It would be easy for the US team of NBA stars to overlook China in Saturday's opening game of the Rio Olympics after routing the Asians twice in pre-Games exhibitions.

Brazil and superstar Neymar are booed off as their quest for a maiden Olympic football gold medal begins with a 0-0 draw against 10-man South Africa.

Michael Phelps, the most medalled Olympian of all time, questions on Wednesday whether he had ever swum in a 'clean' sport.

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic says he is happy that Russia avoided a blanket Olympic Games ban but admits the scandal was a dark episode for sport.

Russian Olympians turn out in force to see their flag raised over the athletes' village in Rio on Wednesday.

Security at Rio's Olympic Village is handed a further blow Wednesday when Danish athletes reveal they had items stolen.

Usain Bolt is promising to let American sprinter Justin Gatlin "feel his full wrath" as he zones in on an unprecedented treble of gold medals.

Usain Bolt is promising to let American sprinter Justin Gatlin "feel his full wrath" as he zones in on an unprecedented treble-treble of gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

While the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games is still close to 48 hours away, the games officially got underway yesterday through the women's football match between Sweden and South Africa.

Andy Murray shrugs off the potential threat of the Zika virus as well as the absence of two of his leading rivals on Tuesday as he prepares to defend his Olympic title.

Chinese internet users accuse the Rio Olympics of being unsafe and inferior to Beijing's 2008.

Pele has been invited to light the Olympic pyre for the Rio Games on Friday but the Brazilian soccer great is checking with his sponsors.

Brazil has barely got over its World Cup disaster and now it is counting on Barcelona star Neymar to finally deliver a treasured first football Olympic gold medal.

For as long as athletes have been battling for gold medals, they have been taking fortifying tonics, some stomach-churning, others downright dangerous with little concern for their health.

Russian appeals against Olympic bans are piling up as IOC president Thomas Bach slams what he calls the "contemptuous" doping system blamed on the Moscow government.

Russian swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev have been cleared to compete at the Rio Olympics, their representatives said Tuesday, though there was no official confirmation.

Record-seeking Britain pull out all the stops for their Rio Olympics campaign -- to the extent of employing their own plumber for the leaky athletes' village.

World number 11 and former Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova joins the Olympic Games tennis tournament's growing list of absentees.

World number four Stan Wawrinka withdraws from the Rio Olympics with a back injury on Tuesday.

Rafael Nadal concedes he is not yet sure that he will be able to represent Spain at the Rio Olympics as his fitness concerns linger.