Sports: February 2024 Current Affairs | Current Affairs: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - CLAT PDF Download

Abhinav Bindra Chosen as Torchbearer for 2024 Paris Olympics

• The Olympic Torch Relay for the 2024 Paris Olympics is continuing the timeless tradition.
• The flame is set to travel across the Mediterranean and then commence a 68-day journey throughout France.
• Abhinav Bindra, renowned as India's first individual Olympic gold medalist, has been selected as one of the 11,000 torchbearers for this significant event.
• He also serves as a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission, adding to his stature in the sporting world.

2026 FIFA World Cup Final

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is scheduled to occur in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
• FIFA has chosen the location for the 2026 World Cup final to be at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States.
• The tournament will span 39 days, with matches taking place in three different North American nations.
• The opening match of the World Cup will be hosted at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.
• The final match of the tournament will be held at the home stadium of the NFL's New York Jets and Giants.

Wei Yi's Victory in the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament

• Grand Master Wei Yi emerged as the champion of the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament.
• He clinched the victory in a tense four-player tiebreak involving Anish Giri, Gukesh Dommaraju, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
• This remarkable triumph propelled Wei Yi into the elite ranks of the world's top 10 chess players.
• Wei Yi's ascent to the grandmaster title at the age of 13 marked him as the 9th youngest grandmaster in history.

Shamar Joseph and Amy Hunter Crowned ICC Players of the Month for January 2024

• International Cricket Council (ICC) has declared the champions of the ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month for January 2024.
• Shamar Joseph from West Indies and Amy Hunter from Ireland have been honored with this title for their outstanding performances in the previous month.

About ICC:

• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Established on: 15 June 1909
• CEO: Geoff Allardice
• Chairman: Greg Barclay

Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur Hands Over Chess Olympiad Torch to Budapest

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur presented the Chess Olympiad Torch to Budapest, Hungary, which is hosting the 45th edition of the Chess Olympiad.
• The handover ceremony took place at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi.

Indian Hammer Thrower Rachna Kumari Banned For 12 Years for Doping

• The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) have imposed significant penalties on two athletes due to violations of anti-doping regulations.
• Rachna Kumari, a hammer thrower, has been handed a 12-year suspension following her second violation of anti-doping rules.
• Another athlete, quarter-miler Nirmala Sheoran, who has a history of doping violations, received an eight-year suspension from NADA.

Indian Football Rankings

• Indian football has experienced a significant decline, dropping 15 places to reach the 117th position in the latest FIFA rankings, marking its lowest rank in seven years.
• The current ranking of 117 is notably lower than the 102nd position India held in the rankings released on December 21, 2023.

Key FIFA Facts

• The current President of FIFA is Gianni Infantino.
• FIFA's headquarters are situated in Zurich, Switzerland.

ICC Bans UK Cricketer Rizwan Javed for Over 17 Years for Match-Fixing

• UK-based cricketer Rizwan Javed has received a severe ban from all cricket activities lasting 17 ½ years.
• Rizwan Javed was one of eight individuals accused by the International Cricket Council (ICC) acting on behalf of the ECB for their involvement in corrupt activities during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League.

Babar Azam's T20 Milestone

• Pakistan's former captain and batting maestro, Babar Azam, has set a new record by becoming the fastest player to reach 10,000 runs in T20 cricket.
• Babar Azam accomplished this remarkable feat in his 271st innings, surpassing cricketing legends such as Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and David Warner.

Anurag Singh Thakur to Set Up Film Certification Facilitation Office in Chandigarh

• Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, has announced plans to establish a new office for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Chandigarh.
• The CBFC functions as a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, operating under the Government of India.

Ashwin Surpasses Kumble to Become India's Leading Wicket-Taker in Tests at Home

• Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian off-spinner, has made history in cricket by exceeding the record set by the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble to become the top wicket-taker in Test matches played in India.
• Ashwin's wicket tally in Tests played in India now stands at 351, surpassing Kumble's previous record of 350 wickets achieved in 63 matches.
• In the same Test match, Ashwin also became the first Indian bowler to achieve the milestone of 100 wickets against England in Test cricket.

Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton Smashes Fastest T20I Hundred

• Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, a talented Namibian batsman, made history in cricket by achieving the quickest T20 International (T20I) century. He accomplished this feat in a remarkable innings against Nepal, completing it in just 33 deliveries.

About ICC

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• It was established on 15 June 1909.
• The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICC is Geoff Allardice.
• The Chairman of ICC is Greg Barclay.