stresses two basic guidelines for the development of the athletic matters in the island:

1. Building new facilities and improving the already existing ones.

2. Developing every individual sport and enhancing its level of performance.

Meanwhile C.S.O. is building new sports halls for indoor events throughout the free part of Cyprus.

As far as the second guideline is concerned, C.S.O. is putting emphasis on two basic fields:

1. Mass athletic activities through the programme SPORTS FOR ALL.

2. Athletic activities on a high competitive level.

   As far as the first field is concerned, C.S.O. introduced special programmes for children, men, and women of every age. (In the children's programme about 20.000 children already participate).

   In the competitive sports field 35 sports federations and four confederations are active at the moment and are affiliated with and recognized by the corresponding international associations, and by the International Olympic Committee.

   Still a firm believer in international relations, the C.S.O. has renewed all protocols with foreign countries.

   A fact of major importance is that Cyprus was the host and organizing country for the GAMES OF THE SMALL COUNTRIES OF EUROPE in 1989, with the participation of eight countries.

   The year 1992 was also of crucial importance for the development of competitive sports in Cyprus, because it constituted the commencement year of a programme aiming at the improvement of Cyprus' performance standards in the Olympic Games of 1994.

   Another significant event in the athletic field of our country is the undertaking by Cyprus of the organization and hosting of the "International Gymnasiada" School Games in 1994.

   

   
   

   SPORTS

   The "King of Sports" in Cyprus is soccer. It's really popular among the Cypriots of every age. In the earlier years, soccer was popular only to the men, but nowadays plenty of women and girls are participating.

   The organization of the Cyprus Soccer League is under the Cyprus Football Organization. There are four groups of teams; with group A as the best and strongest classified one and group D as the weakest one.

   
   The Teams of Group A and their stadiums

   The Cyprus National Soccer Team

   The Champion Soccer Team in 1993-1994 season: APOLLON, LIMASSOL

   Madness on the Stadium(Apollon fans in 1993-1994 season.

   Click here for a beautiful analysis and presentation of Sports in Cyprus by Kypros-Net.

   

   RETURN TO THE CYPRUS ACCESS PANEL

   RETURN HOME

   ---