President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday blamed Russian sports officials for failing to warn athletes that meldonium was being banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Putin told a government meeting that officials "did not update our stop-lists and inform our athletes, trainers and other specialists in time about the WADA decision to ban individual drugs."

Manchester City's players trudged off the field. Many fans left early. The final whistle was greeted with only a smattering of cheers.

It was hardly the way the English club envisaged marking progress to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in its history.

Atletico Madrid beat PSV Eindhoven 8-7 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the third straight season.

Juanfran scored the decisive penalty for Atletico after Luciano Narsingh struck the crossbar in the previous attempt.

This weekend's Formula One season-opening grand prix in Australia should, in theory, be an unpredictable affair.

Along with the standard first-race technical glitches with new components, the usual churn of rule changes, and drivers becoming reacquainted with racing, this year will also add a new qualifying system and reduced aid to drivers from the pit wall.

The Asian Football Confederation has ruled that matches between clubs from Saudi Arabia and Iran must be played at neutral venues.

The AFC's competition committee had given both football federations until March 15 to resolve an impasse created by Saudi government restrictions prohibiting any nationals traveling to Iran. It agreed to delay matches between Saudi and Iranian clubs until later in the Asian Champions League.

A Palestinian boy who survived a firebombing by Jewish extremists that killed his parents and brother will travel Tuesday to meet Real Madrid stars including his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

Five-year-old Ahmed Dawabsha, his uncle and his grandparents were to fly from the Jordanian capital Amman to Spain, his grandfather said.

Italy coach Antonio Conte, who has been linked to Chelsea, will give up his post after Euro 2016, the Italian Football Federation said Tuesday.

The 46-year-old former Juventus coach took over the national team in August 2014 and secured their qualification for the European Championship.

An Italian prosecutor has told the BBC that more than two dozen leading players should face investigation over links to betting rings.

Roberto di Martino told the BBC and BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that their names have appeared in evidence seized from gamblers suspected of fixing matches.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday said Real Madrid star Karim Benzema should not be allowed to return to the France team while he remains at the center of a sex-tape bribery inquiry.

"I think that the conditions have not yet been met for Karim Benzema to come into the France team. He is still under investigation," Valls told French broadcaster RMC.

Golden State star Stephen Curry had plenty to celebrate on Monday, pouring in a game-high 27 points on his 28th birthday as the Warriors stayed perfect at home this season with a 125-107 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Warriors improved to 60-6 -- becoming the fastest team in league history to reach 60 wins and the first since the 2007-09 Boston Celtics to record 60 wins in back-to-back campaigns.