WThe 1997 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 19th Southeast Asian Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Jakarta, Indonesia. This was the third time that Indonesia hosted the games. Jakarta also hosted the SEA Games in 1979 and 1987.
WThe 1997 World Games, the fifth World Games, were an international multi-sport event held in Lahti, Finland on August 7–17, 1997. The opening and closing ceremonies took place at the Lahti Sport Centre.
WThe 2nd East Asian Games were held in Busan, South Korea from May 10 to May 19, 1997.
WThe VI Games of the Small States of Europe were held in 1997 in Reykjavík, Iceland.
WThe 1997 Island Games were the seventh Island Games, and were held in Jersey, from June 28, to July, 4 1997.
WThe 1997 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as IIIes Jeux de la Francophonie, were held in Antananarivo, Madagascar from August 27 to September 6, 1997.
WThe XIII Mediterranean Games – Bari 1997, commonly known as the 1997 Mediterranean Games, were the 13th Mediterranean Games. The Games were held in Bari, Italy, from 13 to 25 June 1997, where 2,956 athletes from 21 countries participated. There were a total of 234 medal events from 27 different sports.
WThe 1997 Maccabiah Games are remembered for being marred by a bridge collapse that killed several participants.
WThe 1997 South Pacific Mini Games were held at Pago Pago in American Samoa from 11 to 22 August 1997. It was the fifth edition of the South Pacific Mini Games. It was much larger than previous editions, with an almost doubling of the number of medals awarded compared to the 1993 South Pacific Mini Games. The impressive performances by Nauru in weightlifting continued in Pago Pago, with the tiny nation finishing on top of the unofficial medal table after winning 33 gold.
WThe 1997 Summer Universiade, also known as the XIX Summer Universiade, took place in the island of Sicily, Italy.