Sports News Roundup: Blake Snell helps Padres avoid sweep, dump Giants; Villa supporters criticise club's sponsorship deal with betting firm and more

The FIFA Council unanimously appointed the United States as the competition's hosts for the first edition of the expanded format. Olympics-Paris 2024 flame to be lit on April 16, relay to visit overseas territories The Paris 2024 Olympic Games flame will be lit on April 16, marking the countdown to the July 26-Aug. 11 event in the French capital, organisers said on Friday, confirming an earlier Reuters story.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Sailing-Orca pod attacks Ocean Race boats near Gibraltar

The crew of the Ocean Race's Team JAJO endured several heart-stopping minutes on their approach to the Strait of Gibraltar on Thursday when their boat came under attack from a pod of orcas. Video footage shows the orcas, also known as killer whales, circling the Dutch yacht, before accelerating towards it, ramming into it, and biting the rudders, while the crew bangs on the hull in an attempt to drive them off.

Soccer-United States to host expanded Club World Cup in 2025 - FIFA

The first edition of FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup will be held in the United States in 2025, world soccer's governing body said on Friday. FIFA had confirmed in March that the revamped Club World Cup will be played every four years from June 2025. The FIFA Council unanimously appointed the United States as the competition's hosts for the first edition of the expanded format.

Olympics-Paris 2024 flame to be lit on April 16, relay to visit overseas territories

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games flame will be lit on April 16, marking the countdown to the July 26-Aug. 11 event in the French capital, organisers said on Friday, confirming an earlier Reuters story. The flame will be lit at Greece's ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Games, and will remain in the country until its departure to France from Athens on April 27.

Olympics-No specific concerns for Sports minister as Paris 2024 targeted by investigation, new searches

French sports minister Amelie Oudea Castera says she is not too concerned by the investigations into alleged corruption surrounding the Paris 2024 Olympics, which took a new turn as two top officials were targeted by police searches on Friday. A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Paris 2024 director general Etienne Thobois and executive director of Games operations Edouard Donnelly were subject to searches.

Cycling-Froome left out of Israel-Premier Tech's Tour de France team

Four-times winner Chris Froome was left out of Israel-Premier Tech's (IPT) squad for this year's Tour de France on Friday but vowed to return to cycling's premier road race next year. The 38-year-old Froome said in a recent interview that competing at this year's Tour was his "ultimate goal" after his hopes at last year's race were derailed by a positive COVID-19 test.

MLB roundup: Blake Snell helps Padres avoid sweep, dump Giants

Blake Snell struck out 11 and did not allow a run for the fourth time in his last five starts as the visiting San Diego Padres avoided a four-game sweep and ended the San Francisco Giants' winning streak at 10 games with an easy 10-0 victory Thursday afternoon. Gary Sanchez, Manny Machado and Ha-Seong Kim all hit home runs for the Padres, while Sanchez had three hits, three RBIs and two runs. San Diego absorbed a pair of walk-off losses and a two-run defeat in the first three games of the series.

Soccer-Villa supporters criticise club's sponsorship deal with betting firm

Aston Villa's new front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with an online betting firm is a "cynical attempt" at financial gain and ignores concerns about gambling sponsorship in sports, the Aston Villa Supporters' Trust (AVST) said on Thursday. Villa have agreed to a partnership with Asia-based online betting firm BK8 until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, when Premier League clubs will withdraw gambling sponsorships from the front of their matchday shirts.

Cricket-England add teenage spinner Ahmed to squad for second Ashes test

England spinner Rehan Ahmed has been added to the Ashes squad for the second test against Australia at Lord's next week as cover for Moeen Ali who was nursing a finger injury in the first match, the country's cricket board (ECB) said on Friday. Ahmed, 18, has played one test for England when they beat Pakistan in December 2022 in Karachi, where he became the youngest bowler in men's test history to take a five-wicket haul on debut.

Rallying-Ogier leads Kenya's Safari Rally as Neuville retires

Toyota's Sebastien Ogier led after the first leg of Kenya's Safari Rally on Friday while Hyundai's title contender Thierry Neuville smashed his car's suspension and retired from the day's action. Eight times world champion Ogier, who is competing part-time this season, was 22.8 seconds clear of team mate and 2022 winner Kalle Rovanpera after the day's six stages over rutted, rocky and sandy tracks.

Tennis-Khachanov withdraws from Wimbledon with stress fracture in back

Karen Khachanov has been forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon Championships next month after the Russian said on Friday he had suffered a stress fracture in his back at the French Open. Ranked number 11 in the world, Khachanov reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros where he took a set off Novak Djokovic before losing to the Serbian who eventually won the title.