Sport in Armenia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A wide array of sports are played in Armenia

Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

, the most popular is football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

, other popular sports are wrestling

Wrestling

Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

, weightlifting, judo

Judo

is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

, chess

Chess

Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...

, and boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

.. Armenia's mountainous terrain provides great opportunities for the practice of sports like skiing

Skiing

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....

and climbing

Climbing

Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...

. Being a landlocked country, water sports can only be practiced on lakes, notably Lake Sevan

Lake Sevan

Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level...

. Competitively, Armenia has been successful in chess, weightlifting and wrestling at the international level. Armenia is also an active member of the international sports community, with full membership in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)

UEFA

The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....

, Federation of International Bandy (FIB)

Federation of International Bandy

The Federation of International Bandy is the international governing body for the sport of bandy. It was formed in 1955 in Stockholm, Sweden, and has had its base in Sweden since 1979. The present offices are situated in Katrineholm....

and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)

International Ice Hockey Federation

The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...

. It also hosts the Pan-Armenian Games

Pan-Armenian Games

The Pan-Armenian Games are a multi-sport event, held between competitors from the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. They consist of various competitions in individual and team sports among the Armenian athletes...

Olympics as part of the USSR

Prior to 1992, Armenians would participate in the Olympics representing the USSR. As part of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, Armenia was very successful, winning plenty of medals and helping the USSR win the medal standings at the Olympics on numerous occasions. The first medal won by an Armenian in modern Olympic history was by Hrant Shahinian (sometimes spelled as Grant Shaginian), who won two golds and two silvers in gymnastics

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

at the 1952 Summer Olympics

1952 Summer Olympics

The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...

in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

. To highlight the level of success of Armenians in the Olympics, Shahinian was quoted as saying:
Armenia contributed several more notable gymnasts to the powerful Soviet gymnastics team, including world and Olympic champions Albert Azarian, Eduard Azarian and Artur Akopyan.

Olympics after Independence

Armenia first participated at the 1992 Summer Olympics

1992 Summer Olympics

The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...

in Barcelona

Barcelona

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

under a unified CIS

Commonwealth of Independent States

The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....

team, where it was very successful, winning three golds and one silver in weightlifting, wrestling

Wrestling

and sharp shooting, despite only having 5 athletes. Since the 1994 Winter Olympics

Armenia at the 1994 Winter Olympics

Armenia competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time as an independent nation at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Previously, Armenian athletes competed for the Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics.- Bobsleigh :...

in Lillehammer

Lillehammer

is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...

, Armenia has participated as an independent nation.

Armenia participates in the Summer Olympic Games

Summer Olympic Games

The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...

in boxing

Boxing

, wrestling, weightlifting, judo

Judo

, gymnastics

Gymnastics

, track and field

Track and field

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, diving

Diving

Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...

, swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

and sharp shooting

Shooting at the Summer Olympics

Shooting sports have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics except at the 1904 & 1928 editions.-Men's:...

. It also participates in the Winter Olympic Games

Winter Olympic Games

The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...

in alpine skiing

Alpine skiing

Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

, 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...

and figure skating

Figure skating

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

Football

Armenia used to play as part of the USSR national football team

USSR national football team

The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...

at the international level. Their most successful team was Yerevan's FC Ararat

FC Ararat Yerevan

FC Ararat Yerevan , is an Armenian football club, based in Yerevan. Currently, the club plays in the Armenian Premier League, and is one of the most popular teams in Armenia.- History :...

, which had claimed most of the Soviet championships in the 70s and had also gone to post victories against professional clubs like FC Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

in the Euro Cup. Armenia played as part of the USSR until 1992, when the Armenian national football team

Armenia national football team

The Armenia national football team represents Armenia in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia...

played their first official match representing solely Armenia, against Moldova

Moldova

Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...

. The national team is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia

Football Federation of Armenia

The Football Federation of Armenia is the governing body of football in Armenia. It organizes the football league, Armenian Premier League, Armenian national football team, and the Armenia women's national football team. It is based in Yerevan....

