Belonging to the sport was, in a way, a tradition of people of this region, which inherent committment during centuries and decades reaches to the present day. One of the cornerstones of organized sports in this region is 1903 year, when first Soko comunities were established. Until the World War I, football and tennis had appeared in Banja Luka, and growing momentum of sport development came after 1918 year. Just in 1919 there was the establishment of the Civil sports club Krajisnik, then the FC Makabi, Borac, BSK and others. Between the two world wars ten football clubs, followed by Sokol, tennis, chess, cycling, skiing and other clubs as well as aero club operated in Banja Luka. The first major success at the Yugoslav level, the Banja Luka sport achieved in 1931. Then the chess team, which consisted of four players, became the champion team of Yugoslavia. After the end of the World War II, the sport in Banja Luka experienced a true eruption. Very quickly the football, chess players, basketball players, boxers, kayakers, basketball players, volleyball players and gymnasts experienced success. Banja Luka is especially known for handball because Borac handball team was seven times a champion of Yugoslavia, and ten times winners of the Cup. It became a Europe handball champion in 1976, and winner of the IHF Cup in 1991. Borac football players, as members of the Second league, won the Yugoslav Cup in 1988 as no other Yugoslav division club has ever been able to make, and in May 1992 it won the Mitropa Cup (Central European Cup), the oldest club competition in Europe. Boxers of Slavija became the state champions in 1974. On such basis and in such environment a true sportsmen have been obtained, who spread the glory of sport of Banja Luka in the second half of the twentieth century all over the Europe and the world. More than any other city of its size, Banja Luka has had the honor and privilege to generating eight Olympic gold medal winner. In their honor, and glory of Banja Luka sport, an arch was constructed in the sports hall "Borik" as a permanent reminder of those feats, and as a permanent incentive for young athletes to continue where Olympic individuals from "sports town" left off. According to data available to the Center for Sports Banjaluka's competitors have so far won 87 medals at Olympic games, world, European and Balkan Championships, and at the Mediterranean Games and the Universiades.

Won Olympic medals: