The historic Maracana stadium has hosted two World Cup finals, in 1950 and 2014, and saw Messi and his squad become 2021 Copa America champions by beating Brazil 1-0.
The battle for Olympic medals will take place in 32 venues in Rio de Janeiro.
'The ITIA accepts that the player did not intend to cheat, that his violation was inadvertent and unintentional, and that he bears no significant fault or negligence for it.'
Reigning women's singles Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin of Spain has withdrawn from the Tokyo games due to a knee ligament injury.
Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt has set his sights on defending his three titles at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro rather than switching to another event, the six-time gold medallist said.
The flame will be flown in special safety lanterns to Switzerland for a ceremony at the United Nations in Geneva on Thursday
Emergency measures are needed to avoid "a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management," a decree in the state's Official Gazette said.
From the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg to the London Eye in Britain, cities around the world are lighting up buildings and landmarks in the yellow and green colours of the Brazilian flag on Wednesday to mark 100 days until the Rio Olympics.
Indian tennis pair of Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna was pitted against the Polish team of Marcin Matkowski and Lukasz Kubot in the first round of the men's doubles event of the Rio Olympic Games.
An astounding 11,400 athletes will travel from more than 200 countries to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In all, 20 nations will be represented by three or fewer athletes - including Afghanistan, Belize, Gambia and South Sudan - nine will be represented by only two competitors, and one country will be represented by a sole athlete. Sprinter Etimoni Timuani will carry the flag at the opening ceremony for the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu - the smallest delegation destined for Rio de Janeiro.
Olympic champion and world number one Serena Williams tumbled out of the Rio de Janeiro singles competition in the third round on Tuesday after a shock defeat to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.
The Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics countdown got under way on Thursday with the lighting of the torch at the site of the ancient Olympics, with organisers hoping it will shift attention away from Brazil's political and financial turmoil.
The IOC seems reluctant to ban the entire Russian team from next month's Olympic Games, despite mounting concern over doping violations, the co-author of the report that led to Russia's ban from track and field events said on Wednesday.
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. Meeting at an extraordinary congress in Lausanne, Switzerland, 88 members of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) voted in favour of the move, while none voted against and four abstained. The final results of the vote were told to AFP by a senior official within AIBA who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly on the subject before the official announcement.
As India's Dattu Bhokanal will be competing in the men's singles sculls rowing event fat the Rio 2016 Olympics, on Saturday, here is a beginner's guide.
Soccer player Alexandre Pato and actress Sthefany Brito smile after their wedding at Sao Francisco de Paulo church in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.
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.
Leading medal hope in shooting, army's Jitu Rai, qualified for the men's 10 m air pistol by finishing sixth out of 46 competitors in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. The other Indian in the fray Gurpreet Singh crashed out finishing 20th with a score of 576.
A short display of Brazilian culture, including their music and dance, greeted the Indian contingent at the formal Welcome Ceremony in the Games Village for the 31st Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Members of the first-ever Olympic refugee team visited Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ statue Saturday, with smiles as wide as their arms were outstretched, imitating the landmark's open embrace as they posed for photos.
Russian star pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva said on Wednesday she plans to retire after the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she has her sights sets on a third Olympic gold.
World No 1 Rafael Nadal beat Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-6 (3) to claim the Rio de Janeiro Open on Sunday.
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro won a semi-final thriller against Spain's Rafa Nadal on Saturday, outgunning the Spaniard 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5) in a nervy final set tie-breaker to advance to the Olympic singles final.
Check out India's report card on the fourth day of the 2016 Olympics.
Results of the Indian athletes on Day 1 at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Check out India's report card on the third day of the 2016 Olympics.
Brazil arrested 10 people on Thursday suspected of belonging to a poorly organised group supporting Islamic State (IS) and discussing terrorist acts during the next month's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
A day after wrestler Narsingh Yadav was exonerated of doping charges by the National Anti-doping Agency (NADA), its parent world body WADA said that it will review the case.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice president John Coates called Brazil's preparations for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games "the worst" he has ever seen and critically behind schedule, but warned there is no "plan B" to find another host.
Organisers of the 2016 Olympics have acknowledged there are issues to be resolved in preparing Rio de Janeiro to host the event but said on Wednesday they were making progress and would deliver a 'great Games'.
The Rediff Labs team analysed the data from Rio 2016 Paralympic Games' official website and created the above map with a total number of medals won by each country.
The Sports Ministry identified 45 potential medal winners, who will get financial assistance under the government scheme 'Target Olympic Podium' for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Eight track and field finals, including the women's 10,000 metres and men's triple jump, will be held during morning sessions at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the International Association of Athletics Federation said on Monday.
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna sqaundered a set advantage to lose to USA's Venus Williams and Rajiv Ram 6-2, 2-6, 3-10 in the Rio Olympics semi-finals on Saturday.
The International Olympic Committee will issue guidelines this week aimed at protecting athletes and visitors from Zika, a mosquito-borne virus spreading rapidly across South America months before the Rio de Janeiro Games in August.
'I would rate myself as the hardest working player, but I need to improve a lot technique-wise' 'Definitely, I want to do well and win another medal. But, it's not that easy'
While every other team practises their hardest in the few hours left for the Rio Olympics 2016, the Indian contingent was left looking for rooms, extra pair of jerseys and assembling chairs.
Inbee Park has two words for doubters who thought she should sit out the Olympics and give her spot to another South Korean: gold medal.
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.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not impose a blanket ban on Russia for next month's Rio Olympics over the nation's doping record but will leave decisions on individual athletes' participation with their sports federations, it said on Sunday.
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