Next week, Monaco will be at the center of a discreet but significant gathering. High-ranking military delegations from around the world will come together in the Principality to participate in the 81st General Assembly of the International Military Sports Council, known as CISM.
This event, organized by the Monegasque Public Force, has been three years in the making and aims to position Monaco as a player in international sports diplomacy.
Founded on February 18, 1948 in Nice by five nations including France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, CISM now has 142 member nations. Its motto, “Friendship through Sport,” reflects its mission of bringing armed forces from around the world together on the sports field rather than the battlefield.
The organization is the second largest multisport organization in the world, after the International Olympic Committee. It holds military world championships in 35 disciplines annually, and every four years, the Military World Games bring together up to 15,000 uniformed athletes. Notably, military athletes dominated the medals at the recent Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
France, for example, saw its uniformed athletes win 15 medals, including 5 gold, while Switzerland earned 14 medals with a military connection. Military sports play a crucial role in elite civil sports, as demonstrated by athletes like ski racer Marco Odermatt and biathlete Éric Perrot.
Captain Denis Raymond, head of the Monegasque delegation to CISM, summarized the importance of the Military World Games by stating, “At the Military World Games, you have the cream of the global sports world.”
Monaco joined CISM in 2010 during the 65th General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro. Since then, Captain Denis Raymond has worked to establish Monaco’s presence in this sphere, with ambitions to field a larger delegation for the 2027 Games in Charlotte, focusing on swimming, athletics, and shooting.
Additionally, Monaco’s hosting of the CISM General Assembly marks a significant milestone for the principality, enhancing its legitimacy and potentially paving the way for hosting a world championship in the future.
