SPORTS
Sport is athletic and competitive leisure activity that requires physical effort and skills providing entertainment as well as encouragement to participants and spectators alike. They also contribute to physical fitness and mental well-being along with social interaction.
Sporting events has become one of the most watched leisure activities that provide competitiveness and physical fitness in the modern world. So to make life really more interesting one can indulge in any sports based on one’s liking and choice. One can also enjoy the competitiveness that sports presents by just becoming a viewer and an enthusiast.
Increasing level of mental toughness, energy and winning spirit along with cutting edge technology sports has gained much popularity amongst viewers and players alike. Hence sporting events like Olympics, MotoGP, Formula-1, Soccer, Cricket, Tennis, Basketball etc. have indeed a huge fan following. This immense fan following motivates athletes to excel in their respective sporting fields.
One can best enjoy watching or playing the sporting activity of their choice by understanding the objective of that sporting activity and knowledge about the sports rules and regulations.
We provide brief history of the sports along with details of sporting rules and regulations. We also ensure that one is aware of the current achievements and rankings of the players.
Know Your Sports
MotoGP was established as a World Championship by the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) in 1949. It is the oldest motorsports championship in the world and consists of three racing classes that take to the track on a Grand Prix weekend.
This is a premiere motorcycle world championship where world’s most skilled riders equipped with motorcycles featuring cutting-edge motorcycle technology.
Formula One race, also called F1 in short or Grand Prix is an international auto racing sport. As its name implies, Formula One is the pinnacle of formula racing, featuring the best drivers in the most powerful, technically advanced cars. This auto racing sport is governed and sanctioned by a world body called the FIA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile or the International Automobile Federation.
Archery is amongst the oldest sports. This sports dates back to thousand of years possibly even as far as the stone age of 20,000 BC when bows and arrows used by numerous peoples. Archery is the skill of shooting arrows with a bow. The word comes from the Latin arcus meaning ‘bow’ or ‘arch’. Before discovery of guns and long distance weapons, archery was the main long distance weapon used by solders and huntsmen.
3×3 basketball game is played by two teams having 3 members on each side on a single basketball hoop. This format of the basketball is organised and governed by Fèdèration Internationale de Basketball Amateur (FIBA) and is the largest urban team sport of the world. FIBA also organises men and women 3×3 basketball world cups.
Artistic gymnastics is a part of the broader category of gymnastics. Gymnastics rules are set and maintained by the regulating authority Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) they also govern other aspects of the sport. In this sport, athletes perform their routine on a set of apparatus and complete the routine with an acrobat jump.
Synchronized Swimming, also known as artistic swimming is a combination of swimming, dancing and gymnastics. This is a women’s event and is a form of water ballet that originated in the 20th century. The routines are accompanied by music to which the athletes perform various moves in a synchronised routine. This sporting event is governed by Fédération Internationale de natation (FINA)
Athletics is the most followed track and field events in the world. Athletics is a broader category of many events, for both men and women. Governed by International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), that was established as the world governing body for the sport of track and field athletics. In 2019 the name of International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) was changed to World Athletics.
Badminton is played using racquets and a shuttlecock, this sport gained in popularity due to its simplicity, generally being played as a casual outdoor sport among friends and family members. The sport of Badminton is governed over by Badminton World Federation (BWF); they are responsible for conducting tournaments and deciding the rules for the sports.
Baseball is a team sport played with a bat and a ball between two teams in a diamond-shaped field having four bases. Team has nine players and is played over nine innings during which each team gets their turn to bat or field. This sport and its rules is governed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). But it needs to be mentioned that baseball rules governing the national leagues of America, Canada or Japan are slightly modified version of the official rules.
Basketball is a team sport played with a ball on a rectangular court comprising of hoops at either end of the court, with each hoop-shaped as a basket, hence the name Basketball. Each team has five players and plays on the opposing ends of the court. The five players of a team, have different positions allocated to them with the tallest player in the centre. This game is organized and governed by Fèdèration Internationale de Basketball Amateur (FIBA).
Beach volleyball is an outdoor team sport, played between two teams each comprising of two team players. The sport is played over in sand court usually on the sandy beach of the sea. This is a fast-paced sport that gained popularity as a fun leisure beach activity among the sunbathers enjoying the beach. Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) is the governing body of this sport. They organize the international beach volleyball tournaments across the globe.
Boxing is a combat sport played between two players where one player tries to win by, hitting the other player hard, within the stipulated area. Boxing is divided broadly into two categories Amateur and Professional boxing. It is further categorised based on the weight of the boxers. The boxers belonging to the same weight group are allowed to complete in a match. The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is the governing body that organizes different world boxing tournaments formulates changes in rules and appoints judges.
