Drug-tainted New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez will retire after his contract expires in 2017, he told ESPN on Wednesday.

"I won't play after next year," the 40-year-old said. "I've really enjoyed my time. For me, it is time for me to go home and be a dad."

The San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors kept their perfect home records intact as the Western Conference teams moved closer the Chicago Bulls' all-time single season record for consecutive home wins with 11 games remaining.

The Warriors toppled Los Angeles 114-98 to sweep the season series with the Clippers while the Spurs dumped the Miami Heat 112-88 on Wednesday as Kawhi Leonard matched his career high with 32 points.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Wednesday that this summer's Euro 2016 football tournament would go ahead as planned in France despite the deadly terror bombings which rocked Brussels the previous day.

Asked in a call-in program on Europe 1 radio station whether it was wise to maintain the event, given the level of threat of there being another terrorist attack, Valls said not to do so would be "a victory for terrorists."

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sparked the Oklahoma City Thunder to a hard-fought win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday as a 24-point effort from James Harden ended in vain.

Durant bagged 23 points while Westbrook collected his 15th triple double of the season with 21 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds as the Thunder improved to 49-22 with their fifth straight victory.

Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will make a long-awaited return to World Cup duty this week when South America's marathon qualifying competition for the 2018 finals in Russia resumes.

Suarez has not kicked a ball for Uruguay since he was slapped with a global ban after chomping on the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

Fearless Alessandro Florenzi insists Azzurri minds will be on football, and not the threat of terror attacks, as they continue their Euro 2016 preparations with friendlies against Spain and Germany.

Italy host European champions Spain in Udine on Thursday before traveling to Munich to face world champions Germany on Tuesday.

World number one Novak Djokovic backed off comments that men's tennis players should make more than women on Tuesday as Serena Williams and Andy Murray led a stinging chorus of criticism at the remarks.

A furious row over the gender pay gap in tennis erupted at the weekend, when Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore said women should get "on their knees" to thank male players for money in the sport.

France striker Karim Benzema will find out next month whether he is eligible to play for his country at Euro 2016, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet revealed on Tuesday.

"We're going to talk with our legal advisers," said Le Graet during a press conference in Clermont-Ferrand. "We will make a decision (on Benzema's eligibility) before April 15."

Deadly attacks such as those inflicted Monday in Belgium have become part of the new normal for athletes whose travels to make money can put them in jeopardy.

"It's just a really dangerous time in the world right now," women's tennis world number one Serena Williams said Tuesday.

FIFA's ethics committee on Tuesday launched an investigation targeting six people over their roles in the bidding that awarded the 2006 World Cup to Germany, with the probe partly focused on alleged bribery.

Those targeted include Franz Beckenbauer, the German football legend and World Cup organizing committee chief who is suspected of bribery, and Wolfgang Niersbach, former German football federation (DFB) president, who is being probed over possible failure to report FIFA ethics violations.