Sports

Sports is one of the most consistently tested topics in SSC CGL General Awareness. Every year, 2 to 3 questions directly come from this section across different shifts and years. The questions are entirely factual and cover Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, major sports and their terminology, trophies and cups, Indian sports legends, sports awards, and sports organizations. Students who master this chapter gain guaranteed marks because the questions are predictable and repeat across years. A systematic preparation of this chapter ensures quick and confident answers in the examination hall.

1. Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are the world's largest and most prestigious international multi-sport event. They are held every four years and bring together athletes from more than 200 countries.

1.1 History and Origin

• The ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece - named after Mount Olympia where athletes competed
• The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece in 1896
• The modern Olympics were revived by Pierre de Coubertin of France
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894 in Paris
• The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France in 1924
• International Olympic Day is celebrated every year on June 23

1.2 Olympic Symbol and Motto

• The Olympic flag has five interlocking rings on a white background
• The five rings represent the five continents of the world:
  • Blue - Europe
  • Yellow - Asia
  • Black - Africa
  • Green - Australia (Oceania)
  • Red - Americas
• The rings were designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913 and first publicly presented in 1913
• The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius" which means Faster, Higher, Stronger
• In 2021, the motto was extended to "Citius, Altius, Fortius - Communiter" meaning Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together
• The Olympic flame symbolizes the spirit of the Games and is lit at Olympia, Greece before each Olympics

1.3 Recent Olympic Games

• Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021 due to COVID-19) - Japan
• Paris 2024 - France
• Los Angeles 2028 - USA (upcoming)
• Brisbane 2032 - Australia (upcoming)
  • Brisbane was selected as host for 2032 Olympics at the IOC Executive Board session held in Tokyo (138th session)

1.4 India at the Olympics

• India first participated in the Olympics in 1900 Paris - Norman Pritchard won two silver medals
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was founded in 1927
  • Founding President: Sir Dorabji Tata
  • Co-founder: Dr. A.G. Noehren
• India's first Olympic gold medal was won in Field Hockey at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics
• Independent India's first Olympic gold was won in Hockey in 1948 London Olympics
  • Captain: Kishan Lal, Manager: A.C. Chatterjee
• Abhinav Bindra - first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal
  • Won gold in 10-metre Air Rifle shooting at 2008 Beijing Olympics
• Neeraj Chopra - won gold in Javelin Throw at 2020 Tokyo Olympics - India's second individual Olympic gold

Important Indian Olympic Medalists:

• Norman Pritchard - 2 Silver - Paris 1900 - Athletics
• K.D. Jadhav - Bronze - Helsinki 1952 - Wrestling - first Indian individual medalist in independent India
• Leander Paes - Bronze - Atlanta 1996 - Tennis
• Karnam Malleswari - Bronze - Sydney 2000 - Weightlifting - first Indian woman Olympic medalist
• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore - Silver - Athens 2004 - Shooting
• Abhinav Bindra - Gold - Beijing 2008 - Shooting - first individual gold
• Sushil Kumar - Bronze Beijing 2008, Silver London 2012 - Wrestling
• Vijender Singh - Bronze - Beijing 2008 - Boxing
• Mary Kom - Bronze - London 2012 - Boxing
• P.V. Sindhu - Silver Rio 2016, Bronze Tokyo 2020 - Badminton
• Sakshi Malik - Bronze - Rio 2016 - Wrestling - first Indian woman Olympic medalist in wrestling
• Neeraj Chopra - Gold - Tokyo 2020 - Javelin Throw
• Mirabai Chanu - Silver - Tokyo 2020 - Weightlifting
• Lovlina Borgohain - Bronze - Tokyo 2020 - Boxing
• Bajrang Punia - Bronze - Tokyo 2020 - Wrestling

1.5 Paralympic Games

• The first Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960
• Paralympic athletes are physically or mentally differently-abled
• 400 athletes from 23 countries participated in the first Paralympic Games
• Special Olympics are held every two years for people with intellectual disabilities
  • Every person is included regardless of ability or disability
  • Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver

2. Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games are an international multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Commonwealth nations - countries that were once part of the British Empire.

