It might come as a surprise, but French is still very much alive in the world of sports — and not just at Roland-Garros or the Olympic Games. In several international disciplines, French remains an official language. It’s used in rulebooks, official announcements, referee communication, and even on the field.

Take fencing, for example. With its aristocratic origins, the sport speaks fluent French: en garde, riposte, touché, fleuret… These terms are used worldwide because the International Fencing Federation, founded in Paris in 1913, established French as its reference language. In equestrian sports as well — show jumping, dressage, eventing — French has long played a major role, especially in the European tradition.

But fencing and horseback riding are not alone. French is also an official language in judo, cycling, swimming, gymnastics, and field hockey. Many international sports federations are headquartered in French-speaking countries, especially Switzerland, and continue to use French as one of their working languages.

Why is that? The reason lies in history: for a long time, French was the main language of diplomacy and international relations — including in sports. And today, those traces remain, even if they’re not always obvious.

At Fransk Kulturhus, we believe language lives everywhere — not just in books. Do you love sports? Come learn the language that speaks behind the scenes of the global sports world! Explore our courses on our platform!