Canoe- Slalom is a water sport that requires not only strength but also a high amount of skill and balance from the player. This sport is like white-water rafting where player navigate through the strong water currents both upstream and downstream using a canoe or kayak. International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the governing body of the Canoeing. They organize the sports; formulate the rules, and the design specifications of the boats and other equipment.
Canoe Sprint is a water sport, athlete’s race with their boats in calm waters over a designated distance in their allocated lanes. The boats can be either a Canoe or a Kayak. This sport has various categories involving either one or multiple athletes and different boats. International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the governing body of the Canoeing. They organize the sports; formulate the rules, and the design specifications of the boats and other equipment.
BMX-Freestyle is an extreme sport, BMX stands for bicycle motocross, where cyclists perform different breathtaking stunts. Cycle racing emerged as a sport in the 19th century. Advancement of technology made the bicycles became lighter and capable for off-roading. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of this sport. They formulate rules and maintain the specifications of the bicycles and organise this sport.
Mountain biking is a sport that requires extreme skill and stamina from the riders. These riders use specially designed bike to race off-road in different terrains. They are used for mountain trails and other unpaved roads filled with rocky and mud obstacles. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of this sport. They formulate rules and maintain the specifications of the bicycles and organise this sport.
Road Cycling has been part of sports event since the invention of bicycles. The riders race amongst each other over a dedicated distance. The rider crossing the finish line first declared as the winner. The road racing cycles are much lighter than conventional bicycles having drop handlebars providing riders with an aerodynamic seating position. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of this sport. They formulate rules and maintain the specifications of the bicycles and organise this sport.
Track cycling is the most enthralling cycling event of the Olympics. The focus is on the speed, endurance and agility of the riders. The race is organised on a specially designed track called a Velodrome. It is the most popular cycling sport as it involves high-speed bicycle racing with speeds exceeding way above 60 km/hr. The riders race amongst each other in track cycles around a specially designed track. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of this sport. They formulate rules and maintain the specifications of the bicycles and organise this sport.
Diving is one of the most loved and watched sports of aquatics. Different acrobatics skills are performed by the divers during their dive. The divers need to extremely fit, athletic and flexible to accomplish this event. The diving board placed at three metres, popularly known as the Springboard, and the one placed, at a height of 10 metres popularly known as the Platform. All the events are restricted to these two heights. Diving being an aquatic sport, it is governed by Fédération Internationale de natation (FINA). They formulate rules organise this sport.
Equestrian is a thrilling sport that involves the skill of an athlete and a horse. This game demands complete control of the athlete over the horse to display their skills. The rider and the horse have to maintain perfect harmony to complete the event in a designated time and course. This sport is divided into three events, Jumping also known as Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. These events can be played as an individual or in teams. Equestrian is governed by Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). They set the rules of the sport and organise competitions around the world.
Fencing is a combat sport played between fencers using a sword for attack and self-defence. It is a fast-paced sport where the fencer strikes the opponent in the blink of an eye. The opponent fencer needs to defend the attack and launch an attack at the earliest opportunity. governed by Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE). They set the rules of the sport and organise competitions around the world.
Golf is a sport played in lush green fields within the lap of nature’s beauty. Played in especially curetted golf course that comprise of plants, trees, bushes, green and natural hazards. The difference of golf and other sports is that golf course does not have any boundary limitation and consists of terrain entirely different from other courses. International Golf Federation (IGF) founded in 1958 and is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the world governing body for golf. Unlike other sport governing bodies, the rules of golf are not responsible for developing, maintaining or administering the rules of golf. The golf rules or any change to it is maintained by United States Golf Association (USGA).
Handball is a fast-paced team sport played between two teams. Each team comprises seven players, six of them are outfield players, and one of them is the goalkeeper. It is not mandatory to have a goalkeeper, and they can be substituted, by an outfield player based on the team’s strategy. The players of this sport are very agile and energetic making it a fast-paced game. Players use their hands to dribble and throw the ball into the opposing team’s net scoring a goal. International Handball Federation (IHF) formed in 1946, is the governing body of this sport. They set the rules of the sport and organise competitions around the world.
Football or Soccer is one of the oldest and the most loved sports. The simplicity of rules and mass appeal makes it popular globally. This sport is played by men and women as a separate team event. Many football tournaments and Championships are organized across the world that invites players having different skills and capabilities. Premier leagues of many European countries, Copa America, Euro Championships, World cup, and Olympics are some of the tournaments organized around the world. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the governing body responsible for organizing tournaments and deciding the rules for the sport.