2.1 History and Basic Facts

• The first Commonwealth Games were held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930
• They were initially called the British Empire Games
• Later renamed:
  • British Empire and Commonwealth Games - 1954
  • British Commonwealth Games - 1970
  • Commonwealth Games - 1978 onwards
• Held every four years
• Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) oversees the Games
• CGF Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

2.2 Recent Commonwealth Games

• 2018 - Gold Coast, Australia - 21st edition
• 2022 - Birmingham, England - 22nd edition - held from July 27 to August 7

2.3 India at Commonwealth Games

• India has participated in Commonwealth Games since 1934
• 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games - India hosted the 19th Commonwealth Games
  • India finished second in the medal tally
• India won 61 medals (22 gold, 16 silver, 23 bronze) at Birmingham 2022

3. Asian Games

The Asian Games (Asiad) are a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Asia.

3.1 History and Basic Facts

• The first Asian Games were held in New Delhi, India in 1951
• Organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)
• OCA Headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Held every four years
• Asian Games motto: "Ever Onward"

3.2 Host Countries - Key Facts

• Thailand (Bangkok) has hosted the Asian Games the most times - four times
• South Korea has hosted Asian Games three times - 1986, 2002 and 2014
• The first Asian Games host was India - New Delhi - 1951

3.3 Recent Asian Games

• 2018 - Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia - 18th Asian Games
• 2022 - Hangzhou, China - 19th Asian Games - held in 2023 due to COVID
• 2026 - Aichi-Nagoya, Japan - upcoming

4. Hockey

Hockey is India's most celebrated sport in terms of Olympic achievement and national pride.

4.1 India's Hockey Legacy

• India won 8 Olympic gold medals in Hockey - the most by any nation
• India's golden era in Hockey: 1928 to 1956 - won six consecutive Olympic gold medals
• Independent India's first Olympic gold - Hockey - 1948 London Olympics

4.2 Major Dhyan Chand - Wizard of Hockey

• Major Dhyan Chand is called the "Wizard of Hockey"
• Born: August 29, 1905 in Allahabad (Prayagraj)
• Represented India in three Olympics: 1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, 1936 Berlin - won gold all three times
• Received Viceroy's Commission in 1938, later made Major in the Army
• Awarded Padma Bhushan in 1956
• Died: December 3, 1979 in New Delhi
• National Sports Day is celebrated on his birthday - August 29 every year

4.3 Hockey Terms

• Penalty Corner - when a foul is committed inside the circle by a defender
• Long Corner - when the ball goes over the back line after last being touched by a defender
• Scoop - lifting the ball over defenders
• Roll-in - term associated with Hockey
• Push-in - replaced roll-in in modern hockey
• Bully - method of restarting play in older hockey
• Undercut - hitting the bottom of the ball to lift it

4.4 Important Hockey Trophies

• Sultan Azlan Shah Cup - Hockey
• Agha Khan Cup - Hockey
• Beighton Cup - Hockey
• Wellington Cup - Hockey
• Lady Ratan Tata Trophy - Women's Hockey

5. Cricket

Cricket is the most popular sport in India and one of the most frequently tested sports in SSC CGL.

5.1 Basic Facts

• Cricket pitch length: 22 yards
• Cricket pitch width: 3.4 metres
• In a One Day International match, one bowler can bowl a maximum of 10 overs
• BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) - headquarters: Mumbai (Church Gate)
• BCCI was established in December 1928 under Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act
• IPL (Indian Premier League) started in 2008
  • First IPL: Rajasthan Royals won - defeated Chennai Super Kings by 3 wickets

5.2 Cricket Terms

• Straight Drive - associated with Cricket
• Follow-on - when a team is asked to bat again immediately
• Bend Your Back - associated with Cricket
• Dead Ball - when play is temporarily suspended
• Popping Crease - the line in front of the stumps
• China Man - a left-arm unorthodox spin delivery

5.3 Important Trophies and Tournaments

• Durand Cup - Football (not cricket - common confusion)
• Ranji Trophy - India's premier domestic first-class cricket tournament
• Deodhar Trophy - domestic Indian cricket - one-day format
• Irani Trophy - domestic Indian cricket - Ranji Trophy champion vs Rest of India
• Vijay Hazare Trophy - domestic Indian cricket - List A format
• Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - domestic Indian cricket - T20 format
• Duleep Trophy - domestic Indian cricket - first-class format

5.4 Cricket Records - SSC Relevant

• Ravi Shastri - first Indian batsman in first-class cricket to hit six consecutive sixes
• Yuvraj Singh - hit 6 sixes in one over in a T20 match in 2007 World T20

6. Football

6.1 FIFA and World Cup

• FIFA - Federation Internationale de Football Association
• FIFA Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland
• FIFA World Cup 1930 - first ever - hosted by Uruguay - Uruguay won by defeating Argentina 4-2
• FIFA World Cup 2018 - France won - defeated Croatia
• FIFA World Cup 2022 - held in Qatar - 22nd edition
• FIFA World Cup 2026 - hosted by Canada, USA and Mexico
• Goa's official state sport is Football
• Federation Cup Football - most times won by Mohun Bagan A.C. (14 times)

