Sports | General Awareness & Knowledge - Bank Exams PDF Download

OLYMPICS

The Olympic Games were first held by the Greeks in 776 BC on Mount Olympus to honor the Greek God, Zeus. These ancient games continued until AD 394, when they were discontinued by a decree from Roman Emperor Theodosius. The modern revival of the Olympic Games occurred in 1894, largely due to the efforts of French Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, beginning on April 6, 1896. The Winter Olympics were introduced separately in 1924, and women have been participating in the Olympics since 1912. The Olympic Games are held every four years.

Founder and Governing Body

Baron Pierre de Coubertin established the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894 to oversee the Olympic Movement, which includes International Sports Federations (ISFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and the Organizing Committees for each specific event. The IOC selects the host city, determines the sports to be included, and oversees the organization and funding provided by the host city. The ISFs set the qualification rules for each Olympic event. The headquarters of the IOC is located in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Olympic Symbol

The Olympic symbol consists of five interlinked rings, representing the unity and sporting friendship of people worldwide. The rings are colored blue, yellow, black, green, and red, each symbolizing one of the five continents: Africa (Black), America (Red), Asia (Yellow), Australia (Green), and Europe (Blue).

Olympic Flag

The Olympic Flag, created in 1913 at the suggestion of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was officially adopted in Paris in June 1914. It was first flown over an Olympic stadium at the Antwerp Games in 1920. A separate Olympic flag is used for the Winter Games. The flag, made of white silk, features five interwoven rings in the emblem's center. The rings are arranged from left to right in the colors blue (Europe), yellow (Asia), black (Africa), red (America), and green (Australia). At least one of these colors is found on every national flag. The flag measures 3 meters in length and 2 meters in width, with the emblem itself being 2.06 meters by 60 centimeters.

Olympic Motto

The Olympic motto, "Citius, Altius, Fortius," is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger." Composed by Father Didon in 1897, the motto was introduced at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.

Olympic Flame

The Olympic flame represents the continuity between the ancient and modern games. It was first ceremonially lit and burned in a giant torch at the entrance of the stadium during the 1928 Amsterdam Games. The modern tradition of the Olympic flame was further developed at the 1936 Berlin Games.

Olympic Medals

Olympic champions are awarded medals and certificates. Gold medals, measuring 60 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick, are made of 92.5% silver and plated with 6 grams of gold.

Olympic Mascot

The Olympic Mascot, introduced at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, is typically a character, often an animal native to the area, or sometimes a human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country. The first major mascot was Misha, used at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

Olympic Gold Order

The Olympic Gold Order is awarded by the International Olympic Committee for exceptional contributions to the development of the Olympic Movement.

Winter Olympic Games

The Winter Olympic Games, held every four years, focus on sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France. After a hiatus during World War II, the games resumed in 1948. Until 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympics were held in the same years, but a 1986 IOC decision led to alternating even-numbered years for the Winter and Summer Games. The 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang County, South Korea, where Norway topped the medal tally with 14 gold, 14 silver, and 11 bronze medals. The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China.

Summer Olympic Games 

India's Performance in Olympics 

Commonwealth Games

• The Commonwealth Games are a sports festival for countries within the Commonwealth.
• The inaugural Commonwealth Games took place in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
• The 2010 edition was hosted in New Delhi, India.
• These games have been held every four years since 1930, with the exceptions of 1942 and 1946.
• The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) oversees the organization and management of the event.
• The 20th Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014.
• The 2018 Games took place on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, where Australia topped the medal tally, and India ranked third with 26 gold medals.
• The 2022 Commonwealth Games were hosted in Birmingham, England, and the 23rd edition is scheduled to take place in Victoria, Australia, in 2026.

Asian Games

• The Asian Games, commonly known as the Asiad, are a multi-sport event held every four years for athletes from across Asia.
• These games are governed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and are overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• The first Asian Games were held in 1951 in New Delhi, India.
• The Asian Games Federation (AGF) adopted the motto "Ever Onward," a phrase given by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, which remains in use today.
• The emblem of the games features a bright, rising sun with interlocking rings.
• The King of Patiala presented the torch and flag for the first Asian Games, and these symbols have since been passed from country to country.
• The 2018 Asian Games were hosted in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, where India finished in 8th place with 15 gold medals.
• The 19th Asian Games were scheduled for 2022 in Hangzhou, China, and the 2026 Games are set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

South Asian Federation (SAF) Games

• The South Asian Federation Games, governed by the South Asian Sports Council, were first held in 1984 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• The 2016 SAF Games were hosted in India.
• Eight countries participate in the SAF Games: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives.
• These games are part of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) program, with the motto "Peace, Prosperity, and Progress."
• No SAF Games were held in 1986 due to the year being dedicated to the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
• The SAF Games were renamed the South Asian Games on April 2, 2004, and Afghanistan joined in 2006.
• The 2019 SAF Games took place in Nepal, and the 2024 edition is scheduled for Lahore, Pakistan.

Afro-Asian Games

• The first Afro-Asian Games were held in 2003 in Hyderabad, India, with the official mascot being "Sheroo," a cartoon representation of the Royal Bengal Tiger, promoting the message "Two Continents, One Spirit."
• The planned 2007 games in Algiers were canceled.

