The U.S.-China Olympic rivalry heated up in an unfashionable way Thursday when a top U.S. lawmaker suggested burning the U.S. team's outfits for the London opening ceremony because they were made in China.

"I'm so upset. I think the Olympic Committee should be ashamed of themselves," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters when asked about an ABC News report on the origin of the Ralph Lauren-designed uniforms.

Jeremy Lin will be returning to the New York Knicks, according to coach Mike Woodson, the San Antonio Spurs will be hanging onto Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson is leaving Atlanta for the Brooklyn Nets.

NBA player moves continued on Thursday, a day after a moratorium on such signings was ended, with Woodson making it clear that the Knicks would keep Lin despite the four-year offer worth $28.8 million from the Houston Rockets.

Try as they might, rivals of Bradley Wiggins just can't wrest away his Tour de France leader's yellow jersey.

The three-time Olympic track gold-medalist, vying to become Britain's first winner of the Tour, beat back repeated attacks on Thursday in a crucial Alpine stage won by ace French climber Pierre Rolland.

One of Qatar's first female athletes to compete at the Olympics will be the flag-bearer for the opening ceremony at the London Games.

Qatar's Olympic Committee posted a statement late Wednesday on Twitter saying shooter Bahiya al-Hamad has been chosen to "raise the Qatar flag at London 2012."

Dwight Howard will not be leaving the Orlando Magic for the Brooklyn Nets but Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis joined the NBA champion Miami Heat on Wednesday as a signing moratorium ended.

After days of reports and rumors, clubs could finally make official moves and many of them did, but the biggest talent on the potential dealing block, All-Star center Howard, stayed with the Magic.

Marussia test driver Maria De Villota is making a remarkable recovery from last week's horrific crash which resulted in her losing her right eye, her F1 team reported on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Spaniard required two operations at Addendrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after the accident at Duxford Airfield that saw her run into the tailgate of a stationary service vehicle.

Britain's army will have to provide extra troops to police Olympic venues as a private security firm cannot supply enough trained staff, while a watchdog warned on Thursday that border staff are under-trained.

Responding to media reports that the military had been asked to provide up to 3,500 extra personnel, the country's Interior Ministry acknowledged Wednesday that it had intervened "by revising the level of military support" for the summer games which open late this month.

Russia's track and field athletics chief Valentin Balakhnichev said Tuesday he had high hopes for his country's chances of winning medals at the London Olympics which start on July 27.

Unveiling the country's athletics squad, Balakhnichev said that results from last week's national athletics championships in Cheboksary boosted his optimism ahead of the Olympics.

Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz al-Hasawi announced on Tuesday he had bought two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest.

Al-Hasawi, a member of one of Kuwait's richest families and who resigned as president of Kuwaiti club Qadsia earlier this year, had been linked with the sleeping English giant earlier in the summer.

Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona was sacked as coach of United Arab Emirates side Al Wasl just over a year after he was appointed to the job, the club announced on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old - who was appointed in May 2011 after he had lost his job the previous year as Argentina national coach - had looked to be in a precarious position after failing to win a trophy last season.