Our History
100 years of Olympic Capital!
In 1915, Baron Pierre de Coubertin chose Lausanne to establish the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He moved to the shores of Lake Geneva where he found a more peaceful and stable environment in a time of war in Europe. In Lausanne, “the Olympic spirit will find an independent and proud atmosphere where reigns the pledge of freedom that it needs to progress”, declared the reviver of the modern Olympic Games at the time.
Over the years, more and more International Sports Federations and sports organisations have joined the IOC in making Lausanne their home. Here, they have all found the ideal setting to develop and strengthen the place of sport in society. On 23 June 1994, Lausanne was given the title of Olympic Capital by the IOC to mark its centenary, confirming the city’s status as the epicentre of international sport.
Proud of this title and conscious of its responsibility, the City of Lausanne and the Canton de Vaud have spent years developing a policy worthy of this status, enabling the city to not only become the administrative capital of sport over the course of time, but also a place where people can practice and watch sport.
Indeed, ideal framework conditions for hosting international organisations active in sport have been put in place in conjunction with the Swiss Confederation. Together with the unique expertise of the region developed by its many academic institutions and highly specialised staff, these factors have allowed the continual expansion of the network of international sport federations and other major players on the Olympic scene.
But moreover, Lausanne, in collaboration with the Canton de Vaud, has become the home of international sport by hosting major event throughout the years, including the ISU World (1997) and European (1992 and 2002) Figure Skating Championships, the World Gymnaestrada (2011), the World Triathlon Grand Finals (2019), stages of the Tour de France (2000 and 2022), and the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020. In 2025, Lausanne will once again welcome athletes from around the world for the U19 Basketball World Cup and in 2027, a new edition of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships. These events not only showcase the city's ability to host the world-class competitions but also provide an opportunity to engage and activate the local sports network and promote physical activity initiatives for the community.
In a nutshell, the Olympic Capital is:
Over the years, more and more International Sports Federations and sports organisations have joined the IOC in making Lausanne their home. Here, they have all found the ideal setting to develop and strengthen the place of sport in society. On 23 June 1994, Lausanne was given the title of Olympic Capital by the IOC to mark its centenary, confirming the city’s status as the epicentre of international sport.
Proud of this title and conscious of its responsibility, the City of Lausanne and the Canton de Vaud have spent years developing a policy worthy of this status, enabling the city to not only become the administrative capital of sport over the course of time, but also a place where people can practice and watch sport.
Indeed, ideal framework conditions for hosting international organisations active in sport have been put in place in conjunction with the Swiss Confederation. Together with the unique expertise of the region developed by its many academic institutions and highly specialised staff, these factors have allowed the continual expansion of the network of international sport federations and other major players on the Olympic scene.
But moreover, Lausanne, in collaboration with the Canton de Vaud, has become the home of international sport by hosting major event throughout the years, including the ISU World (1997) and European (1992 and 2002) Figure Skating Championships, the World Gymnaestrada (2011), the World Triathlon Grand Finals (2019), stages of the Tour de France (2000 and 2022), and the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020. In 2025, Lausanne will once again welcome athletes from around the world for the U19 Basketball World Cup and in 2027, a new edition of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships. These events not only showcase the city's ability to host the world-class competitions but also provide an opportunity to engage and activate the local sports network and promote physical activity initiatives for the community.
In a nutshell, the Olympic Capital is:
- close to 60 international sports federations and organisations
- 100+ sport related companies
- world renowned academic institutions
- 2,500+ people working in the sport industry
- a unique place to practice and watch sport - on land, water and in the mountains
