Sports: Games, Awards, Trophies and Venues

What to remember

• The Olympic Games are run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), headquartered at Lausanne, Switzerland. The modern Games began in Athens in 1896 and are held every four years.
• India's national sports awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (highest), Arjuna (including Arjuna Award (Lifetime), which replaced the Dhyan Chand Award from 2024) and Dronacharya.
• Trophies are tied to games: Ranji Trophy (cricket), Santosh Trophy (football), Thomas Cup (men's badminton team), Davis Cup (men's tennis team). Match each trophy to its game first.

The Olympic Games

The modern Olympic Games were revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France. The first modern Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The Games are held every four years. Each four-year period is called an Olympiad.

The Olympic symbol has five interlocking rings. The colours are blue, yellow, black, green and red, on a white background. The rings stand for the five inhabited continents joined together. The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius - Communiter", which means "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together" (the word "Together" was added by the IOC in 2021). The Olympic flame is lit at Olympia in Greece and carried to the host city by a torch relay.

The Winter Olympics are held separately and began at Chamonix, France. The Paralympic Games are for athletes with disabilities. The Youth Olympic Games are for young athletes. Medals are gold, silver and bronze.

India first took part in the Olympics in 1900, when Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in athletics. India's first team gold medal came in hockey in 1928 at Amsterdam. India won hockey gold in six Games in a row from 1928 to 1956. K. D. Jadhav won a wrestling bronze in 1952, the first individual medal for independent India. Abhinav Bindra won gold in the air rifle event at Beijing, India's first individual Olympic gold. Neeraj Chopra won gold in the javelin throw at the Tokyo Games, which were held one year late because of the pandemic. Karnam Malleswari, from Andhra Pradesh, won a weightlifting bronze at Sydney. She was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

Asian Games and Commonwealth Games

The first Asian Games of 1951 were held at New Delhi. The idea came from Guru Dutt Sondhi. The Asian Games motto is "Ever Onward". The Commonwealth Games motto is "Humanity, Equality, Destiny". The Queen's Baton Relay (now King's Baton Relay) carries a message from the head of the Commonwealth to the opening ceremony.

Other multi-sport events include the South Asian Games, the Afro-Asian Games and the Universiade for university students.

National sports awards of India

National Sports Day is celebrated on 29 August, the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand. The awards are presented at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President.

Popular trophies and cups

Grand Slam tennis and famous venues

There are four Grand Slam tennis events. The Australian Open (Melbourne) and the US Open (New York) are played on hard courts. The French Open (Roland Garros, Paris) is played on clay. Wimbledon (London) is played on grass.

Andhra Pradesh has a growing set of cricket grounds. Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada (Mulapadu) host matches, and the state also has the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) to promote sport.

Sports bodies and basic terms

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) runs training centres. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sends the Indian team to the Games. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) runs cricket. FIFA runs world football and the ICC runs world cricket. FIH runs hockey and BWF runs badminton. The Khelo India programme supports young talent at school and university level.

Common ground facts: a cricket pitch is 22 yards long. A football team has 11 players on the field. A hockey team has 11 players. A basketball team has 5 players on the court. A volleyball team has 6 players on the court. A badminton match is played to 21 points per game. A polo team has 4 players. A marathon is about 42 km (42.195 km). Chess has 64 squares.

World cups and other global events

The FIFA World Cup is the world football championship and is held every four years. The Cricket World Cup is organised by the ICC. The Hockey World Cup is organised by the FIH. The Olympic football event is mostly for young players. The Rugby World Cup is held every four years. The Paralympic Games follow the Olympics in the same host city. India has produced several Paralympic medallists in athletics, shooting and badminton.

The National Games of India are held among the states and union territories, and are organised under the Indian Olympic Association. The Khelo India Youth Games and University Games find young talent. The South Asian Games bring together the countries of South Asia. The Afro-Asian Games and the Lusophony Games are smaller multi-sport events. The Olympic Council of Asia is based at Kuwait City.