6.2 Football Terms

• Direct Free Kick - associated with Football
• Corner Kick - when ball goes over goal line off a defender
• Penalty Kick - kick from the penalty spot for foul inside the box
• Dribble - controlling ball while running
• Hat-trick - scoring three goals in one match

7. Badminton

7.1 Basic Facts and Court Dimensions

• Full court length: 13.4 metres (44 feet)
• Singles court width: 5.18 metres (17 feet)
• Full court width: 6.1 metres (20 feet)

7.2 Important Badminton Trophies

• Thomas Cup - men's team badminton championship - held every three years
  • India won Thomas Cup in 2022 by defeating Indonesia
  • Before 2022, India had only won bronze medals - in 1952, 1955 and 1979
• Uber Cup - women's team badminton championship
• Sudirman Cup - mixed team championship
• All England Open - oldest badminton tournament in the world
• Narang Cup - Badminton
• Chaddha Cup - Badminton

7.3 Badminton Terms

• Deuce - when score reaches a tie situation
• Smash - powerful downward shot
• Drop Shot - shot that falls just over the net
• Net Shot - shot played close to the net
• Lift - shot hit high to the back of the court
• Double Drop - term in Badminton

7.4 Important Badminton Players

• Prakash Padukone - first Indian to win All England Open Badminton Championship - 1980
• Pullela Gopichand - won All England Open in 2001 - famous coach
• P.V. Sindhu - Silver at Rio 2016, Bronze at Tokyo 2020 - first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals
• Saina Nehwal - Bronze at London 2012 Olympics

8. Tennis

8.1 Grand Slam Tournaments

The four Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious tennis events in the world:

• Wimbledon - London, England - oldest Grand Slam - started in 1877 - played on grass courts
• French Open (Roland Garros) - Paris, France - played on clay courts
• Australian Open - Melbourne, Australia - played on hard courts
• US Open - New York, USA - played on hard courts

8.2 Tennis Terms

• Deuce - when score is 40-40 in tennis
• Ace - a serve that the opponent cannot touch
• Fault - when a serve lands outside the service box
• Break - when a player wins a game on the opponent's serve
• Love - zero score in tennis

8.3 Important Tennis Tournaments and Cups

• Davis Cup - international men's team tennis competition - held annually - also called the "World Cup of Tennis"
• Hopman Cup - mixed team tennis
• Fed Cup - women's team tennis

8.4 Indian Tennis Players

• Ramnathan Krishnan - first Indian to represent India at Wimbledon Tennis Championship in independent India - represented India in 1950s and 1960s
• Leander Paes - Bronze at Atlanta 1996 Olympics - Tennis
• Vijay Amritraj - famous Indian tennis player

9. Chess

9.1 Basic Facts

• Chess board has 64 squares arranged in 8 rows (ranks) and 8 columns (files)
• Chess board uses two colors: White and Black
• Viswanathan Anand - India's first and most celebrated Chess Grandmaster
  • Five-time World Chess Champion
• Dibyendu Barua - India's second Grandmaster after Viswanathan Anand
• FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs) - international chess governing body
• FIDE Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

10. Kabaddi

10.1 Basic Facts and Terms

• Kabaddi is mainly played in the Indian subcontinent
• Name "Kabaddi" is mainly used in North India
• In South India it is called Chedugudu
• In East India it is called Hu-Tu-Tu
• Attack Line - NOT associated with Kabaddi (common SSC trap question)
• Terms associated with Kabaddi:
  • Block Line
  • Bonus Line
  • End Line
  • Baulk Line
  • March Line
  • Lavi
  • Raider

10.2 LONA

• LONA - a term used in Kabaddi when all players of one side are out and the opposing team gets bonus points

11. Volleyball

11.1 Basic Facts

• Volleyball was started by Holoke and William J. Morgan on February 9, 1895
• Originally called Mintonette
• A volleyball match has 5 sets
• First four sets: 25 points each
• Fifth set (if required): 15 points
• If the score is tied 2-2 in sets, the fifth set is played to 15 points

11.2 Volleyball Terms

• Smasher - term associated with Volleyball

12. Boxing

12.1 Important Terms

• Bleeder - term associated with Boxing
• Rabbit Punch - punch to the back of the head
• Break Cut - term in Boxing
• Down - when a boxer touches the floor with any part of body other than feet

