An element of the unknown exists around the first leg of the Asian Champions League final between Gamba Osaka and Adelaide United on Wednesday. It is a common factor throughout the ACL.

Grant Hackett has pulled down the curtain on one of Australia’s greatest swimming careers to a standing ovation. The national team captain announced his retirement at Swimming Australia’s swimmer of the year awards in Sydney tonight and it drew the entire crowd to their feet.

Stephanie Rice has enjoyed her time on the publicity train but now she wants to step off.

Nick D’Arcy has returned to the pool in record-breaking fashion, the controversial swimmer tying for the 200m butterfly title at the World Cup meet in Sydney tonight.

Eamon Sullivan says he won’t let the demons from his bittersweet Beijing experience sabotage his campaign for the 2012 London Olympics.

Despite the current financial situation, Australian soccer is in the midst of a huge bull market. Adelaide United qualifying for the final of the Asian Champions League is the icing of a very tasty cake.

Since crashing Grant Hackett’s party in Beijing, Oussama Mellouli’s world has become a weird and wonderful one.

Madrid’s Olympic bid chief is concerned that another racist incident in Spanish sports could affect the city’s chances of hosting the 2016 Games.

A recovering Lleyton Hewitt should not be plotting to reclaim the world No.1 ranking because his body can’t cope, doubles legend Todd Woodbridge says. But he still believes 27-year-old Hewitt may yet have “one or two” grand slams left in him.

The other day, the head of the South African sports portfolio, Butana Komphela, called for the Springbok to be culled as the emblem of the national rugby team. He argued that, among other things, “the Springbok divides us”, and that there can be “no negotiation” on its future.

Sydney’s next big Games will differ from the Olympics in three major ways - there will be three times as many athletes, they will represent themselves rather than their countries and the oldest is likely to be 100.

The South Dragons have continued their impressive road form with a 114-95 win over Wollongong at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

The South Dragons have delivered a stinging NBL victory over the Gold Coast Blaze and former player-coach Shane Heal, downing them 107-90 to continue their winless streak this season.

China’s Olympic gold medal gymnasts at the Beijing Games were old enough to compete, but the team that won the bronze medal in Sydney eight years ago still faces questions, the international gymnastics federation said today.

The London 2012 Olympics will spend “whatever it takes” to guarantee the security of the Games, British Olympic Association chairman Lord Colin Moynihan said.

Two goals from man-of-the match Luiz Fabiano and one from Manchester City’s new signing Robinho put Brazil’s World Cup qualification back on track today with a 3-0 win over Chile.

Personal tragedy, a bout of chicken pox and other injuries have harrowed Australia’s athletes ahead of the Beijing Paralympics, but nothing will dent their top five aspirations.

Usain Bolt will run the 100 metres in the fastest field ever assembled at the Van Damme Memorial on Friday, seeking to break the world record for the third time this season.

Serena Williams will face sister Venus for the fourth time at the US Open after bringing Frenchwoman Severine Bremond’s wildcard run to a halt with a 6-2 6-2 victory today.

As a sports fan and a journalist, my allegiance is often split between motorsport and soccer, especially come Sunday nights. There isn’t much in common between the two, aside from the vast amounts of money involved.