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Swiss lay the foundations of physical education in Bulgaria

Photo: nsa.bg

The conference "The work of Swiss teachers - a message and a challenge for future generations" was held today. It was organised by the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski" and the Swiss Embassy and is dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the arrival of Swiss teachers who laid the foundations of physical education in Bulgaria.

On 17 May 1894, the first 10 physical education teachers from Switzerland arrived in Sofia with the task of establishing sport in Bulgaria. Among them were Charles Champot and Louis Ayer. 

For the first time in Bulgaria, the Swiss imported footballs and various equipment for gymnastics. Champot was Bulgaria's first participant in the Summer Olympics - in Athens in 1896. However, Louis Ayer gained greater fame for fighting in the Balkan War, the Second Balkan War and the First World War, where he died at the Battle of Doiran in 1916. A street in Sofia is named after him.

In honour of the arrival of the Swiss teachers in Bulgaria, 17 May was declared the Day of Bulgarian Sport.

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