News
Oldest Sports in the World

Ever wondered which sport is the oldest in whole human history ? We dig deep and managed to the top 10 sports which are officially the oldest sports in the world.
#1. Wrestling
Just like prostitution is the oldest profession, Wrestling is widely considered the oldest sport in the world. Wrestling infects is the documented evidence unlike some of the other oldest sports listed on this page. Here are some details about the history of Wrestling.
- A “fragment of papyrus” which reportedly dates back between 100 and 200 A.D has the instructions about how to wrestle. The text is in the greek language and the word “pleckson” is used several times which is translated to “fight it out” in English. The document was discovered back in the 1800s in Egypt.
- That is not the only document evidence, there have been many dates back to different times but the one mentioned above is certainly the oldest ever found. So there is little doubt that Wresting is certainly the oldest sport known to man.
- It has evolved over the centuries of course and it was part of the Olympics as the first set of sports in the era between 800 to 1200 BC. P
- While Professional wrestling circuits were first introduced in Paris, France in the 1830s.
- Today Wrestling is not only an Olympic sport but a full-fledged professional career and widely regarded as one of the most popular and top sports in the world.
#2. Running & Long Jump
Running is the World’s most accessible sport and it always has been even now. Running universal human physical expression and it should not come as surprise that along with wrestling Running is the oldest sport. Here are some points about running as a sport.
- Running was the only sport in the first-ever recorded Olympics held in Athens back in 776 BCE.
- While competitive running was in modern times is recorded back to 1829 BCE.
- Running as a sport as many disciplines in the Olympics, with slightly different requirements such as marathon, sprint, long jumping and hurdling, etc
#3. Javelin & Discuss Throw
A very interesting sport that is still very popular in the modern Olympics, Javelin Throwing is a track and field sport and it dates back to the ancient Olympics in 708 bc. Here are details about the historic transition of the sport to modern Javelin throwing.
- A couple of disciplines likes distance and target throw were part of the sport in the artifacts found which dates back to ancient Olympics in the era of 708s.
- In the 1870s Poles used as Javelin now were introduced in Germany and Sweden and by the next decade, it became a yearly national event in Sweden and Finland. no wonder 50% of the medals awarded in modern Olympics to date went to athletes from Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.
- In the 1890s some rule changes were introduced like limited run-ups before throwing instead of standing throws.
- It was introduced in the modern Olympics in 1906 while for women it was introduced in the 1932 Olympics.
#4. Polo
Polo is a team game which is played on horses. It’s a bit like Hockey the difference of course being played on horses back where both teams try to outscore each other by putting “small wooden ball” in the goal.
Polo origins date back to the peak of the Persian empire in central Asia it is believed that Persian emperors used to learn horse riding at a very early age and used to play a sport that would later go on to be known as Polo.
316 AD is the documented evidence about sport like Polo in the Persian empire. While the modern game with rules and regulations was developed in India during the time of the British empire and the first Polo club dates back to 1833 in India.
#5. Boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and one of the most popular combat sport in the world. It has a long and illustrious history in modern times. While historically speaking “fist fightïng” as a sport has evidence from 2nd and 3rd Millenium BC but the fist fighting with hand protection is believed to be in existence from 900 bc to 1500 bc. Romans also had Boxing sport with leather thong wrapped around the hands but in Roman-era boxing was more of a fight till death so strange to call it a sport.
While fist fighting as a sport with rules and regulations can be found in England with “bare-knuckle fighting” in 1681. Boxing’s first rules dates back to 1743 with introduction of 30 second count, no hitting while opponent is down etc.
But from 17th to 18th century fist fighting or boxing sort sport were widely considered illegitimate and there werent many rulings. Amature boxing was introduce in Olympics in 1908, that kind gave new life to boxing with weigh-division rules coming into play at the same time.
So with young boxers fighting in amateur events and Olympics, they would go down to become professional fighters later in their careers ultimately developing better skills of boxing helping to improve the standard. Now boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world.
#6. Gymnastic
Gymnastic is originated from ancient greek and at the beginning, it was a set of training methods deployed for military training but as a sport, its history is not much known from ancient times.
As far as modern Gymnastics is concerned it dates back to the late 18th century when two physical educators from Germany developed and exercise from boys using “apparatus” it would later go on to become a sporting event quickly spread across Europe and then the world.
The international federation for Gymnastic was established in 1891 while it was introduced as a sport with several events for both men and women in 1896.
#7. Football/Soccer
Football sort sports have been played since early centuries from 200 to 300 bc according to FIFA FIFA (The world governing body of football). In medieval times loads of games involving “Ball” were played around Europe and some of them were pretty much like football. A game called “mob football” was played in England in the 10th century but the number of players included was unlimited. Football sort sport was continued to be played around Europe and especially in England and that is where the modern rules/codes were formed when football was played in the schools in England.
The Sheffield FC is the oldest professional football club which was formed in 1857 and soon after that football modern rules were introduced and the first professional cup competition now known as FA Cup started.
#9. Hurling
Hurling has been played in Ireland for over 3000 years making it one of the oldest sport in the world. It is a team game which is played with a stick called “Hurley” and the ball “sliotar”. The objective is to score goals into the opposing goalposts with the use of the stick. Unlike some of the other sport listed here, Hurling has a documented history and it is very popular in Ireland.
#10. Field Hockey
A game pretty similar to field hockey can be traced back to ancient greek were some of the graphics discovered show paintings of people playing some sport with a curved stick/Horne and ball. The modern hockey rules were invented in England by the Middlesex cricket club in the last 19th century and it spread to British colonies In Australia, Africa, and the sub-continent. International hockey federations were established and hockey was included in the Olympics in 1908.
