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
Spanish Federation of Basque Pelota Spanish Federation of Basque Pelota The Spanish Federation of Basque pelota or Federación Española de Pelota Vasca is the main governing body of Basque pelota in Spain and one of the most important in the world along with the International Federation of Basque Pelota. Basque pelota first gained popularity during the 1920s. Several tournaments were organized and the "Hand-pelota", "remonte" and "pala" championships were introduced for the first professional "pelotaris". In 1924 Basque pelota was introduced as a demonstration sport in the 1924 Summer Olympics, and the popularity of the event was the main reason for the creation of the