Maracana will shut its doors in February 2010 for the next three years. Rio de Janeiro's most famous football stadium will undergo a facelift ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
14-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps improved his world record of 1:52.03 at 200m butterfly by winning the race in 1:51:51. A sweet revenge after the American suffered a shock defeat in the 200m freestyle on Tuesday.
Germany's Paul Biedermann not only delivered Michael Phelps (pictured) first defeat since 2005 in winning the 200m freestyle, he also broke Phelps’ world record. Four world records were smashed at the Rome championships on Tuesday alone.
Paul Biedermann has won the 200m freestyle final at the world swimming championship. The German swam 1'42'', beating America's Michael Phelps and his Beijing Olympic world record.
The International Rugby Association has confirmed that England will hold the Rugby World Cup in 2015, and that Japan will be the first Asian country to ever host the competition in 2019. The next World Cup in 2011 will be hosted by New Zealand.
South African builders have agreed to end a week-long strike that has disrupted work on stadiums for the 2010 World Cup, the main union involved reported. The strike has raised concerns about whether South Africa will be ready for the tournament.
South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers and employers have agreed on a plan for better wages which could end a strike that has been threatening to delay work on stadiums for the 2010 World Cup.
In this edition: A proposed referendum that would allow President Tandja to run a third term sparks violence in Niger; Shell accused of complicity in human rights abuses in Nigeria and South Africa counts down to the World Cup.
US President Barack Obama has sent a letter to football's ruling body to back America's bid to host either the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup. The United States last hosted the competition in 1994.
A third place in the season-ending Are slalom in Sweden, won by Austria's Mario Matt, was enough for France's Jean-Baptiste Grange to claim the World Cup slalom title. Fellow Frenchman Julien Lizeroux finished the race in second.