. The Armenian Premier League

Armenian Premier League

The Armenian Premier League is the top football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within the USSR. After independence, the Football Federation of Armenia has been the unit in charge. The seasons run from spring to fall...

is the top football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

competition in Armenia. The league currently consists of eight teams, and relegates to the Armenian First League

Armenian First League

The Armenian First League is currently the second level football competition in Armenia after the Armenian Premier League. The competition exists mostly out of reserve teams of several Premier League clubs, however other teams also participate...

. Over the years, the league has evolved from a small competition consisting of only eight teams to two separate divisions. Armenia also has many football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

venues such as the Hrazdan Stadium

Hrazdan Stadium

Hrazdan Stadium is a multi-use, all-seater stadium in Yerevan, Armenia, built and opened in 1970. With the financial support of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the stadium was built in a remarkable period of 11 months....

and Hanrapetakan Stadium.

Armenia and the Armenian diaspora

Armenian diaspora

The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...

have produced many world class players, notably Youri Djorkaeff

Youri Djorkaeff

Youri Raffi Djorkaeff is a former French international footballer who played as a forward or as an attacking midfielder. With the French national team, Djorkaeff won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000...

, Alain Boghossian

Alain Boghossian

Alain Boghossian is a retired French-Armenian football player and now assistant coach for the French national team.-Club career:...

, Andranik Eskandarian

Andranik Eskandarian

Andranik Eskandarian is an Armenian Iranian-American footballer. He played as a defender for the F.C. Ararat Tehran, Taj F.C. and New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League....

, Andranik Teymourian

Andranik Teymourian

Andranik Timotian-Samarani , more commonly known as Andranik "Ando" Teymourian is an Armenian Iranian footballer. He usually plays as a defensive midfielder, but can also play as a side midfielder. He is notably the only Christian footballer in the Iranian national team.-Early career:Andranik was...

, Edgar Manucharyan

Edgar Manucharyan

Edgar Manucharyan is an Armenian footballer, who currently plays for Russian First Division club Ural Ekaterinburg on loan from Armenian Premier League club Pyunik Yerevan.-Pyunik:...

, Nikita Simonyan, among others.

Rugby union

Rugby union in Armenia

Rugby union in Armenia is a growing sport. They are currently unranked in the International Rugby Board's world rankings, which ranks only the top ninety-five countries...

is a growing sport. The Armenia national rugby union team

Armenia national rugby union team

The Armenian national rugby union team has recently begun playing in the European Nations Cup. The team is unexpectedly strong due to the large Armenian diaspora in France . So the team has drawn many players, coaches, and trainers from this experienced pool...

has drawn much of its strength from the Armenian diaspora and the fact that there are many Armenian rugby players in France. It has also drawn strength from the popularity of rugby in neighbouring Georgia.

Wrestling

has been a successful sport in the Olympics for Armenia. At the 1996 Summer Olympics

Armenia at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Armenia competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. Previously, Armenian athletes competed for the Unified Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics.- Gold:...

in Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

, Armen Nazaryan won the gold in the Men's Greco-Roman

Greco-Roman wrestling

Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...

Flyweight (52 kg) category and Armen Mkertchian

Armen Mkertchian

Armen Mkertchian is an Armenian wrestler. At the 1996 Summer Olympics he won the silver medal in the men's Freestyle Light Flyweight category.-External links:**...

won the silver in Men's Freestyle

Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...

Paperweight (48 kg) category, securing Armenia's first two medals in its Olympic history.

Traditional Armenian wrestling is called Kokh and practiced in traditional garb; it was one of the influences included in the Soviet combat sport of Sambo

Sambo (martial art)

Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport. The word "SAMBO" is an acronym for SAMooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which literally translates as "self-defense without weapons". Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand...

, which is also very popular.

