The International Committee of Mediterranean Games (French: Comité international des Jeux méditerranéens, CIJM) is the organization of the National Olympic Committees who presides, regulates and organizes the Mediterranean Games.

[1] During the 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Games in 1959 in Beirut, the head of the organization and the president of the Lebanese Olympic Committee Gabriel Jemayel, also International Olympic Committee member, realized that the existence of these Games was fragile and therefore decided to create the CIJM which intervened officially on 16 June 1961.

[2] Of all the National Olympic Committees within the Olympic Movement bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Palestine have not participated in the games, nor has Great Britain who represents the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

The International Amateur Athletics Federation pushed the issue at the 1959 Mediterranean Games in Beirut by refusing to grant permission to hold an athletics competition unless Israel were allowed to compete.

[3] There are countries not bordering the Mediterranean Sea which nonetheless participate: Portugal, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Serbia and North Macedonia.