Cancelled Sochi F1 race will not be replaced

Formula One's 2022 season will be reduced to 22 races after the sport said on Wednesday it would not be replacing the cancelled Russian Grand Prix on Sept. 25, despite interest from other countries.

Formula One had scheduled a record 23 rounds this year, but the race in Sochi was called off in February and the contract terminated in early March after the country's invasion of Ukraine. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, won the Russia race last year, becoming the first driver to win 100 Grands Prix.

The sport had said it would fill the slot, with various options including Qatar and Turkey as well as a second race in Singapore, but there will now be an extra break before the Singapore-japan doubleheader.

Another race in Europe was considered too much of a logistical challenge while temperatures in Qatar — which returns to the calendar next year as part of a 10-year agreement — raised concerns.

It means there will now be a two-weekend break between the Aug. 28 to Sept. 11 European triple header of Belgium-netherlands-italy and Singapore-japan on Oct. 2 and 9.

Formula One is set to expand again next season, with a Las Vegas night race set to debut as a third round in the United States.

The International Basketball Federation has

excluded Russia and Belarus from participating and hosting international tournaments until further notice following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has called the invasion a “a special military operation” while Belarus has served as a key staging area.

The men's teams of Russia and Belarus have been withdrawn from European qualifiers for the World Cup next year and are not being replaced.

Russia's women's team, which was due to play in the World Cup in Australia this year, has been withdrawn and replaced by Puerto Rico, while the under-17 women's team of Russia has been replaced with Serbia for the World Cup in Hungary.

Neither country is allowed to participate in 3X3 competitions this year, including the World Cup.

Several sports federations have banned Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, and moved or cancelled events in the countries.