Defining traditional sports and games with precision is essential for preservation, policy advocacy, and international recognition. The International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) works with the following definition, developed through consultation with communities, academics, and international heritage bodies:

The ICTSG Definition

Traditional sports and games are physical activities and competitive practices that are rooted in the cultural traditions of specific communities, transmitted across generations through community-based learning, and characterized by their deep connection to the cultural identity, values, and social practices of the communities that practice them.

Key Elements of the Definition

"Physical activities and competitive practices" -- TSG are defined by their character as physical practices involving the human body. This distinguishes them from other intangible cultural heritage like oral traditions or music, though traditional sports often overlap with these.

"Rooted in the cultural traditions of specific communities" -- Traditional sports are products of specific cultural contexts: particular geographies, social structures, economic systems, and historical experiences. This rootedness is what distinguishes traditional sports from modern sports, which have been deliberately decontextualized and standardized for universal application.

"Transmitted across generations through community-based learning" -- Traditional sports are learned through practice, observation, mentorship, and participation in community life -- not through formal written curricula. This mode of transmission is both their greatest strength and greatest vulnerability.

"Deep connection to cultural identity, values, and social practices" -- Traditional sports are cultural expressions. A traditional wrestling match is simultaneously a physical contest, a social gathering, a ceremonial practice, and an assertion of cultural identity.

What Traditional Sports Are Not

Traditional sports are not simply old sports -- a sport can be ancient and still be modern and standardized. They are not defunct -- ICTSG focuses on living traditions with communities who can protect them. And they are not primitive -- many traditional sports are extraordinarily sophisticated in technique, tactics, and cultural dimensions.

The Definition in International Law

UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage identifies domains that encompass traditional sports and games. ICTSG works to ensure traditional sports receive explicit recognition within UNESCO frameworks and national cultural heritage laws.

Precise definition matters because it determines which activities qualify for heritage protection, shapes eligibility for cultural funding, informs documentation standards, and provides communities with a framework for articulating the cultural significance of their traditions to governments and international bodies.