Fifteen years after Nelson Mandela used rugby to convince South Africa's white minority to give a chance to the country's fledgling democracy, the sport has once again allowed the nation to reach another milestone in its quest for a nonracial society. Read more»

Every four years, we wax poetic in anticipation of the World Cup and every four years, at Cup's end, we despair about the tactical game plans, the fortress mentality of the coaches, the low-risk defensive style and thuggish tactics that make any reference to "the beautiful game" an exercise in irony. Read more»

Large events like the World Cup, which attract a considerable number of people to a limited area for a short time, often bring with them a short-term increase in the demand for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation as well as forced labor. Read more»

Arguably, the soccer World Cup is to the sex industry what the holiday season is to candy shops. A temporary surge of excited people feeling collectively festive, willing to pay for a bit of extra indulgence. Read more»

When the issue of security during the upcoming World Cup is raised, it is usually in reference to South Africa's high crime rate. But there has been surprisingly little discussion about the threat of terrorist attacks. Read more»

Boxing returns to Tucson after a nearly three year hiatus. City of Boxing will showcase local fighters at TCC on Saturday night. Read more»

Red Sox and Yankees fans have nothing on the supporters of CSKA and Levski, Bulgaria's most popular soccer teams. For while Bostonians and New Yorkers lay claim to the longest-running rivalry in American pro sports, CSKA and Levski fans enjoy what they call "the everlasting derby," a bitter struggle that mixes politics and history. Read more»

A Champions League win against Chelsea and World Cup glory won't reverse Italian soccer's flagging fortunes. Read more»

First match against England is 3 months away, but players must heal broken bones and tendons. Read more»