13. Marathon

• Official marathon distance: 42.195 km or 26 miles 385 yards
• Marathon is a long-distance running event
• Established in memory of Greek soldier Pheidippides who ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of victory in the Battle of Marathon
• Marathon is typically run on roads

14. Golf

14.1 Important Golf Courses

• Royal Calcutta Golf Club, Kolkata - oldest golf course outside the United Kingdom
  • Founded in 1829
• World's oldest golf course: St. Andrews Golf Course, Scotland (UK)

14.2 Important Golf Trophies

• Walker Cup - Golf
• Ryder Cup - Golf
• Baker Cup - Golf
• Canada Cup - Golf
• Murphey Cup - Golf
• Prince of Wales Cup - Golf
• Bharat Ram Cup - Golf
• FedEx Cup - Golf

15. Sports Awards of India

Sports awards are among the most frequently asked questions in SSC CGL. The Government of India gives these awards every year to recognize excellence in sports.

15.1 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

• Highest sports honor in India
• Originally called Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
• Renamed to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021
• Given for spectacular and most outstanding performance in sports
• First recipient: Viswanathan Anand (Chess) - 1991-92

15.2 Arjuna Award

• Given for outstanding performance in sports over the previous four years
• First given in 1961
• Named after the legendary archer Arjuna from Mahabharata
• Sagar Kailas Aovalkar - first Indian man to receive Arjuna Award 2022 for Malkhamb

15.3 Dronacharya Award

• Given to sports coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international events
• First given in 1985
• Named after Dronacharya - the legendary guru of the Pandavas in Mahabharata

15.4 Dhyan Chand Award

• Given for lifetime achievement in sports and games
• Named after Major Dhyan Chand - the hockey wizard

15.5 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy

• Given to the best overall performing university in the Inter-University Tournament
• Oldest national sports award of India

16. Important Sports Organizations

16.1 Indian Sports Bodies

• Sports Authority of India (SAI)
  • India's supreme national sports institution
  • Founded in 1984
  • Under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
• National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)
  • National Dope Testing Laboratory is located in New Delhi
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
  • Founded in 1927
  • Founding President: Sir Dorabji Tata

16.2 International Sports Bodies and Their Headquarters

• IOC (International Olympic Committee) - HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland - Founded: 1894
• FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) - HQ: Zurich, Switzerland
• ICC (International Cricket Council) - HQ: Dubai, UAE
• BWF (Badminton World Federation) - HQ: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• FIDE (World Chess Federation) - HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland
• World Athletics (formerly IAAF) - HQ: Monaco
• IHF (International Hockey Federation) - HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland
• FIBA (International Basketball Federation) - HQ: Mies, Switzerland
• OCA (Olympic Council of Asia) - HQ: Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) - HQ: London, United Kingdom

17. Important Trophies and Cups - Sport Wise

• Hockey - Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Agha Khan Cup, Beighton Cup, Wellington Cup, Lady Ratan Tata Trophy (Women)
• Football - Durand Cup, Rovers Cup, Santosh Trophy, Concacaf Gold Cup, FIFA World Cup
• Cricket - Deodhar Trophy, Irani Trophy, Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
• Basketball - Nehru Cup, Federation Cup
• Volleyball - Federation Cup, Super Challenge Cup, Grand Champions Cup
• Golf - Walker Cup, Ryder Cup, Baker Cup, Canada Cup, FedEx Cup, Prince of Wales Cup
• Tennis - Davis Cup, Hopman Cup, Fed Cup
• Badminton - Thomas Cup, Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup, All England Open

18. Sports - State and Country Associations

• Goa - official state sport: Football
• England - national sport: Cricket
• Sri Lanka - national sport: Volleyball
• Lithuania - national sport: Basketball
• Highest polo ground in the world - Shandur in Pakistan

19. Important Stadiums in India

• Narendra Modi Stadium - Ahmedabad, Gujarat - world's largest cricket stadium (formerly Sardar Patel Stadium)
• Eden Gardens - Kolkata - oldest and most famous cricket stadium in India
• Wankhede Stadium - Mumbai
• M. Chinnaswamy Stadium - Bengaluru
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - New Delhi - hosted 2010 Commonwealth Games

Important One-Liners - Sports:

