Joachim Low has defended his controversial decision to name a relatively unfamiliar German squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup that starts in Russia on Saturday (June 17), insisting his star names needed to rest ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

The FIFA Confederations Cup, the 10th version of which will start in St Petersburg on Saturday (June 17), became a quadrennial event in 2005. Since then, it has been held in countries due to host the FIFA World Cup finals the following year.

recent utterance has been in reaction to the announcement by Joachim Low, coach of the World Cup holders Germany

Organisers of the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships in Denmark have called upon fans to name the tournament's mascot.

Herning.This year's silver medallists Canada will also be in group B along with Finland, the United States, Germany

China’s Lin Yuemei claimed her third medal of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup season today after winning the women’s 25 metres pistol event in Gabala in Azerbaijan.

eight for only the second time in her career.The result bettered her seventh-place finish in Munich in Germany

Canada Snowboard has unveiled their national teams for the upcoming 2017-2018 International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup season.

in a three-man squad.Meryeta O'Dine, who won her first World Cup medal with a bronze in Feldberg in Germany

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced the appointment of Britain’s Michael Beloff as the inaugural chair of the independent Disciplinary Tribunal.

Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006.Beloff also served on the CAS panel at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany

Tenth seeds Kazakhstan produced another superb performance in the men's team recurve event to set up a final with Italy at the Archery World Cup in Antalya.

Field.They first beat Taiwan 6-2 before a 5-3 win over second seeds France.This set up a semi-final with Germany

Ukraine and Russia 6-0.Ren Hayakawa, Tomomi Sugimoto and Miki Nakamura of Japan beat Turkey 6-0 and then Germany

It was at Roland Garros a year ago that Novak Djokovic became only the third male tennis player to hold all four major titles at once - a feat last managed by Australia’s Rod Laver in 1969 - and the first ever to do so on three different surfaces.

Tiger Woods, or, in team terms, the 7-1 thrashing Brazil endured at the hands - or rather feet - of Germany

The International Luge Federation (FIL) has announced that sprint World Cup races will be held at the 2017-18 season finale in Sigulda.

circuit by the FIL from the 2014-15 season, while it debuted at the World Championships in Königssee in Germany

Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus and Germany's Julia Görges have won the latest Fed Cup Heart Awards of 2017 after their performances in the semi-finals and play-offs.

 Julia Görges of Germany was recognised for her performance in the Fed Cup play-offs ©Getty Images"I

Poland have become the latest country to express their support for Parkour UK's position on the "encroachment and misappropriation" of parkour/freerunning by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

Zealand Parkour Association, Parkour South Africa, and representatives of the parkour community in Germany

International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert has criticised Angela Merkel's German Government for not attending the World Championships, which closed here today.

sports on the Olympic programme.A total of 58,000 spectators attended the eight-day competition.Hosts Germany

Three world records fell on the final day of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil as athletes finished with a flourish in the Swiss municipality.

the long jump T35-47 category after leaping 5.54 metres in her first attempt.Nicole Nicoleitzik of Germany

I was told off last week, as happens from time to time, by somebody from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The only European to reach either the men's or women's quarter-finals was 36-year-old Timo Boll of Germany

Alexis Hanquinquant was among home winners today at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Paratriathlon Series leg in Besançon in France.

Alexandre Paviza took silver with Britain's Bret Crossley crossing third in 1:16.51.Stefan Loesler of Germany