Major International Sports Events | General Knowledge for Young Learners - Class 1 PDF Download

Introduction

•  The International Sports List is a crucial topic for competitive exam preparation, as it helps candidates build knowledge about various sports events. 
•  This page provides information on different sports, including how they are played and when they were added to the international sports list, with some modifications to their rules by the International Ball Game Federation. 
•  The aim of these sports events is to bring together players from around the world in their respective fields. 

Historical Background

• The first international game took place in 1844, featuring a cricket match between the United States and Canada. 
• The International Sports Federation, responsible for maintaining the integrity of various sports at the international level, oversees the sports listed in the International Sports List. 

Role of the International Sports Federation

• The International Sports Federation is a non-governmental organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering one or more sports at international-level events. 
• To preserve their independence and autonomy, federations seeking IOC recognition must ensure their practices and activities align with the Olympic Charter. 

International Multi-Sports Events List

International Single Sports Competition List

Cricket

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. It consists of 11 players on each team. The International Cricket Club commonly organizes cricket events. Three formats of cricket are played at the international level. They are,

• Test Matches

• One-Day Internationals

• Twenty20 Internationals

Volleyball

• Volleyball was first invented in 1895 by William. G. Morgan, physical director of the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
• The International Volleyball Competition began in 1913 with the first Far East games in Manila.
• Volleyball became an Olympic Sport for both men and women at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
• Volleyball is held every 4 years.

There are 17 most important volleyball tournaments around the world,

• Nations League           
• Olympic games 
• World Championship
• World Cup
• European Championship
• Asian Championship
• African Championship
• South American Championship
• NORCECA Championship
• Club World Championship
• FIVB World Grand Prix
• FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
• CEV Champions League
• AVC Champions League
• Pan American Games
• Asian Games
• Mediterranean Games

Football

• Football is one kind of game that is played with a strategy of defense between both teams. 
• Football usually consists of 2 teams and 11 players on each team.
• The ball goes into the other team’s goal without using their hands or arms.
• The team that scores more goals wins.
• Football is the most popular game in the world.

Major Football Tournaments in the World

• FIFA World Cup
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA European Champioship
• Copa America
• Copa Libertadores
• Africa Cup of Nations
• FA Cup
• Confederations Cup
• Copa del Rey

Baseball

• Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding.
• Each Team makes turns playing defense between the field and offense vis battling.
• The pitcher throws the ball to the batter.
• Defensive players field the ball when it hits and try to get the runner out.
• The first official Baseball game took place in the year 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
• But it was professionally taken place in Cincinnati.

Major Baseball Tournaments in the World

• World Series
• Premier12 World Championship
• World Baseball Classic
• Worldcup
• Olympics

Equestrian

• This game is about a partnership between the rider and the horse.
• Equestrian first appeared in The International Sports in the name of Chariot Racing in the year 684 B.C. was held in the hypodrome, Olympia.
• At today's Olympics, horses and riders entertain in the forms of Jumping, Dressage, and cross-country competitions.
• It first appeared in the modern Olympic Games (International Sports list) in the year 1900, in Paris.
• With five events at the Place De Bretenil arena.
• Women also took part in the Helsinki Games in 1952, for the first time they took part in all Equestrian events in the year 1964, marking it the only mixed-gender games in the Olympics, and contributions may be given equally.
• The major international championships are administered by FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale), the FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Major Equestrian Tournaments in the World

• Dressage 
• Jumping 
• Hunter Trails

Field Hockey

• Modern hockey was first played in the mid-1800s in Canada by British soldiers.
• In the early 1800s, it was played by a group of Mi'kmaq (Mimac) Indians in Nova Scotia, influenced by the Irish game of hurling.

Major Field Hockey Tournaments in the World

• Men's Hockey World Cup
• Women's Hockey World Cup

Badminton

• This International sports list is governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
• The first game of badminton was played in Gloucestershire, England, in 1873, at the country estate of the Dukes of Beaufort.
• Badminton first appeared in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1972 and as an exhibition game in 1988.
• In 1992, it became a full-medal Olympic sport for both men and women separately, for singles and doubles.
• In 1996, the International Olympic Committee introduced mixed doubles.

Major Tournaments of Badminton,

• Badminton World Championship
• The Thomas Cup
• Uber Cup
• The Sudirman Cup
• The International Series Grand Prix

Basketball

• Basketball also has gender-specific games, like all the other games, which are separated for both men and women.
• The sport comes under an organisation called FIBA (Fédération Internationale de Basketball).
• Basketball consists of 8 to 12 players from each team.

Major Tournaments of Basketball,

• NBA
• FIBA World Championship
• Stankovic Intercontinental Basketball Championship
• NBA All-Star Game
• Olympic Basketball Championship
• FIFA Basketball World Cup
• Euroleague

Cycling

• This international sport consists of professional and amateur races, mostly held in continental Europe, Europe and Asia.
• Cycling began as an official International Sport on May 31, 1868, with 1200 meters.
• The race was held between the fountains and the entrance of Saint-Cloud Park.
• Cycling was first introduced at the International Games event Olympics, in 1896.

