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World Sports Timeline

Here is a timeline of some significant events in the world of sport. There are many more things that happen each year related to sport, but here I am trying to list just those significant events for 'world' sport. If you know of events that you think should be included, please let me know.


For sporting events in 2012 and other future events, see the Calendar of Major Sporting Events. See also the timeline of sport firsts.

Year Significant Events
2012 The major event of this year was the London Olympic Games, which finished with the USA on top of the medal tally, above China and the UK. The superstar was Usain Bolt winning the 100/200m double again. The biggest story to rock the sporting world was the banning of Lance Armstrong, and stripping of his 7 Tour de France titles. See more results and analysis of sports in 2012.
2011 Major sporting events this year included the Women's Football World Cup, and World Cups in Rugby, Baseball and Cricket. In basketball, Dallas defeated Miami to win their first NBA title, however the biggest news story was the 161-day NBA lockout over money issues which delayed the start of the 2011–12 regular season. See more results and analysis of sports in 2011.
2010 The year 2010 had three major multi-sport events, the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup and and the Commonwealth Games. Athletes from Spain performed well, with Spain winning the World Cup, Alberto Contador winning the Tour de France and Rafael Nadal taking over the mantle of Federer in the world of tennis. See more results and analysis of sports in 2010.
2009 Highlights of this year in sport include the New York Yankees winning their 27th World Series in their 40th appearance. Lance Armstrong was somewhat successful in his comeback, finishing third in the Tour de France behind Spain's Alberto Contador. See more results and analysis of sports in 2009.
2008 The biggest event of the year was the Beijing Summer Olympics. It was a very successful Games, both on and off the sporting field. Highlight performances were by swimmer Michael Phelps and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. Tiger Woods won the US Golf Open for the third time, and was again the Top Earner for 2008. See more results and analysis of sports in 2008.

Most Popular Years

  1. 1999
  2. 1996
  3. 1995
  4. 1998
  5. 2001
  6. 2002
  7. 1930
  8. 1992
  9. 1982
  10. 1990

See also a summary of the sports highlights for the following years:

2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1953, 1952, 1951, 1950, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1943, 1942, 1941, 1940, 1939, 1938, 1937, 1936, 1935, 1934, 1933, 1932, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1928, 1927, 1926, 1925, 1924, 1923, 1922, 1921, 1920, 1919, 1918, 1917, 1916, 1915, 1914, 1913, 1912, 1911, 1910, 1909, 1908, 1907, 1906, 1905, 1904, 1903, 1902, 1901, 1900, 1899, 1898, 1897, 1896, 1895, 1894, 1893, 1892, 1891, 1890, 1889, 1888, 1887, 1886, 1885, 1884, 1883, 1882, 1881, 1880, 1879, 1878, 1877, 1876, 1875, 1874, 1873, 1872, 1871, 1870, 1869, 1868, 1867, 1866, 1865, 1864, 1863, 1862, 1861, 1860 ... 1858 ... 1855 ..1851 ... 1839

Comments and Questions

  • it is good but the negative part was that there wasn't any other sports only tennis and golf
  • What was the first sport ever played in the history of mankind? (from Ricky Sorger, Nov 2012)

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