why is switzerland sui in the olympics

Switzerland is abbreviated as SUI at the Olympics because the code comes from French, one of Switzerland’s main languages and one of the official languages of the Olympic movement.

Quick Scoop: Why “SUI” for Switzerland?

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and uses French and English as its official languages.

• In French, Switzerland is called “Suisse” (full form often “Confédération suisse” or “Fédération Suisse”).

• The sports country code SUI is derived from the French word Suisse (S‑U‑I = first three key letters), which is why you see SUI instead of SWI or CH on Olympic scoreboards and uniforms.

• This code is used not only in the Olympics but also in other international sports, for example by the Swiss Olympic Association (IOC code SUI) and UEFA.

So when you see SUI next to an athlete or team at the Games, that’s simply the French-based sports code for Switzerland, not a different country or a mistake.

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