Current Sports Highlights: Key Updates on Major Olympic Events

This update offers the latest snippets from the world of sports, focusing largely on the upcoming Paris Olympics. Key events include Jannik Sinner's withdrawal due to illness, new appointments in NHL, and notable achievements in swimming, gymnastics, rugby sevens, and the much-anticipated opening ceremony. It also touches on Salt Lake City's selection for the 2034 Winter Games, and WADA's compliance review involving the U.S. anti-doping agency.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-Tennis-Sinner pulls out of Paris Games due to illness

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Paris Games due to tonsillitis, the world number one said on Wednesday, denting Italy's hopes of winning a first Olympic tennis medal since 1924. Sinner won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this year and reached the semi-finals of the French Open.

NHL-Oilers hire ex-Blackhawks executive Bowman as new general manager

The Edmonton Oilers have hired former Chicago Blackhawks executive Stan Bowman to be their new general manager and executive vice president of hockey operations, the National Hockey League team said on Wednesday. The decision comes three weeks after the NHL said Bowman and two other Blackhawks executives were eligible to seek employment in the league again more than two years after they were punished in the fallout from the Chicago team's sexual assault scandal.

Olympics-Swimming-Scott ready to add to his medal haul in the Paris pool

Duncan Scott has won quite a lot since now-disgraced Chinese swimmer Sun Yang branded him a loser at the 2019 world championships. The jibe, uttered after he and Australian Mack Horton refused to shake hands with Sun and join him on the 200 metres freestyle podium in Gwangju, remains an ironic badge of honour for Britain's most decorated Olympic swimmer.

Olympics-Artistic gymnastics-Malone overcomes injury to lead young US gymnasts at Paris Games

After a devastating knee injury during gymnastic competition last year, Brody Malone's quest for a second Games in Paris seemed all but lost. But after three surgeries, the 24-year-old is now leading a youthful U.S. men's squad hungry for its first Olympic team medal since 2008.

Olympics-Rugby Sevens-Dupont's France held by U.S. on opening day

The Paris Olympics began in earnest on Wednesday when the first batch of pool games in rugby sevens kicked off in front of a noisy crowd at the iconic Stade de France where hosts France were held to a draw by the United States. Although the Olympics opening ceremony is not until Friday, soccer and rugby sevens preliminary rounds got underway for logistical reasons in Paris and around the country.

Olympics-Tennis-Gauff named Team USA's female flag bearer for Paris Games

U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff will be the female flag bearer for the United States at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, joining four-time NBA champion LeBron James, the American team said on Wednesday. The 20-year-old Gauff will be the youngest-ever U.S. flag bearer and first American tennis player to be awarded the honour, three years after she was forced to miss the Tokyo Olympics when she tested positive for COVID.

Olympics-Soccer, rugby kick off Games ahead of opening ceremony

The sporting action at the Paris Olympics kicked off with two soccer matches on Wednesday, two days before thousands of athletes and artists are set to take part in an ambitious opening ceremony at the heart of the French capital. After years of preparation, and as more than 10,000 athletes are getting ready for their shot at one of the 329 gold medals that will be up for grabs in 19 days of competition, the first two events of the Paris Games kicked off at 3pm (1300 GMT).

Olympics-Salt Lake City confirmed as host of the 2034 Winter Olympic Games - IOC

Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games on Wednesday following a vote of the International Olympic Committee. The U.S. city, which hosted the 2002 Winter Games, earned 83 votes out of 89 at the IOC session, having been named the preferred choice in June.

Exclusive-WADA to put U.S. anti-doping agency under compliance review

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will take the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to the Independent Compliance Review Committee next month, WADA told Reuters, a landmark move that could jeopardise the country hosting the 2028 and 2034 Olympics. WADA is taking the step as a result of a dispute with USADA over its handling of a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance in 2021.

Olympics-Artistic gymnastics-Biles eyes gymnastics history and unfinished business at Paris Games

Simone Biles has a chance to make Olympic history at the Paris Games alongside an experienced U.S. team she credits with lifting her up after she considered walking away from the sport she revolutionised. Biles withdrawal from Tokyo three years ago due to a mental block that made it unsafe to continue rocked those Games and raised questions about whether the greatest gymnast of all time would compete in a third Olympics.

(With inputs from agencies.)