SPORTS: THE COMPLETE VISUAL REFERENCE, edited by Francois Fortin, Firefly Books Ltd., Buffalo, N.Y., 384 pages, $39.95

Do you need to choose a gift for the sports enthusiast who seems to have everything? Would you like a way to show appreciation to the coach who has taught your child to value honest, vigorous athletic competition? Do you want to make sure that an adventurous son or daughter is taking all the necessary precautions for snowboarding or in-line skating? Are you tired of riding stationary bikes and doing calisthenics and seeking a physical challenge more suited to your individual interests? Check out Francois Fortin’s “Sports: The Complete Visual Reference.”

You’ll be glad you did.

This very attractive reference work is truly comprehensive and global in scope. More than 120 sports are described in concise layman’s language. Organized with an eye toward the Olympics, it provides real insight into the finer points of international competition. Information on each event has been gleaned from experts in the field: athletes, coaches, and officials.

Each page is lavishly illustrated. Black and white and color photographs depict great moments in athletic competition. Drawings show playing fields and race courses, player positions and moves, and equipment. Concise, easy to read graphs allow one to see changes in world records over time. The cover is also very attractive, making this book a proud choice to display on a coffee table or desk.

Information is easy to access. Individual sports are grouped into categories such as track and field and snow sports. Each category has a different colored stripe near the top of each page. They are easy to spot even when the book is closed. The table of contents is conveniently displayed on a double spread. A detailed five-page index makes it easy to look up individual athletes and technical terms. Well-placed headings and sidebars break the pages down neatly. Despite the wealth of information on each one, they never look cluttered or disorganized.

The history of each sport is detailed. Some such as track and field date back centuries. In fact, “stadium” comes from an ancient Greek measure and “athlete” is derived from the Greek word for competition. Today’s hottest new sports, such as snowboarding which made its Olympic debut in 1998, are also included.

If you enjoy watching sporting events you can learn a great deal about the typical moves and plays and elements judges or referees take into account. In the section on figure skating, sequences show spins and jumps. You learn that a nine-judge panel awards separate scores for technical execution and artistic presentation on a scale of 0 to 6. You are also told certain mistakes that can be penalized. In the section on soccer you see team plays and individual moves and learn under which circumstances a free kick or penalty kick is awarded or a player receives a yellow card (warning) or red card (expulsion).

If you wish to try a new physical challenge you can also glean valuable information. Let’s say you see rock climbers and become intrigued by this invigorating sport. You wonder if you have the nerve to descend a cliff by rappelling. You’ll discover what safety equipment you’ll need, the kind of clothing you should wear, and the physical attributes important for this undertaking. You’ll find that improved safety equipment and training have made this a grand way to really test yourself without ending up in the hospital.

If you want to give a present that will be truly appreciated or acquire a fine reference work for your own library, “Sports: The Complete Visual Reference” can’t be beat. It’s a real keeper.