History of Sport in Timeline
Sport encompasses physical activities and games, often competitive and structured, aimed at enhancing physical prowess and skills. Beyond personal enjoyment, sports can entertain spectators. Ranging from individual pursuits to large-team endeavors, sports can involve competition between individuals or teams. While some sports permit ties, others employ tiebreakers. Tournaments and leagues with regular seasons, sometimes followed by playoffs, determine champions.
1934: 1934 FIFA World Cup and Fascism
Benito Mussolini leveraged the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy to promote Fascist Italy.
1936: 1936 Olympics and Nazi Propaganda
Adolf Hitler used the 1936 Summer and Winter Olympics, held in Berlin and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, respectively, to spread Nazi ideology about Aryan superiority.
1971: Olympic Games Allows Compensation and Sponsorship
In 1971, the Olympic Games permitted athletes to receive compensation and sponsorships.
1972: Munich Massacre
The 1972 Olympics in Munich were marked by a tragic event: the Munich massacre, where masked men attacked the hotel of the Israeli Olympic team.
1986: Professional Athletes Allowed in Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to allow professional athletes to participate in the Olympics, except for boxing and wrestling, in 1986.
1998: Emergence of Sports Engineering
Sports engineering emerged as a discipline in 1998, focusing on materials design and technology in sports.
1998: Good Friday Agreement and GAA Rule 21
The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 led to the eventual removal of the Gaelic Athletic Association's (GAA) ban on members of the British security forces participating in Gaelic games.
2000: Early Sports in Ancient Civilizations
Evidence suggests that sports existed in various ancient civilizations. In 2000 BC, China saw the emergence of sports like gymnastics. Ancient Egypt, around the same time, had developed sports such as swimming, fishing, javelin throwing, high jump, and wrestling.
2006: 2006 FIFA World Cup Viewership
The 2006 FIFA World Cup Final drew an estimated global television audience of over 700 million viewers.
2008: Decision Review System in Cricket
A decision review system for players was introduced in ICC-run cricket tournaments in 2008.
2010: Ban on Full-Body Swimsuits
FINA banned full-body, non-textile swimsuits in 2010 due to their performance-enhancing effects.
2011: 2011 Cricket World Cup Viewership
The 2011 Cricket World Cup Final attracted approximately 135 million viewers in India alone.
2013: Global Sporting Industry Valuation
In 2013, the global sporting industry was valued at up to \$620 billion, according to a study by A.T. Kearney.
2013: Goal-Line Technology in the Premier League
The English Premier League implemented goal-line technology from the 2013-2014 season.
2014: Goal-Line Technology in FIFA World Cup
Goal-line technology was used in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to determine if the ball crossed the goal line.
2015: Goal-Line Technology in FIFA Women's World Cup and Bundesliga
The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada adopted goal-line technology. The Bundesliga in Germany also implemented it starting in the 2015-2016 season.
2015: Super Bowl Advertising Costs
The Super Bowl became a massive television event in the United States by 2015, with a 30-second advertising slot costing \$4.5 million.