Cricket
Kamindu Mendis Shines as Sunrisers Hyderabad Break Chepauk Curse, Crush CSK’s Playoff Hopes | IPL 2025
Sri Lankan all-rounder Kamindu Mendis delivered under pressure, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) script a historic first-ever win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium during the IPL 2025 season.
Chasing a tricky target of 155, Mendis played a composed and crucial unbeaten knock of 32 off 22 balls, stitching an unbroken 49-run partnership with Nitish Kumar to seal a five-wicket victory with eight balls to spare. His calm presence at the crease when the game was delicately poised underlined his growing stature in T20 cricket.
Earlier, the Chennai Super Kings, once invincible at home, continued their disastrous 2025 campaign — suffering a fourth consecutive home defeat. Batting first, CSK stumbled despite a promising start, collapsing to 154 all out. Dewald Brevis impressed briefly on debut with a quickfire 42 runs, but it was Harshal Patel’s brilliant spell (4 wickets for 28 runs) that broke CSK’s backbone.
For CSK, promising youngster Ayush Mhatre shone early, but a middle-order collapse proved costly. Even skipper M.S. Dhoni’s tactical gamble of giving Sam Curran two overs backfired, as SRH batters capitalized to turn the game.
In the SRH chase, despite early hiccups — losing Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head quickly — Ishan Kishan’s fluent 44 and Kamindu Mendis’ finishing touch ensured Hyderabad stayed alive in the playoff race.
Meanwhile, in the updated IPL 2025 points table, Sunrisers Hyderabad now sits 8th with 6 points, while CSK languishes at the bottom with just 4 points from 9 games, effectively ending their playoff dreams.
Mendis’ all-round contribution, including a key wicket earlier, and his coolness in the chase were pivotal. While Harshal Patel deservedly took the Player of the Match award, Sri Lanka can proudly celebrate Kamindu’s evolving prowess on the IPL stage.
Points Table Update (After SRH vs CSK Match):
- GT, DC, and RCB are leading the race with 12 points each.
- PBKS and MI are close behind with 11 and 10 points.
- CSK and RR are at the bottom with just 4 points, all but knocked out of the playoffs.
News
Kaya Daluwatte and Reshan Algama Shine at 16th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in Vietnam
Sri Lanka’s promising golf talents Kaya Daluwatte and Reshan Algama showcased their growing international class with stellar performances at the prestigious 16th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, held at the stunning Laguna Golf Lang Co in Vietnam.
Facing off against the finest junior golfers from the Asia-Pacific region—including representatives from Australia, England, Japan, India, and Wales—both Kaya and Reshan rose to the occasion, underlining Sri Lanka’s emerging strength in the sport.
Kaya Daluwatte delivered one of her career-best performances, finishing as the runner-up in the Girls’ Under-16 category. After three composed rounds, she posted a remarkable final score of even-par 216, highlighted by an impressive 2-under-par finish in the final round. Despite Japan’s Al Goto clinching the title with a score of 213, Kaya’s climb up the leaderboard captured widespread admiration. Her poise, precision, and birdies during the crucial back-nine holes showcased a maturity well beyond her years.
This runner-up finish at one of Asia’s top junior championships marks a historic achievement for Sri Lankan golf, signaling that the nation’s junior golfers are ready to challenge the region’s traditional powerhouses.
In the Boys’ Under-16 category, Reshan Algama also left his mark by securing a strong fourth-place finish with a gross score of 218. Although his final round did not match the brilliance of his earlier efforts, Reshan displayed commendable composure against a highly competitive international field. His consistency across top-level tournaments reflects his rapid development into a serious contender on the global junior golf circuit.
Vietnam’s Tuan Anh Nguyen dominated the Boys’ division, leading from start to finish to claim the title with a superb score of 205. India’s Arshvant Srivastava and Kanav Chauhan finished second and third, with scores of 214 and 216 respectively.
Kaya and Reshan’s performances not only bring pride to Sri Lanka but also signal a bright future for the country’s junior golfing scene on the Asian stage.
Football
SAFF Championship Postponement Exposes Deeper Issues Within FFSL
The much-anticipated SAFF Championship, originally scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in July 2025, has now been officially postponed to 2026—a move that has raised serious concerns over the competence and credibility of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL).
According to the SAFF Executive Committee, the decision to delay the tournament stemmed largely from pressure exerted by its marketing partner, Sportfive, which advocated for a home-and-away format to increase commercial value. Furthermore, it is reported that Sportfive preferred the event be hosted in Bangladesh or India, citing better sponsor access and commercial feasibility in those countries if the tournament were to follow a centralized model.
However, beyond external pressure, this development highlights a troubling reality: the FFSL’s inability to effectively organize and defend Sri Lanka’s hosting rights on the international stage. This isn’t merely a scheduling issue—it reflects a deeper pattern of administrative shortcomings, lack of vision, and prioritization of media narratives over tangible development.
As previously reported by Sri Lankan Sports TV, the FFSL continues to focus more on optics and media stunts rather than on the foundational work required to uplift football in the country. The failure to safeguard Sri Lanka’s opportunity to host a major regional tournament not only affects the sport’s growth domestically but also damages the nation’s reputation within South Asian football.
For a federation that has long promised reform and transparency, this latest setback exposes how little progress has actually been made. When commercial partners have more sway than the national football body itself, it’s a clear indication that local football governance is being undermined by weak leadership and poor planning.
This should be a wake-up call—not just for the FFSL, but for every stakeholder invested in the future of Sri Lankan football. The time for slogans and staged announcements is over. Sri Lanka needs action, accountability, and genuine commitment to building a sustainable footballing culture. Until then, headlines like this will only continue to reflect a sport lost in mismanagement.
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