Sports terms linked to games

A hat-trick means three successive wickets by a bowler or three goals by one player. A "chukker" is a period of play in polo. The "bully" starts play in old-style hockey. These terms are asked often in general awareness papers.

Exam traps

• Khel Ratna versus Arjuna: Khel Ratna is the highest sports award; Arjuna is the next award for good performance.
• Dronacharya versus Dhyan Chand Award: Dronacharya is for coaches; Dhyan Chand Award was for lifetime achievement by players; from 2024 it is replaced by the Arjuna Award (Lifetime).
• Thomas Cup versus Uber Cup: Thomas is for men, Uber is for women. Sudirman is mixed.
• Davis Cup versus Billie Jean King Cup: Davis is for men, Billie Jean King is for women.
• Ranji versus Santosh: Ranji Trophy is for cricket, Santosh Trophy is for football.
• Asian Games versus Commonwealth Games: The first Asian Games (1951) were at Delhi; the first Commonwealth Games (1930) were at Hamilton, Canada.
• Clay versus grass: French Open is clay; Wimbledon is grass.
• Ashes versus Border-Gavaskar: Ashes is England against Australia; Border-Gavaskar is India against Australia.

One-liners

• 1. The IOC is headquartered at Lausanne, Switzerland.
• 2. The first modern Olympics were held at Athens in 1896.
• 3. Pierre de Coubertin is called the father of the modern Olympics.
• 4. The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius - Communiter" (Communiter, 'together', added in 2021).
• 5. India won its first Olympic team gold in hockey at Amsterdam in 1928.
• 6. Abhinav Bindra won India's first individual Olympic gold, in air rifle shooting.
• 7. Karnam Malleswari was the first Indian woman Olympic medallist, in weightlifting.
• 8. The first Asian Games were held at New Delhi in 1951.
• 9. The Commonwealth Games began as the British Empire Games at Hamilton in 1930.
• 10. The Arjuna Award was started in 1961 and the Dronacharya Award in 1985.
• 11. National Sports Day is 29 August.
• 12. Eden Gardens is in Kolkata and Wankhede Stadium is in Mumbai.

Practice questions

1. Where is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee?

   1. Geneva
   2. Athens
   3. Lausanne
   4. Paris
   Answer

   C. Lausanne

   The IOC is headquartered at Lausanne, Switzerland.

2. In which city were the first modern Olympic Games held?

   1. Rome
   2. Paris
   3. London
   4. Athens
   Answer

   D. Athens

   The modern Olympics began at Athens in 1896.

3. Who is called the father of the modern Olympic Games?

   1. Guru Dutt Sondhi
   2. Pierre de Coubertin
   3. Thomas Bach
   4. Avery Brundage
   Answer

   B. Pierre de Coubertin

   Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France revived the Games.

4. Which is the Olympic motto?

   1. Citius, Altius, Fortius
   2. Humanity, Equality, Destiny
   3. Unity in Diversity
   4. Ever Onward
   Answer

   A. Citius, Altius, Fortius

   Citius, Altius, Fortius means Faster, Higher, Stronger.

5. Which city hosted the first Asian Games?

   1. Manila
   2. New Delhi
   3. Jakarta
   4. Tokyo
   Answer

   B. New Delhi

   The first Asian Games were held at New Delhi in 1951.

6. The first British Empire Games, later the Commonwealth Games, were held in

   1. Hamilton, Canada
   2. New Delhi, India
   3. London, England
   4. Sydney, Australia
   Answer

   A. Hamilton, Canada

   The first edition was at Hamilton, Canada.

7. Which is the highest sports honour of India?

   1. Dronacharya Award
   2. Arjuna Award
   3. Dhyan Chand Award
   4. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
   Answer

   D. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

   Khel Ratna is the highest sports award.

8. The Dronacharya Award is given to

   1. sports journalists
   2. umpires and referees
   3. coaches who produce good sportspersons
   4. retired players for lifetime work
   Answer

   C. coaches who produce good sportspersons

   It honours coaches.

