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IOC: France Conditionally Confirmed as 2030 Winter Games Hosts

Paris 2024 Olympics - IOC Session 2030 & 2034 Announcements - Le Palais des Congres de Paris, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron, Member of Parliament Laurent Wauquiez, President of the region Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Renaud Muselier and David Lappartient, President of the France's Olympic Committee during the IOC Session. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Paris 2024 Olympics - IOC Session 2030 & 2034 Announcements - Le Palais des Congres de Paris, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron, Member of Parliament Laurent Wauquiez, President of the region Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Renaud Muselier and David Lappartient, President of the France's Olympic Committee during the IOC Session. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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IOC: France Conditionally Confirmed as 2030 Winter Games Hosts

Paris 2024 Olympics - IOC Session 2030 & 2034 Announcements - Le Palais des Congres de Paris, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron, Member of Parliament Laurent Wauquiez, President of the region Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Renaud Muselier and David Lappartient, President of the France's Olympic Committee during the IOC Session. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Paris 2024 Olympics - IOC Session 2030 & 2034 Announcements - Le Palais des Congres de Paris, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron, Member of Parliament Laurent Wauquiez, President of the region Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Renaud Muselier and David Lappartient, President of the France's Olympic Committee during the IOC Session. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

France was conditionally picked as the host of the 2030 Winter Games on Wednesday and must now deliver key financial guarantees in a timeline to be set by the International Olympic Committee, the IOC said.
The French Alps bid was the preferred choice since June but due to elections and a current caretaker government had been unable to deliver the necessary state and regional financial guarantees in time.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to the IOC session prior to the vote on Wednesday in a bid to ease any concerns and show his support for the candidacy.
"I confirm the full commitment of the French nation, and assure you that I will ask the next prime minister to include not only this guarantee but also an Olympic Law in the priorities of the new government," he said.
"Seven years ago we made the same commitment (for the Paris 2024 Summer Games), and we delivered. We will do the same,” Reuters quoted Macron as saying.
The IOC said it had received a number of assurances regarding the outstanding guarantees that include the state's Olympic delivery guarantee and the financial guarantees of the two regions involved -- the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur regions.
However, it said it would not sign the host city contract, which has already been signed by France, until those guarantees were delivered.
The IOC decision means France will host the Winter Games six years after the Summer Olympics in Paris, which start on Friday.
France previously staged the Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968 and Albertville in 1992.

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Alcaraz Cruises into Indian Wells 3rd Round, Djokovic Fights Through

Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) reacts to the crowd after defeating Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) in his second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) reacts to the crowd after defeating Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) in his second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Alcaraz Cruises into Indian Wells 3rd Round, Djokovic Fights Through

Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) reacts to the crowd after defeating Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) in his second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) reacts to the crowd after defeating Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) in his second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

World number one Carlos Alcaraz swept past Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 to reach the third round of the Indian Wells Masters on Saturday as Novak Djokovic battled back for a three-set victory over Kamil Majchrzak.

Spain's Alcaraz was untroubled by the former world number three from Bulgaria, pushing his perfect 2026 match record to 13-0 in just 66 minutes.

Djokovic, a five-time Indian Wells champion who has struggled in recent years, had to grind for two hours and 12 minutes to subdue 57th ranked Majchrzak of Poland 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Alcaraz said he has been wary of Dimitrov, but even in the swirling winds on Stadium Court he was in control, firing from the baseline with power and accuracy.

He barely broke sweat and cracked plenty of smiles, saving the lone break point he faced in the second set and even getting a high-five from his opponent on a changeover.

"I think I played great," said the 22-year-old Spaniard, whose Australian Open triumph made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.

"The conditions weren't easy, a lot of wind today. I'm really, really happy just that I was able to do every goal that I set up before the match."

Alcaraz, who followed up his Melbourne triumph with a title in Doha, says Indian Wells is the perfect place to keep the wins coming.

"I love being here so much, I think that's why I'm just playing relaxed, playing calm, chilling," he said.