• First modern Olympic Games - Athens, Greece - 1896
• Olympics revived by - Pierre de Coubertin - France
• IOC founded - 1894 - Paris - HQ Lausanne, Switzerland
• Olympic motto - Citius, Altius, Fortius - Faster, Higher, Stronger
• Olympic motto extended in 2021 - added "Communiter" (Together)
• Five Olympic rings - five continents - Blue (Europe), Yellow (Asia), Black (Africa), Green (Oceania), Red (Americas)
• Olympic rings designed by - Pierre de Coubertin - 1913
• International Olympic Day - June 23
• First Winter Olympics - Chamonix, France - 1924
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics - held in 2021 due to COVID-19
• Brisbane 2032 Olympics - selected at IOC 138th session - Tokyo
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) - founded 1927 - Sir Dorabji Tata
• India first Olympics - Paris 1900 - Norman Pritchard - 2 Silver
• India first Olympic gold - Hockey - Amsterdam 1928
• Independent India first Olympic gold - Hockey - London 1948
• Abhinav Bindra - first individual Olympic gold - 10m Air Rifle - Beijing 2008
• Neeraj Chopra - gold - Javelin Throw - Tokyo 2020 - India's second individual gold
• K.D. Jadhav - first individual medalist in independent India - Bronze - Helsinki 1952 - Wrestling
• Karnam Malleswari - first Indian woman Olympic medalist - Bronze - Sydney 2000 - Weightlifting
• Sakshi Malik - first Indian woman Olympic medalist in wrestling - Bronze - Rio 2016
• First Paralympic Games - Rome - 1960
• Special Olympics - every two years - founded 1968 - Eunice Kennedy Shriver
• First Commonwealth Games - Hamilton, Canada - 1930
• Commonwealth Games initially called - British Empire Games
• India hosted Commonwealth Games - 2010 - New Delhi - 19th edition
• CGF HQ - London, United Kingdom
• First Asian Games - New Delhi - 1951
• Asian Games organized by - OCA - HQ Kuwait City
• Asian Games motto - Ever Onward
• Thailand hosted Asian Games most - four times
• South Korea hosted Asian Games - three times - 1986, 2002, 2014
• Major Dhyan Chand - Wizard of Hockey - born August 29, 1905 - Allahabad
• India won 8 Olympic gold medals in Hockey
• National Sports Day - August 29 - Dhyan Chand's birthday
• Hockey - Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Lady Ratan Tata Trophy (Women)
• Cricket pitch length - 22 yards
• One bowler in ODI - maximum 10 overs
• BCCI HQ - Mumbai - established December 1928
• IPL started - 2008 - first winner Rajasthan Royals
• FIFA HQ - Zurich, Switzerland
• First FIFA World Cup - 1930 - Uruguay hosted - Uruguay won
• FIFA World Cup 2022 - Qatar
• FIFA World Cup 2026 - Canada, USA, Mexico
• Goa official state sport - Football
• Mohun Bagan - won Federation Cup Football most times - 14 times
• Thomas Cup - men's team Badminton - every three years
• India won Thomas Cup 2022 - defeated Indonesia
• Wimbledon - oldest Grand Slam - started 1877 - London - grass courts
• Davis Cup - men's team tennis - World Cup of Tennis
• Ramnathan Krishnan - first Indian at Wimbledon in independent India
• Chess board - 64 squares - White and Black
• Viswanathan Anand - India's first Chess Grandmaster - five-time World Champion
• Dibyendu Barua - India's second Chess Grandmaster
• FIDE HQ - Lausanne, Switzerland
• Kabaddi - Chedugudu in South India - Hu-Tu-Tu in East India
• Attack Line - NOT associated with Kabaddi
• LONA - term in Kabaddi - all players of one side out
• Volleyball started - February 9, 1895 - originally called Mintonette
• Volleyball - 5 sets - first four sets 25 points - fifth set 15 points
• Marathon distance - 42.195 km - 26 miles 385 yards
• Royal Calcutta Golf Club - oldest golf course outside UK - founded 1829
• St. Andrews Golf Course, Scotland - world's oldest golf course
• Khel Ratna - highest sports honor - renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021
• First Khel Ratna recipient - Viswanathan Anand - 1991-92
• Arjuna Award - first given 1961
• Dronacharya Award - given to coaches - first given 1985
• MAKA Trophy - oldest national sports award of India
• SAI - Sports Authority of India - founded 1984
• National Dope Testing Laboratory - New Delhi
• IOC HQ - Lausanne, Switzerland
• ICC HQ - Dubai, UAE
• BWF HQ - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• World Athletics HQ - Monaco
• IHF HQ - Lausanne, Switzerland
• Narendra Modi Stadium - Ahmedabad - world's largest cricket stadium
• Shandur, Pakistan - world's highest polo ground