Fabian Rießle completed a good weekend for Germany with victory at the Nordic Combined World Cup in Ramsau

France's home hero Martin Fourcade finally got the better of Norway's Johannes Thingnes Bø as he claimed 15 kilometres mass start gold at the International Biathlon Union World Cup in Annecy.

Kaisa Mäkäräinen is third on 281.The World Cup season will now resume in the New Year, in Oberhof in Germany

The last 12 months in sports politics has perhaps not quite hit the heights of the year which preceded it, but it has contained plenty of excitement nonetheless. 

take note of the rule to think very carefully before comparing anything with World War Two and Nazi Germany

The fourth edition of wheelchair rugby's Women's Cup has been held in French capital Paris.

formed.Three of these came from Europe, with one side solely featuring players from hosts France and Germany

Germany's Natalie Geisenberger kept up her good form this season in the International Luge Federation (FIL) World Cup with another win in the women's event in Lake Placid.

Austria, this season, taking gold in the men's with a time of 32.441 in front of Johannes Ludwig of Germany

recorded his first ever World Cup podium finish with a time of 32.665 to claim bronze.Dajana Eitberger of Germany

37.533.This was their first sprint title of the season after only managing to take silver in Winterberg, Germany

37.838.The World Cup will now take a break over Christmas with the next event taking place in Königssee, Germany

Old rowers will not have been at all surprised by Russian dismay and anger at the prospect of the country's athletes being obliged to compete under a neutral flag at Pyeongchang 2018.

another issue that the East European countries kept raising at FISA meetings during this era, when Germany

was divided between east and west.This was the German Democratic Republic's [East Germany] desire to

 It had been a member of the federation since 1955, but on the condition that Germany would be represented

 Faced now with the likelihood of crews representing East Germany at the Championships for which

By the time they were, the Soviet Union - and East Germany -had melted away.

Germany's Francesco Friedrich clinched his first two-man victory of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup season in Innsbruck and defended his European Championship title in the process.

44.16 for fourth in the World Cup and third in Europe.In women's bobsleigh, Stephanie Schneider piloted Germany

Japan made history today by winning the inaugural International Ski Federation Women's Ski Jumping World Cup team event.

Lucile Morat, Lea Lemare, Julia Clair and Romane Dieu were third on 846.4 points.This meant that hosts Germany

Top seed Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany came through both his matches today to book a place in the men's

I think he's the favourite, but I shot him the last time in Germany and I will go into tomorrow's match

Sixteen men's and 12 women's teams will compete at the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Wheelchair Basketball World Championship at the Wilhelmsburger Inselparkarena in Hamburg next year, with the line-up now complete.

Inselparkarena in Hamburg ©IWBFIn the women’s draw, hosts and 2014 World Championship silver medallists Germany

Russia's Roman Repilov broke the track record as he won the International Luge Federation World Cup at the Lake Placid Olympic Complex, where Winter Olympic places were up for grabs.

Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken of Germany recorded their fifth doubles victory of the season in Lake

Placid ©Getty ImagesCurrent overall standings leader Felix Loch of Germany, who has already qualified

Austria's defending overall champion Stefan Kraft topped qualification as action began at the men's International Ski Federation Ski Jumping World Cup in Engelberg.

centimetres of fresh snow fell overnight.Katharina Althaus came out on top at the women's World Cup in Germany

©Getty ImagesIn women's action, World Cup leader Katharina Althaus of Germany topped qualification on

Russia's controversial slider Elena Nikitina won the latest leg of the Skeleton World Cup in Innsbruck today and clinched the European title in the process.

not been implicated in the scandal, won World Cup bronze and European silver in 1:46.52.Axel Jungk of Germany

Despite a lifetime ban from the Olympics, Vitaly Mutko will, as it stands, remain in charge of the biggest sporting event of 2018.

The Soviets reached the last four before losing to West Germany.

The Netherlands broke their own women's 4x50 metres freestyle relay world record on day three of the European Short Course Championships in Copenhagen.

topped the men's 200m individual medley podium ©Getty ImagesPhilip Heintz was one of two winners for Germany

53.27, while the bronze went to Norway’s Tomoe Zenimoto Hvas in 1:54.16.Also securing a gold medal for Germany