Weightlifting

Weightlifting has also been a successful sport for Armenia in the Olympics with Arsen Melikyan

Arsen Melikyan

Arsen Melikyan is an Armenian weightlifter. He competed in the Men's 77 kg weight class at the 2000 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal.-References:*...

winning the bronze medal in Men's middleweight (77 kg) category. In April 2007, the Armenian national team won the 2007 European Championships

2007 European Weightlifting Championships

The 2007 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Strasbourg, France from 17 April to 22 April 2007. It was the 86th edition of the event, which was first staged in 1896.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-References:*...

in Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...

with 10 gold medals.

Before the establishment of an independent Armenia

Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

, Armenian weightlifters like Yurik Sarkisian

Yurik Sarkisian

Yurik Sarkisian is a former Olympic weightlifter for the USSR and Australia. He trained at VSS Sevan in Echmiadzin.In 2007 he was elected member of the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame.- Weightlifting achievements :...

and Yurik Vardanyan competed for the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

and were very successful. Vardanyan won the gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics

1980 Summer Olympics

The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...

, becoming the world's first weightlifter to achieve 400 point totals in the 82.5 kg weight category. He earned the title Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR in 1977 and was awarded the Order of Lenin

Order of Lenin

The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...

in 1985. Both, Yurik Vardanyan and Yurik Sarkisian

Yurik Sarkisian

set multiple world records during their distinguished careers.

Boxing

is also a popular sport in Armenia. The country has regularly sent competitors to the Olympics but met with little success. Among the bright stars of boxing in the Armenian world are Khoren Gevor

Khoren Gevor

Khoren Gevor, born Khoren Gevorgyan is an Armenian-German middleweight boxer and former EBU Middleweight champion.-Biography:He was born on March 16, 1979, in Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Standing at 5'8 and fighting out of Hamburg, Germany. Khoren fought in 2007 against compatriot Athur Abraham and lost...

, Vanes Martirosyan

Vanes Martirosyan

Vanes "The Nightmare" Martirosyan is an American boxer of Armenian descent.- Amateur :His family moved to Glendale, CA, when he was four years old, he started boxing when he was seven after his father, also an amateur boxer found out there was a gym nearby.Martirosyan was taken out of junior high...

, Vic "the Raging Bull" Darchinyan

Vic Darchinyan

Vakhtang "Vic" Darchinyan is an Armenian professional boxer discovered by HyeFighters. He is a three-division world champion, having won eight titles in three different weight classes. He is a former IBF Flyweight World Champion and a former Undisputed WBA, WBC & IBF Super Flyweight World...

, Arthur Abraham

Arthur Abraham

Arthur Abraham is an Armenian-German professional boxer HyeFighter residing in Berlin, Germany. He was IBF world middleweight champion from 2005 to 2009, making ten successful defences of his title...

and Alexan Nalbandian, although Abraham currently represent Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

respectively in international competitions.

Chess

remains the most popular mind sport

Mind sport

A Mind Sport is a sport or a game of skill where the mentalcomponent is much more significant than the physical. The official bodies that use the term have over 500 million registered users.- History of the term :...

in Armenia. It is widely played in Armenia and in the Armenian diaspora

Armenian diaspora

The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...

, where the Armenian schools encourage it as a curricular activity. Ethnic Armenian chess players have been very successful on the international chess scene. Notable chess players of Armenian descent include Tigran Petrosian

Tigran Petrosian

Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian grandmaster, and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else...

, Levon Aronian

Levon Aronian

Levon Grigor Aronian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster and the reigning World Blitz Chess Champion. On the September 2011 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2807, making him number three in the world and Armenia's number one...

, Rafael Vaganian

Rafael Vaganian

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian, also transliterated Vahanyan is an Armenian chess grandmaster known for his sharp tactical style of play...

and Vladimir Akopian. In 2006 the Armenian Chess Team of Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian, Karen Asrian

Karen Asrian

Karen Asrian was an Armenian chess Grandmaster.As of the October 2006 FIDE rating list, his Elo rating was 2634, tied for the fourth highest rank in Armenia....

, Artashes Minasian

Artashes Minasian

Artashes Minasian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster.-Chess career:He participated in eight Chess Olympiads with a record of +23,=28,-12. In 2006 the Armenian team took the first place at the 37th Chess Olympiad...

