Basque pelota by men. This allows championship play at the international level, and allows the participation of players and teams from around the world using the same rules. There is, however, criticism about this, since purists might argue that some of the original traits of each particular modality could be lost. Even with protection, accidents do happen. With the ball easily travelling at , pelota can kill if safety equipment is not used properly or at all; while rare, occasional deaths do occur. The origin of this sport is tied to the decline of the ancient jeu de paume (jeu de paume
International Federation of Basque Pelota Civil War, their activities were restricted until 1945. In 1946 the official modalities regulated by the federation were defined, and its specific rules set for equality of the participant country federations and the international championships. The headquarters of the federation are currently located in Pamplona, Spain. Currently the International Federation is constituted by 27 national federations. The current medal table from 1952 to 2014 is as follows: International Federation of Basque Pelota The International Federation of Basque Pelota ( (FIPV), ) is the worldwide governing body for Basque pelota, recognized by the International Olympic Committee. It sets the regulations for