Basque pelota

Pelota is a generic name for various hand-and-ball or racquet-and-ball games derived from the ancient French racquet sport of jeu de paume. The best-known version of the sport is probably chistera (also xistera or cesta punta), which uses baskets to handle the ball. In the United States, it is better known as the betting sport of jai alai.

Basque pelota, predominantly played in the Basque regions and contiguous provinces of France and Spain, has thrice been an Olympic demonstration sport: in Paris 1924, Ciudad de México 1968, and Barcelona 1992. In addition, at the unusual Olympic Games of 1900 in Paris, a version of pelota can be considered to have been an Olympic sport.

It is the only sport where Olympic medals have been awarded despite the sport having never really taken place at the Olympic Games. It was to be played at the 1900 Olympics, but only one Spanish pair remained after a French pair withdrew shortly before the Olympic match was scheduled.

Internationally, the sport is governed by the Federación Internacional de Pelota Vasca (FIPV), which was established on 19 May 1929, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with three founding members: Argentina, France, and Spain. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with 36 affiliated national federations as of January 2026.