(Current Affairs) Sports | September: 2014

Sports

Germany Lift FIFA World Cup 2014 title

  • Germany’s Mario Götze kicks in second half of extra time to win 1-0 against Argentina in final of the FIFA World Cup 2014. Germany became the first side from Europe to win a World Cup in South America.
  • Lionel Messi Of Argentina was awarded Golden Ball, which is given to best player of the tournament.
  • This was Germanies fourth world cup, last coming in 1990 against the same opponent. This is the first World Cup for unified Germany, the previous three having been won by West Germany in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
  • Argentina last won world cup in 1986, which was played in Mexico.
  • Manuel Neuer of Germany won the Golden Glove, award for best goalkeeper.
  • James Rodriguez of Colombia won the Golden boot award for most number(6) of goals in the tournament.

India aims top three finish in Glasgow CWG

  • The unprecedented success achieved in the last edition in India would be hard to replicate this time after the dropping of a few disciplines, a 215-strong Indian contingent would nonetheless seek a top-five finish in the 20th Commonwealth Games.

  • India finished second behind Australia with a record 101 medal haul in New Delhi Games.

  • The Delhi CWG triggered an ascent in sports achievements with another record-breaking show in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou where India won 65 medals. Two years later, the country won six medals in London, almost half of the individual medals won in the entire Olympic history.

  • The Games will see 4,500 athletes from 71 nations of the erstwhile British empire compete for the top honours with superstar sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica and middle and long distance king Mo Farah of England expected to set the Hampden Park Stadium ablaze.

  • India, which has sent 215 athletes in 14 sports, will be hit hard by the scrapping of archery and tennis from Glasgow Games and the reduction in the number of medal events in shooting and wrestling. The country had won a combined 12 medals from archery and tennis in 2010 while bagging 14 medals from the 18 events dropped this time from shooting. Greco-Roman category in wrestling, from which India won eight medals in 2010, has also been done away with in Glasgow.

U.S. Lawmakers Ask FIBA to Review its Policy on Sikh Turbans

  • Appalled by reports that Sikh players from India were asked to remove their turbans at an international basketball match, top U.S. lawmakers have launched a campaign asking International Basketball Federation(FIBA) to review the discriminatory policy.

  • Sikh players participating within FIBA were told that their turbans violate Article 4.4.2 of FIBA’s official rules, which states that “Players shall not wear equipment (objects) that may cause injury to other players.”

  • There is no evidence showing that a turban has been dangerous during basketball games or other popular sports events, the Congressmen argue, The letter cited the example of Darsh Preet Singh who captained the basketball team at Trinity University while maintaining his turban throughout a successful career at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

ON TARGET Apurvi and Rahi Shoot Gold

  • Apurvi Chandela and Rahi Sarnobat were the toast of the Indian camp as the duo won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle and 25m pistol respectively.

  • Apurvi went to the final topping the preliminaries with a Games record total of 415.6 points. She shot brilliantly right through the final, going into the lead with a score of 31.4 points and staying there through the next eight rounds.

  • Ayonika had finished fourth in the preliminaries with a score of 413.2 points. However, the Mumbai girl was in no mood to surrender and showed steely resolve as she clawed her way back to second with three rounds remaining. In the end, Ayonika had a score of 204.9 points as against Apurvi’s winning total of 206.7 points.

  • India also picked up a silver medal through Prakash Nanjappa in the men’s 10m air pistol. Australia’s Daniel Repacholi took the gold.

<< Go Back To Sports Main Page

Sports and Awards
Current Affairs
Civil Services EXAM
Civil Services Preliminary
Civil Services Mains
UPSC