Cricket

• The inaugural Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1975.
• A separate Women's Cricket World Cup has been held every four years since 1973.
• The Cricket World Cup is organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which was established in 1909 and is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• The first-ever cricket Test match was played in 1877 between England and Australia in Melbourne.
• The first One Day International (ODI) match took place in 1971, also between England and Australia in Melbourne.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was founded in 1927.

List of Cricket World Cup

Women's Cricket World Cup

The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship for women's One Day International (ODI) cricket. This event is organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which is the sport's governing body. Initially, the tournament was overseen by the International Women's Cricket Council until it merged with the ICC in 2005. The inaugural Women's Cricket World Cup took place in England in 1973, two years before the first men's World Cup.

Women's Cricket World Cup Venus

Twenty-20 World Cup 

The event is managed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and occurs every two years.

ICC Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup

Women’s Twenty-20 Cricket

• In June 2009, the ICC hosted the inaugural Women's World Twenty-20 in England, where the host nation claimed the title as the first World Twenty-20 champions.
• Australia secured their third consecutive title in the Women's World Twenty-20 by defeating England.
• In 2016, the West Indies won the T20 Women's World Cup, overcoming Australia.
• The 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty-20 took place in the West Indies from November 9 to 24, where the Australian team captured the title.
• The 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup was held in Australia, with Australia defeating India by 85 runs to win their fifth title.

Football World Cup

• The Football World Cup is organized by FIFA, with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
• The trophy is named the ‘Jules Rimet Cup’ in honor of FIFA President Jules Rimet.
• The inaugural Football World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930.
• The tournament was not held in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II.
• Brazil is the only nation to have participated in every World Cup.
• The 20th FIFA World Cup in 2014 took place in Brazil, where Germany defeated Argentina in the final.
• The 2022 World Cup was hosted by Qatar, with Argentina defeating France to win the title.
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be hosted by Canada and Mexico.
• The 21st FIFA World Cup, held in 2018 in Russia, saw France emerge as champions after defeating Croatia 4-2.

Hockey World Cup

• The Hockey World Cup is organized by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) every four years, with its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• The inaugural Hockey World Cup was held in Barcelona, Spain, in 1971, and Pakistan emerged as the winner.
• The Women's Hockey World Cup has been held since 1974.
• The 14th Women’s Hockey World Cup took place in London in 2018, where the Netherlands defeated Ireland to win the championship.
• The 14th Men’s Hockey World Cup was held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India, in 2018, with Belgium defeating the Netherlands to claim the title.

Lawn Tennis

• Lawn tennis was invented in Wales in 1870 by Major Wingfield.
• The Wimbledon Championship began in 1877, initially for men, with a women’s tournament introduced in 1884.
• The four Grand Slam tournaments, considered the most prestigious in tennis, are held annually and include the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
• In addition to these, the Olympic Games, Davis Cup, Fed Cup, and Hopman Cup are also governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Grand Slam Tournaments 

Other Sports 

Table Tennis

Table Tennis was first introduced to the Olympic Games in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea.

Billiard

Billiard sports, also known as cue sports, encompass a range of games that involve using a cue stick to strike balls on a cloth-covered billiards table, which is surrounded by rubber cushions.

Polo

Polo, also known as Chowgan, is a team sport played on horseback with the objective of scoring goals against an opposing team. Often referred to as "The Sport of Kings," it gained significant popularity through the British. Polo is not an Olympic sport.

Wrestling

Wrestling is a combat sport that involves grappling techniques such as clinch fighting, throws, take-downs, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds.

Formula One (F1) Race

Formula One, officially known as the FIA Formula One World Championship, represents the highest class of single-seater auto racing. It was established in 1950. The first Formula One World Championship was won by Italian driver Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo in 1950. The first Formula One race in India took place at the Buddha International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, in 2011.

Badminton

The sport of Badminton, named after Badminton House in 1873, is governed internationally by the Badminton World Federation (formerly known as the International Badminton Federation), which was established in 1934.

Cycling

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that takes place in France and surrounding countries. First held in 1903, the race covers over 3,600 km and lasts three weeks, occurring every July. The 2002 Summer Olympics marked the first time both men and women competed in the same number of events across all cycling disciplines.

Swimming

Swimming is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), which was established in 1908. FINA, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for overseeing international aquatic sports competitions.

Shooting

Shooting sports have been featured in every Summer Olympic Games since the inception of the modern Olympic Movement in 1896, with the exceptions of the 1904 and 1928 Olympics.

Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles and 385 yards), typically run as a road race. It commemorates the legendary run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, who ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

Specific Names of Playing Areas

Important Sport Terms 

Important Cups and Trophies 

Sports Organisations 

Measurements of Sports Fields and Instruments 

Famous Sports Stadiums 

Players and their Associated Games 

Nickname of Players

National Sports 

Players and their Books 

National Games of India 

In 1924, in what was then Punjab, the Indian chapter of the Olympic movement began. That same year, the country's first Olympic Games, now known as the National Games, were held in Lahore, the then capital of undivided Punjab. National Games are typically held every 2 years, though there are often delays.

List of National Games from 1985