As the curtains come down at the Tokyo Olympics, here's a glance at the medallists and those who came within touching distance of glory.
Officers who form part of the security force for the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are complaining about delayed salaries and unfurnished accommodations, where many are forced to sleep on the floor. "Morale is rock bottom," said one member of the National Force, which is formed by police and fire services from states across Brazil to provide security for major events and emergencies. National Force officers already in Rio - part of an overall security deployment of 85,000 police, soldiers and other personnel - form a relatively small part of the overall effort, with about 5,000 members.
Some of the big moments of the sporting world from 2010-2019!
The good times are back, in a measured way, in fun spots across the globe.
The International Olympic Committee has announced a series of measures including a stronger presence in Rio de Janeiro to monitor progress and speed up lagging preparations for the 2016 Olympics, president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday.
Olympic judo medallist Flavio Canto is among those giving his time and money to battle the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil. Dunga is also working with business contacts and former players - including ex-Brazil internationals Jorginho and Edmilson and Paulo Cesar Tinga - to help disadvantaged communities in his home state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Fourteen-time grand slam singles tennis champion, Rafael Nadal, will carry Spain's flag at the opening ceremony for this year Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he said on Wednesday.
France have surprised many by emerging as World Cup contenders but face their toughest test yet against nemesis Germany in a quarter-final clash of European heavyweights at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium on Friday.
Soccer's governing body FIFA has not yet decided whether to expel Uruguay striker Luis Suarez from the World Cup for biting an opponent with deliberations set to continue on Thursday.
Laureus World Sports Awards in pictures
Olympic 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk says that the delay will give him time to regain full fitness after a long period on the sidelines due to injury. He had just started his competitive comeback in the last few months, giving him little time to prepare for Tokyo.
India's schedule on Day 9 of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, on Sunday.
Denmark's Pernille Blume beat the favorites to win the 50 meters freestyle in 24.07 seconds on Saturday and give her country a first Olympic swimming gold medal since 1948.
French paddler Denis Gargaud Chanut won Olympic gold in the canoe slalom C1 final on Tuesday as world champion and favourite David Florence surprisingly failed to feature.
The International Olympic Committee does not plan any "drastic" decisions about the Tokyo 2020 Games, saying on Tuesday it remains fully committed to the event being staged in four months time despite the global spread of the coronavirus. The IOC said in a statement following discussions with international sports federations that changes would need to be made to the qualifiers due to the impact of the virus but it plans to go ahead with the July 24-Aug 9 Olympics.
Former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi won his third Paralympic gold medal on Wednesday, a day before the 15th anniversary of the Champ Car crash that cost the Italian both legs and nearly his life.
Not even Bollywood's megastar Amitabh Bachchan was spared from the football bug that had bitten the whole world over the last month. Bachchan Sr tweeted about his trip to Rio de Janeiro and watching Brazil fall to another loss in the 3rd place match against The Netherlands at the just concluded FIFA World Cup.
Argentina winger Angel Di Maria trained lightly on Thursday in the hope of being able to play a part in the World Cup final against Germany on Sunday despite suffering a thigh injury just days ago.
After waiting 64 years to exorcise the ghosts of the Maracanazo, Brazil have instead suffered another defeat that may haunt them for decades.
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
France may have been knocked out of yet another World Cup by nemesis Germany on Friday but restoring their image and rebuilding expectations ahead of Euro 2016 were even more important after their debacle in South Africa four years ago.
Photos of the pre-quarterfinal match between Colombia and Uruguay
Boxer and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Laishram Sarita Devi talks of the pains she underwent en route and after the Commonwealth Games, eyeing gold at the Rio Games and her post-retirement plans...
Boxer and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Laishram Sarita Devi talks of the pains she underwent en route and after the Commonwealth Games, eyeing gold at the Rio Games and her post-retirement plans...
Here's a look at how people across the world work for a livelihood.
Photos from the World Cup match between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Russian athletes say they are being punished despite having competed without doping and that they should be eligible to race at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next month.
Hot wife of English footballer Steven Gerrard, Alex, is terribly upset that Coleen Rooney will be flying to Rio to support husband Wayne Rooney while she will stay put because of husband's ban.
England football captain Steven Gerrard has banned his hot and sexy wife Alex Curran from going with the team to the FIFA World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Liverpool legend has reportedly tagged players' wives and girlfriends (WAGS) 'a distraction'.
Six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt and his coach Glen Mills believe the Jamaican sprinter can run even faster as he targets the 2015 world championships and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
American teenager Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday, holding her nerve to clinch the women's 10m air rifle event.
It was rain of footballing gods as former stars Pele, Kaka, David Beckham and Carles Puyol graced the final.
'We are trying passionately to protect those clean athletes who are going to Rio 2016'
With the much-awaited Olympic Games getting underway next week, the Indian contingent members have begun trickling into the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro.
But can Lionel Messi secure a place among the game's greats with a World Cup triumph? But for now on a lighter note we bring Messi's better half, Antonella Roccuzzo.
The Netherlands are one win away from a second straight World Cup final while opponents Argentina head into Wednesday's last-four clash looking to end their 24-year wait for a place in the biggest game of all.
2020 Olympic medals to be made from 'recycled' mobiles
Russia was stripped of their women's 4 x 400m relay silver medal from the London 2012 Olympics after Antonina Krivoshapka tested positive for drugs in the re-testing of her sample, the International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday.
Rediff.com brings you the buzz around celebrity sportspersons and their glamorous lives during the ongoing World Cup!
Lionel Messi was sent off before half-time and then angrily hit out at "corrupt" tournament organisers after Argentina beat Chile 2-1 to win a bad-tempered third-place playoff at the Copa America on Saturday.