UPSC Prelims 2021 Q99: Current Affairs – Other Sports & Personalities
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
32nd Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020, held 2021)
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Official motto: 'A New World' | FALSE | The official motto of Tokyo 2020 Olympics was 'United by Emotion' (adopted February 2020). 'A New World' was NOT the motto. |
| 2 | Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball included | TRUE | Tokyo 2020 added 5 new sports: (i) Karate, (ii) Skateboarding, (iii) Sport Climbing, (iv) Surfing, (v) Baseball/Softball (reintroduced). All debuted at the Games (held in 2021 due to COVID postponement). |
Only statement 2 is correct. Answer: (b).
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Tokyo 2020 motto was 'United by Emotion', not 'A New World'.
- (b) CORRECT. Only statement 2 is correct - Tokyo 2020 added 5 new sports: Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball/Softball. Statement 1 is wrong - the motto was 'United by Emotion'.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is factually wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is a well-documented fact of Tokyo 2020.
Key point
Tokyo 2020 (32nd Summer Olympics) motto = 'United by Emotion' (NOT 'A New World'). New sports added: Karate + Skateboarding + Sport Climbing + Surfing + Baseball/Softball. Held in 2021 due to COVID postponement.
Remember
For the 32nd Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020, held 2021): Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball/Softball were included as new sports (statement 2 correct). But the official motto was 'United by Emotion', NOT 'A New World' (statement 1 wrong). Answer: (b) 2 only.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Tokyo 2020 motto ('United by Emotion') with other slogans or misinterpretations.
- Not knowing 5 new sports were added: Karate, Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing, Baseball/Softball.
- Assuming Olympic motto is same as IOC's 'Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together'. Each Games has its own additional motto.
Exam tip
Tokyo 2020 facts: (i) 32nd Summer Olympics; (ii) Motto 'United by Emotion'; (iii) 5 new sports added; (iv) Held 23 July - 8 August 2021 (COVID postponement); (v) India's best-ever haul: 7 medals (1 gold - Neeraj Chopra javelin, 2 silver, 4 bronze); (vi) First Olympics without spectators.
Sources
- International Olympic Committee (IOC) - Tokyo 2020 Official Report
- Tokyo Organising Committee - Games Documentation