9. National Sports Day is celebrated on the birthday of Dhyan Chand, which falls on

   1. 14 November
   2. 12 January
   3. 29 August
   4. 5 September
   Answer

   C. 29 August

   29 August is National Sports Day.

10. Santosh Trophy is associated with which game?

    1. Volleyball
    2. Football
    3. Hockey
    4. Cricket
    Answer

    B. Football

    Santosh Trophy is the national football championship between states.

11. The Thomas Cup is a team championship in

    1. men's tennis
    2. women's tennis
    3. women's badminton
    4. men's badminton
    Answer

    D. men's badminton

    Thomas Cup is for men; Uber Cup is for women.

12. The French Open tennis tournament is played on which surface?

    1. Clay
    2. Grass
    3. Wooden court
    4. Hard court
    Answer

    A. Clay

    Roland Garros has clay courts.

13. Eden Gardens, a famous cricket ground, is in

    1. Mumbai
    2. Chennai
    3. Kolkata
    4. Delhi
    Answer

    C. Kolkata

    Eden Gardens is at Kolkata.

14. The Irani Cup is played between

    1. Ranji Trophy champions and Rest of India
    2. Two Test-playing countries
    3. North Zone and South Zone
    4. India and Australia
    Answer

    A. Ranji Trophy champions and Rest of India

    It is played between the Ranji champions and Rest of India.

15. Who won India's first individual Olympic gold medal?

    1. Leander Paes
    2. Karnam Malleswari
    3. K. D. Jadhav
    4. Abhinav Bindra
    Answer

    D. Abhinav Bindra

    Abhinav Bindra won gold in air rifle shooting at Beijing.

16. Who was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal?

    1. P. T. Usha
    2. Karnam Malleswari
    3. Saina Nehwal
    4. Mary Kom
    Answer

    B. Karnam Malleswari

    She won a weightlifting bronze at Sydney.

17. India won its first Olympic team gold medal in

    1. cricket
    2. football
    3. kabaddi
    4. hockey
    Answer

    D. hockey

    India won hockey gold at Amsterdam in 1928.

18. The Asian Games motto is

    1. Play True
    2. Faster, Higher, Stronger
    3. Ever Onward
    4. Humanity, Equality, Destiny
    Answer

    C. Ever Onward

    Ever Onward is the Asian Games motto.

19. How many players of one team are on the court in a volleyball game?

    1. Six
    2. Seven
    3. Eight
    4. Five
    Answer

    A. Six

    A volleyball side has six players on the court.

20. The Arjuna Award was instituted in

    1. 1955
    2. 1961
    3. 1985
    4. 1971
    Answer

    B. 1961

    Arjuna Award began in 1961; Dronacharya in 1985.

21. The Davis Cup is a team championship in

    1. golf
    2. women's tennis
    3. table tennis
    4. men's tennis
    Answer

    D. men's tennis

    Davis Cup is for men; Billie Jean King Cup is for women.

22. Which organisation sends the Indian team to the Olympic Games?

    1. Indian Olympic Association
    2. Board of Control for Cricket in India
    3. All India Football Federation
    4. Sports Authority of India
    Answer

    A. Indian Olympic Association

    The IOA is India's national Olympic committee.

23. The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy is given to the

    1. best sports journalist
    2. best overall university in inter-university sports
    3. best cricketer of the year
    4. best coach of the year
    Answer

    B. best overall university in inter-university sports

    MAKA Trophy goes to the overall top university.

24. Which is the Olympic Council of Asia's main multi-sport event?

    1. Universiade
    2. Afro-Asian Games
    3. Asian Games
    4. South Asian Games
    Answer

    C. Asian Games

    The OCA organises the Asian Games.

25. The Ashes is a Test cricket series between

    1. India and Pakistan
    2. India and Australia
    3. England and West Indies
    4. England and Australia
    Answer

    D. England and Australia

    Ashes is England against Australia.

