Sports Current Affairs MCQs

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The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA 2025) has begun in Bangkok and Chonburi province, Thailand, with the Opening Ceremony at Rajamangala National Stadium. Thailand is hosting over 13,000 athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Brunei Darussalam, and Timor-Leste. Athletes will compete in 50 medal sports, including Olympic disciplines as well as traditional regional sports. The event highlights regional sporting excellence, cultural exchange, and collaboration among Southeast Asian countries.

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A 70-foot iron statue of football legend Lionel Messi has been unveiled at Lake Town, South Dum Dum, Kolkata, West Bengal, by Sree Bhumi Sporting Club. The statue depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy; final surface work and area preparations are ongoing. The statue is part of a tribute ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The project received support from West Bengal government authorities.

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India completed the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand, with a historic five-medal haul. Ashish Limaye won individual gold in eventing. Limaye, along with Shashank Singh Kataria and Shashank Kanmuri, secured team silver in eventing. In dressage, Shruti Vora won three silver medals. The championships were organised by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) and featured top riders across multiple disciplines. This was the second edition of the continental meet; India did not participate in 2019.

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More than 24 countries will participate in the inaugural Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship, scheduled to be held from March 9 to 14 next year. The championship will be hosted in India, although the venue is yet to be finalised. The Kho Kho Federation of India is in discussions with several states to finalise the venue after receiving approval from Commonwealth Sport (CS). The event will feature 16 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams, reflecting equal participation across genders. The tournament will be organised on the lines of the first Kho Kho World Cup, held in January this year in New Delhi, which saw participation from 23 nations.

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India won its first-ever Squash World Cup title in 2025 by defeating top seeds Hong Kong China at Express Avenue Mall, Chennai. India improved from a bronze medal in the 2023 edition to gold in 2025. The Indian team, seeded second, did not lose a single match throughout the tournament. India became the fourth nation after Australia, England, and Egypt to win the Squash World Cup. Squash will debut at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.

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Two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion PV Sindhu has been elected Chair of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Athletes’ Commission for the 2026–2029 term. As Chair, she will also serve as a member of the Badminton World Federation Council, giving players a direct voice in global badminton governance. Greysia Polii, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, served on the Athletes’ Commission from 2021 to 2025 and retired in 2022. PV Sindhu will lead India at the 2026 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao, China.

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Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi lost the semifinal to Uzbek player Nodirbek Abdusattorov at the World Blitz Championship in Doha. He secured the bronze medal in the tournament. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen reached the final after defeating Fabiano Caruana 3-1 in the other semifinal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Arjun Erigaisi for his bronze medal in the Blitz Championship and his recent FIDE Rapid Chess Championship bronze.

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The 11th India International Youth Sailing Championship 2026 takes place from 4th to 10th January at Chennai Port. The championship was officially launched in Chennai. It is India’s longest-running and most consistent international youth sailing regatta. 117 sailors from 13 countries competes across five elite youth classes.

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Former world billiards champion Manoj Kothari passed away at 67 in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu due to a massive cardiac arrest. Kothari won the World Billiards Championship in 1990. He was a 16-time State Champion in his career. In 2005, he received the Dhyan Chand Award, India’s highest lifetime achievement award in sports. In 2025, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India.

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The 69th National School Games started in Punjab on 6th January at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana. The games feature young athletes from across India, competing in Judo (Under-14 boys & girls), Taekwondo (Under-14 girls), and Gatka (Under-19 boys & girls). Teams from various States and Union Territories, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Andhra Pradesh, and North East regions, are participating. Around 1,000 sports persons are taking part in the event. The Games will conclude on 11th January 2026.