Major Tournaments of Cycling include,

• Tour De France
• UCI Cycling World Championships
• World Track Championships
• World Road Championships
• Olympic Games Cycling
• Commonwealth Games Cycling
• Town Down Under 

Golf

• Points are scored when the player successfully gets the ball into a hole in as few strokes as possible.
• The game of golf originated in the Netherlands and then gained popularity in Scotland.
• Today, it is managed by the International Golf Federation.
• Golf was added to the international sports list when it was first introduced as an Olympic sport in the 1900 Olympics held in Paris, where both men and women participated in the international games. 

Major Tournaments of Golf,

• The Master’s Tournament - Annual Golf Tournament
• The US Open -  Every Year 
• The PGA Championship - Annual Golf Tournament
• British Open Gulf - Every Year
• Ryder Cup - Every 2 years
• President Cup - Every 2 Years
• Walker Cup - Walker Cup

Gymnastics

The term gymnastics is derived from a Greek word meaning "to exercise naked," which was applied in ancient Greece.

• It is an ancient sport, initially, it was practiced by people 4000 years ago by the people of China.
• The International Gymnastics Federation is the oldest international sports federation in the world, which was founded in 1881. This sport was popular in the 19th century, the gymnastics competition first appeared in the international sports event Olympics, which was held in the year 1896 in Athens.
• Gymnastics is for both Men and Women.

Major Tournaments of Gymnastics,

• Artistic Gymnastics World Champion
• Aerobic Gymnastics
• Stanley Cup
• World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship

Hockey

Hockey is one of the international sports whose name is derived from the French word “Hoquet”, meaning Shepherd’s Crook.

• The early form of this sport was practiced 4000 years ago in Egypt.
• Modern Hockey emerged in England in the mid-19th century and was developed in private schools.
• The Association for Hockey was formed in 1875 and dissolved in seven years.
• It was then restarted in 1886 in England.
• In the international arena, hockey is considered a game that promotes gender balance.
• Additionally, Hockey is regarded as the National Game of India.

Major tournaments of Hockey,

• World Cup
• Olympic Games
• FIH Pro League
• Indoor World Cup
• Junior World Cup
• Nations Cup
• Youth Olympic Games
• Azlan Shah Cup
• Ice Hockey World Australian
• Wimbledon
• US Open
• Australian Open
• World Cup Of Hockey

Tennis

• Tennis is a game that originated in France in the 11th century.
• It was developed in 19th-century England and set up the National Federation throughout the world.
• After 1913, it was called as International Tennis Federation.
• The first appearance in the International Modern Olympic Games was the First Modern Olympiad in 1896.

Major Tournaments of Tennis for Every Year,

• French Open 
• Davis Cup
• Hopman Cup
• Federation Cup

Weightlifting

• It also refers to physical exercises using the physical strength of an individual.
• Weight lifting is not only for those in competition, it is also for those who like to improve their physical strength, and also for those who are trying to increase their strength by building biceps and toning their legs.
• Modern Weight Lifting is found in the era of the 18th - 19th Liberty.
• The International Weight Lifting Federation was started in the year 1905.
• The First Participation in Weightlifting Sports was in the year 1891, and after that, in the Olympic Games in 1896.

Major Tournaments of Weightlifting,

• World Weightlifting Championship
• World Para Power Weightlifting Championship

Handball

• The origin of handball began in Europe in the early 20th Century. 
• Were rules and organization for the game were evolving and led by the establishment of the International Handball Federation (IHF).
• In India, it became the International Games Federation.
• The International Games Federation of Handball was founded in the year 1946.
• The first international men’s handball game was held in 1925 between Germany and Belgium, and for women’,s it was held in 1930 between Germany and Austria.

Major Tournaments for Handball

• IHF Men’s World Championship
• IHF Women's World Championship
• IHF Women's Junior Championship
• IHF Women's Youth Championship
• IHF Men's Youth Championship
• IHF Men's Juniors Championship
• Olympic Games Sport

Swimming

• Swimming was practiced in Ancient Egypt as early as 2500  BCE.
• In Japan, the first evidence of swimming was found at least in the 1st Century BCE.
• The first International-level Swimming Competition was held in 1896 in Athens.

Major Tournaments of Swimming

• FINA World Swimming Championships (The Global Scenario)
• Open Water Swimming World Cup (Open Water Challenge)
• NCAA Championship (The Shine of University Talent)
• Pan American Games and European Swimming Championships (Celebrating Aquatic Diversity)
• World’s Masters Swimming Council (Swimmers for Life)

Table Tennis

• The game was invented in England in the early days of the 20th century and was originally called Ping-Pong.
• The name Table Tennis was adopted in 1921-22.
• The first International Championship was held in  London in the year 1926.
• Table Tennis can be played by both Men and Women.
• Table tennis became an international sport in the year 1988 with singles and doubles competitions for both men and women.
• The International Table Tennis Federation is the governing body that takes over control of all the activities around the Table Tennis games, players, and members.

 Major Tournaments for Table Tennis

• ITTF World Table Tennis Championships
• Table Tennis Olympic Games
• Table Tennis World Cup