26. Which trophy is linked with golf?

    1. Ryder Cup
    2. Uber Cup
    3. Durand Cup
    4. Duleep Trophy
    Answer

    A. Ryder Cup

    Ryder Cup is a team golf contest of Europe and the USA.

27. The term 'chukker' is used in

    1. chess
    2. polo
    3. golf
    4. boxing
    Answer

    B. polo

    A chukker is a period of play in polo.

28. The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is meant for

    1. umpires
    2. coaches
    3. corporates and bodies that promote sport
    4. players over 60
    Answer

    C. corporates and bodies that promote sport

    It rewards promotion of sport.

29. The Winter Olympic Games began at

    1. Athens
    2. Chamonix
    3. Lake Placid
    4. Oslo
    Answer

    B. Chamonix

    The first Winter Games were at Chamonix, France.

30. Which stadium is known as the home of the MCC?

    1. Melbourne Cricket Ground
    2. Wankhede
    3. Eden Gardens
    4. Lord's
    Answer

    D. Lord's

    Lord's in London is the home of the MCC.

31. The Ranji Trophy is the main domestic championship of which format?

    1. Twenty20 cricket
    2. School football
    3. First-class cricket
    4. Hockey league
    Answer

    C. First-class cricket

    Ranji Trophy is first-class cricket.

32. Which Indian gold medallist won in javelin at the Tokyo Olympics?

    1. Neeraj Chopra
    2. Mirabai Chanu
    3. Lovlina Borgohain
    4. Bajrang Punia
    Answer

    A. Neeraj Chopra

    Neeraj Chopra won the javelin gold.

33. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna was first won by

    1. Karnam Malleswari
    2. Sachin Tendulkar
    3. Leander Paes
    4. Viswanathan Anand
    Answer

    D. Viswanathan Anand

    Anand was the first winner.

34. Consider these statements about awards. 1. The Arjuna Award is given to coaches. 2. The Dronacharya Award is given to coaches. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Arjuna is for players; Dronacharya is for coaches.

35. Consider these statements. 1. The first Asian Games were held at New Delhi. 2. The Commonwealth Games began as the British Empire Games. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

36. Consider these statements. 1. Wimbledon is played on clay. 2. The French Open is played on clay. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Wimbledon is on grass; the French Open is on clay.

37. Consider these statements. 1. The Uber Cup is a women's team badminton event. 2. The Sudirman Cup is a mixed team badminton event. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

38. Consider these statements. 1. The IOC is headquartered at Lausanne. 2. FIFA is headquartered at Lausanne. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    FIFA is at Zurich.

39. Consider these statements. 1. The Ranji Trophy is a first-class cricket tournament. 2. The Vijay Hazare Trophy is a Twenty20 tournament. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Vijay Hazare is a one-day tournament.

40. Consider these statements. 1. Eden Gardens is in Mumbai. 2. Wankhede Stadium is in Mumbai. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Eden Gardens is in Kolkata.

41. Consider these statements. 1. Neeraj Chopra won Olympic gold in javelin. 2. Abhinav Bindra won Olympic gold in shooting. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

42. Consider these statements. 1. The Dhyan Chand Award is a lifetime achievement award. 2. It was started in 1961. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    It started in 2002; 1961 is the Arjuna Award.

43. Consider these statements. 1. The Asian Games are organised by the Olympic Council of Asia. 2. The Commonwealth Games are open to all Asian countries. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Commonwealth Games are for Commonwealth members.

44. Consider these statements. 1. Santosh Trophy is for football. 2. Durand Cup is for hockey. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Durand Cup is a football tournament.

45. Which pair is correctly matched?

    1. Duleep Trophy : hockey
    2. Durand Cup : cricket
    3. Uber Cup : men's tennis
    4. Subroto Cup : school football
    Answer

    D. Subroto Cup : school football

    Subroto Cup is a school football tournament.