History Of Cycle Polo

   The game was invented by an Irishman, in 1891. That same year the first cycle polo match was played between The Scalp and the Ohne Hast C.C..

Towards the end of the 19th century the game reached Great Britain, USA and France. The first international match was played between Ireland and England in 1901. Cycle polo was an Olympic event in the 1908 London Olympics with Ireland winning the gold beating Germany.

The sport reached its peak of popularity in Great Britain during the 1930s with the introduction of the regional leagues. Cycle polo also flourished in France during this period with the establishment of the French league. Internationals between France and Great Britain were held regularly. However the second world war marked the beginning of the demise of cycle polo in Britain. The sport managed to hang on in France though, with league championships held regularly till today.

The 1980s saw the rise of two new powers in cycle polo, India and USA. The Cycle Polo Association of India was officially created in 1966 and the Bicycle Polo Association of America was created in 1994. International cycle polo matches staged a comeback in the 90s with the first world championship organized in 1996 in USA. Teams from India, USA and Canada participated with India winning the title. The next championship was held in 1999 in Vancouver, Canada which was also won by India. From then on, the championship became a regular event held every year.

The 2004 championship was won by the USA, with teams from India, Canada, France and Pakistan participating.

Today there is organized cycle polo being played in Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and USA.

Cycle polo was officially recognized by the International Cycling Union in 2001. Starting in 2007, a variation of cycle polo so-called Urban Cycle Polo is getting considerable media attention in the USA and Canada. This game is less formal and has rules adapted to accommodate urban environments.