Fiery Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios pulls out of the Rio Olympics, blaming "unwarranted attacks" on him by Australian Olympic chiefs after he was warned to behave.

Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of Rio 2016, accusing the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) of "unfair and unjust treatment" and "unwarranted attacks".

Professional boxers can compete at the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the sport's governing body ruled in a landmark decision on Wednesday.

An Olympics triumph can make you a hero in any country but legendary status awaits Abdullah Hel Baki if he can finally rid Bangladesh of an unwanted distinction, the biggest nation never to win a medal.

Rafael Nadal knows only too well what it's like to miss out on playing at the Olympics, hence he does not understand why so many of his fellow tennis professionals are turning their backs on the Rio Games in August.

As Rio de Janeiro prepares to play Olympic host, one art exhibit is flying a less than celebratory five-ring flag portraying five youngsters shot dead by police in this often deadly city.

Twice Olympic shooting champion Michael Diamond has been arrested for drunk driving and charged with firearms offences, the Australian Olympic Committee says on Monday.

South African 400 metres world champion Wayde van Niekerk will train with sprint king Usain Bolt in Jamaica next month in a bid to shave vital fractions of a second off his time in a chase for Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro.

Russia's sports ministry says on Wednesday it fully supports actions by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to bar athletes who dope from competitions, but said clean athletes should not be excluded from the Rio games.

Six-times Olympic champion Usain Bolt has already started his preparations for next year's Rio Games and wants to break 19 seconds in the 200 meters.