Although he shares the record for most Indian Wells titles with Swiss great Roger Federer, Djokovic has found the early going in California anything but relaxing in recent years.

That was true again on Saturday, but the 38-year-old Serb superstar -- back on court for the first time since he fell to Alcaraz in the Australian Open final -- managed to escape with a win.

Majchrzak grabbed two quick breaks in the opening set before Djokovic began to find his rhythm from the baseline and assert his superiority.

"Five weeks with no official match, I knew that the first match in such a long time will be a little bit tricky," AFP quoted Djokovic as saying.

"I felt like I had to find my A-game when it was most needed, particularly the beginning of the third, which was the case," Djokovic added after a match marked by extended, entertaining rallies that included a 40-ball exchange in the opening game of the third.

It was an especially satisfying win for Djokovic, who lost his opener last year to Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandshculp and fell to lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round in 2024.

He hasn't reached the quarter-finals here since his last run to the title in 2016.

Britain's Jack Draper launched his title defense with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Draper halted Alcaraz's bid for a rare Indian Wells three-peat in the semi-finals last year before beating Holger Rune in the final.

That victory launched his rise to fourth in the world, before an arm injury brought his 2025 season to a premature close.

"To come out and play the level I'm playing after the injury I had, I am really proud of that," Draper said.

In other matches, unseeded Brazilian Joao Fonseca saved two match points to take out 16th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4.

Seventh-seeded former champion Taylor Fritz squandered four match points in the second set but held on for a 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 6-1 victory over 87th-ranked Briton Jacob Fearnley.

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Bayern’s Neuer Out of Atalanta Tie with Calf Tear

06 March 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer warms up prior to the start of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
06 March 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer warms up prior to the start of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
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Bayern’s Neuer Out of Atalanta Tie with Calf Tear

06 March 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer warms up prior to the start of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
06 March 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer warms up prior to the start of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss his side's Champions League last-16 clash with Atalanta on Tuesday after picking up another calf injury.

Bayern said their captain suffered a "minor muscle tear" during the 4-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday.

Runaway leaders Bayern did not give a timeframe on Saturday for his return but German tabloid Bild reported Neuer will be out for two weeks. That means he would miss both legs against Atalanta as well as the Bundesliga match at Bayer Leverkusen.

Neuer, who turns 40 later this month, has already missed several matches with calf problems this season and was sidelined for 10 games last campaign with a similar injury.

The goalkeeper's deal at the German champions runs until the end of the season.

Neuer, who retired from international duty in August 2024, is yet to indicate whether he will try and stay on for another year.

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Verstappen Baffled by Crash in Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands spins off the track during the qualifying session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands spins off the track during the qualifying session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP)
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Verstappen Baffled by Crash in Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands spins off the track during the qualifying session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands spins off the track during the qualifying session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP)

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Saturday he had never experienced anything like the crash that left him 20th on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman came out relatively late in the first qualifying session in Melbourne but didn't manage a single timed lap, spinning at speed and careening through the gravel into the barriers at Turn 1.

He clambered out of his Red Bull shaking his hand and wrist, but said he was okay after being checked by medics.

"I just hit the brakes and suddenly the rear axle just completely locked out of the blue," he told reporters on the eve of the season-opening race.

"I don't know why that happened or how that happened. I've never experienced something like that before in my career.

"The rear axle just completely locked on, then of course you can't save that anymore at that speed."

Verstappen said hitting the barrier was not too bad, but the steering wheel snapped out of his hands, which is why he went to get a medical check.

"But all good," he added.

Verstappen, the 2023 and 2024 pole-sitter, has his work cut out on Sunday with a near-impossible task ahead to salvage his weekend.

George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 with teammate Kimi Antonelli, with the Briton almost a second faster than third-placed Isack Hadjar in the other Red Bull.

"I said in Bahrain (at pre-season testing) 'Let's wait and see in Melbourne, and you will see how fast they are'," Verstappen said of the Silver Arrows.

"So for me, that's not a surprise. We know that we have to improve the car to fight Mercedes."