, and Smbat Lputian

Smbat Lputian

Smbat Gariginovich Lputian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster. He was first at tournament in Berlin 1982, shared first at Athens 1983 and at Irkutsk 1983, first at Sarajevo 1985 and at Irkutsk 1986, shared first at Hastings 1986-87 and first at Dortmund 1988...

won the Chess Olympiad in Turin

37th Chess Olympiad

The 37th Chess Olympiad, comprising an open and women's tournament and the general assembly of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs , took place between 20 May and 6 June 2006, in Turin, Italy.-Open tournament:...

. Two years later, Armenia successfully defended their Olympiad title with a second consecutive win in Dresden

38th Chess Olympiad

The 38th Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between 12–25 November 2008, in Dresden, Germany and was won by Armenia.The 2010 Olympiad is...

, the team being made up of Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian, Tigran L. Petrosian

Tigran L. Petrosian

Tigran L. Petrosian is an Armenian chess player who holds the title of grandmaster . His first name was deliberately chosen by his father to match the name of the former world champion Tigran V. Petrosian who was also of Armenian descent...

and Artashes Minasian.

Armenia won the World Chess Championships in 2011 against the top ten teams of the world, including Russia and China.

Other sports

Other sports played in Armenia are ice hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

, played internationally by the Armenian national ice hockey team

Armenian national ice hockey team

The Armenian national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of Armenia. They are currently ranked last in the world, since they have not actually played a game since 2006, even though they were registered to play in the qualifying round of the 2007 Division III tournament 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...

(Armenian basketball) and tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

, where certain members of the Armenian diaspora

Armenian diaspora

The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...

like Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi

Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...

and David Nalbandian

David Nalbandian

David Pablo Nalbandian is an Argentine professional tennis player and former world no. 3. He was runner-up at the 2002 Wimbledon Championships and the winner of the Tennis Masters Cup in 2005.-Biography:...

have excelled. According to news published at rusbandy.ru, Armenia plans to participate in the World Bandy Championships for the 1st time in 2011.http://translate.google.co.th/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rusbandy.ru%2F

Organizations

Homenetmen

Homenetmen is a pan-Armenian diaspora organization devoted to sport and Scouting. The motto of Homenetmen is "Elevate Yourself and Elevate Others with You" .-Foundation:...

and AGBU are the two biggest organizations that are devoted to athletics among Armenians. They, notably Homenetmen

Homenetmen

Homenetmen is a pan-Armenian diaspora organization devoted to sport and Scouting. The motto of Homenetmen is "Elevate Yourself and Elevate Others with You" .-Foundation:...

, have opened chapters all across the globe, wherever an Armenian community is present. Homenetmen

Homenetmen

Homenetmen is a pan-Armenian diaspora organization devoted to sport and Scouting. The motto of Homenetmen is "Elevate Yourself and Elevate Others with You" .-Foundation:...

organizes the Pan-Homenetmen Games each year, when the organization's members gather in a host city to play friendly matches against each other in various sports such as football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

, 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...

, athletics, ice hockey

Ice hockey

and volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

Modern Rebuilding Efforts

The government of Armenia budgets about $2.8 million annually for sports and gives it to the National Committee of Physical Education and Sports, the body that determines which programs should benefit from the funds.

Due to the lack of success lately on the international level, in recent years, Armenia has rebuilt 16 Soviet-era sports schools and furnished them with new equipment for a total cost of $1.9 million. The rebuilding of the regional schools was financed by the Armenian government. $9.3 million has been invested in the resort town of Tsaghkadzor to improve the winter sports infrastructure because of dismal performances at recent winter sports events. In 2005, a cycling center was opened in Yerevan

Yerevan

Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...

with the aim of helping produce world class Armenian cyclists. The government has also promised a cash reward of $700,000 to Armenians who win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Olympics as part of the USSR

Olympics after Independence

Football

Rugby union

Wrestling

Weightlifting

Boxing

Chess

Other sports

Organizations

Modern Rebuilding Efforts

External links

See also