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 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 international competition and organizes the competitions. The FIPV is a sports federation recognized by the following confederations. The International federation of Basque pelota was established on May 19, 1929, in Buenos Aires, Argentina brought into being by the French Federation of Basque Pelota, the Spanish Federation of Basque Pelota and the Argentinian Federation of Basque Pelota. Due to the outbreak of World War II and the Spanish