[State and sports]

By 1874 the State had already started to influence physical activity programs especially of the younger generations in Switzerland. In 1970 the people accepted article 27 of the Constitution regarding physical education and sports. The Federal law that became effective in 1972 now promotes, in a more intensive way, physical education and sports as a means to improve the public health. These measures especially affect public sport (physical education at school, the "Youth and Sports" organization, the construction of sports facilities) whereas promotion of elite sports is entirely the responsibility of the independent sports association. Today, this promotion costs the Swiss government roughly 40 millions of Swiss francs, or 0.3% of the whole budget.