Sports of high performance High performance sports, often known as elite sports, are those that compete at the highest level. They include athletics, alpine skiing, basketball, bobsleigh, boxing, canoeing, cycling, diving, equestrianism, fencing, figure skating, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, karate, lacrosse, ladder climbing, sailing, sprinting, swimming, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, wrestling and yachting. Sports that are widely considered to be elite include football (soccer), rugby, auto racing, and golf. However many other sports, such as cricket, netball, softball, and horse riding are played at an international level but do not have the prestige to be called "elite". In some cases, this is because they are minor sports in their respective countries; for example, cricket is popular in many countries but only a few play it at an international level because it is too difficult. In other cases, such as field hockey, the major sport in the country is so competitive that even its professional version is considered elite. Sports of medium performance Medium performance sports are those that are well-known but not at the highest level.