April 6 — International Sports Day: history and traditions of the holiday

The International Day of Sport for Peace and Development is celebrated annually on April 6 in Russia and other countries. In 2025, it falls on a Sunday. Izvestia tells about the history and traditions of the holiday, as well as shares interesting facts from the world of sports.

International Sports Day in 2025 — history

Outdoor games, agility and endurance competitions, martial arts and other types of physical activity have been and remain an important part of the culture of many peoples. Back in the 770s BC, the Olympic Games were held in Ancient Greece, dedicated to the main god of Mount Olympus, Zeus. It was a great event that briefly united all the Greek city-states (polis).

In the Middle Ages, sports were perceived as one of the ways to entertain the public: jousting tournaments and fair competitions invariably attracted a large number of spectators. During the Renaissance, physical activity was seen as a way to strengthen the body and mind.

In the 19th century, sports became widespread — international competitions and championships appeared, and maintaining physical fitness became a sign of good taste. Already in the 20th century, sport was recognized as an important element in maintaining public health, as well as a powerful tool for social integration and strengthening dialogue between different cultures at both the national and international levels.

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In 2013, the UN General Assembly proclaimed April 6 as the International Day of Sport for Peace and Development. The holiday is intended to remind about the importance of sport in human life, as well as its role in strengthening international cooperation. The date for it was not chosen by chance: on April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens.

Every year, the International Sports Day is held under different slogans. In 2025, the celebration is dedicated to the role of physical culture in human social adaptation and accessibility of sports for everyone, regardless of their age, gender, origin and financial situation. The theme of the celebration is "A sports field for everyone.": sports for social integration".

Traditions of the International Sports Day in 2025

Various sports events take place around the world on the holiday: competitions, relay races, games, outdoor training, demonstrations, etc. Doctors and professional coaches tell how to improve physical fitness without harm to health. Sections and fitness clubs invite you to free trial classes, and thematic lessons on healthy habits are held for children and teenagers.

Interesting facts about sports

In honor of the holiday, Izvestia collected some interesting facts from the world of sports.

In 1940, Edinburgh hosted a match between Hibernian and Hearts football clubs. The game was supposed to be covered live by BBC radio commentator Bob Kingsley, but due to heavy fog, the journalist could not see either the field or the players from his seat. Nevertheless, the radio station's management ordered a broadcast at all costs: the Germans listening to the broadcast should not have found out about the weather in the city, as the fog created ideal conditions for an air raid. As a result, Kingsley, guided by the screams of the fans, described in detail a non-existent football match. The real game ended with a score of 6:5 in favor of Hearts.

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In Japan, some professional golfers buy insurance before competitions in case of a successful start to the game. The fact is that in this sport, rolling a ball into a hole from the first shot over a long distance (hole-in-one) is a very rare event. Its probability is estimated as 1 in 12000. If a Japanese player manages to pull this off, he is obliged to arrange a party for the whole club at his own expense, which is very expensive.

In the early 1970s, Soviet and American athletes became interested in a new technique of long jumping — through a forward flip. It was supposed to help increase the jump range. However, as early as 1974, the International Amateur Sports Federation banned over-the-head turns in long jumps due to the high risk of injury.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the All-Russian Gymnastics Day.