European football governing body UEFA has banned Italian football federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio for six months for making racist comments. 

The 71-year-old caused controversy during his election campaign in July by referring to “eating bananas” when discussing foreign players. He later apologised for his remarks.

The ban means Tavecchio cannot hold any UEFA position and will be barred from the next Uefa congress in March 2015.

He will be unable to carry to carry out his duties as a member of Uefa’s youth and amateur football committee, and has also been told by the governing body to “organise a special event in Italy aimed at increasing awareness against racism”.

However, Tavecchio will continue as head of the FIGC after the federation’s internal prosecutor dropped his inquiry over the comment last month.

The remark, made when discussing the recruitment of foreign players, referred to a fictitious signing named Opti Poba.

Tavecchio was elected as president in August, beating former AC Milan player Demetrio Albertini

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has today appointed former professional baseball and softball athlete, Laurie Gouthro, as the new Assistant Executive Director for International Softball. 

Ms. Gouthro will help lead the international softball management team, helping to oversee and lead the organisation and legacy of the softball world championship platforms, including the flagship Women’s Softball World Championship. Ms. Gouthro will be involved in the strategic planning, procedural reform and the administration and operational delivery of International Softball. 

During her tenure as director of competition, beginning in 2001, she has overseen all world championships, including the expansion of the frequency of the championship (formerly celebrated every four years now every two years for each of the four softball disciplines) and also the transition to an open qualifying system. Ms. Gouthro has also overseen the anti-doping program, which has witnessed no positive drug results in Olympic history. She was recently named the technical director for softball for Special Olympics International. 

Born in Olongopo City, Philippines, Ms. Gouthro attended both Florida Community College at Jacksonville and the University of South Florida on sport scholarships in softball and playedboth professional baseball and softball. 

“Softball has always been an important part of my life, and I am very grateful for all the opportunities it has given me. I am excited about this new position and welcome the new challenges that come with it,” Gouthro expressed. “I look forward to working with our President, Board and Executive Director to raise the profile of our sport worldwide and to increase participation at all levels of competition through our championship platforms and development programmes.” 

WBSC Executive Vice President Dale McMann said, “The world softball community is grateful to have an individual with Ms. Gouthro’s experience. We are proud to be able to promote women and athletes into leadership positions.” 

WBSC will take the field next at the 17th edition of the Asian Games beginning 19-September in Incheon, South Korea. 

The inaugural European Games in Baku is set to add a new sport after it was revealed Sambo would join the sports programme in 2015.

The International Sambo Federation have been pushing the European Olympic Committee and Games organisers to make it the 20th sport on Baku 2015’s schedule – a roster featuring four non-Olympic sports. Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport.

Commenting on the announcement, doctor Simon Clegg, arthritis Baku 2015 chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted to formally announce that sambo will be included in the sports programme at Baku 2015 and increase the number of innovative new sports we will have on display at next year’s inaugural Games.

“The opportunity to include such a highly popular sport here in Azerbaijan will further increase the excitement about the event and potentially leave the European Olympic Committees with the legacy of including popular local sports within future sport programmes.”

OGL Computer has retained its designation as Official IT Partner of Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

OGL has again been tasked with ensuring IT infrastructure at New Road remains robust and future proof, asthma continuing a partnership that has now stretched for over 6 years.

Jon Graham, Business Development Director of Worcestershire CCC, “As with any business, IT is a key aspect of our operation and without the support and expertise that OGL offers us we certainly wouldn’t be capable of functioning effectively. It is a partnership that has been ongoing for some time now and we are delighted to continue this working relationship.”

OGL has achieved accreditations with some of the biggest names in the IT industry including; HP, Microsoft, VMware, WatchGuard, AMD and Kaspersky; and this level of expertise is imperative at an organisation as diverse as Worcestershire CCC.

“We are proud to be chosen to support WCCC particularly after the development they have undergone recently,” says Neil Morris, Operations Director at OGL Computer. “We wish WCCC all the best for the season.”

TSE Consulting have been selected by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to review how their main events are marketed and promoted to potential host cities around the world. 

TSE, working alongside IAAF long-term partners AMS and Dentsu, will assist IAAF in redefining how to reach out to potential hosts and to increase the visibility of its bid processes. This review will start immediately as the IAAF prepares to launch the bid process for the next round of events; the 2017 Cross Country World Championships, the 2017 Youth World Championships, the 2018 Continental Cup and the 2019 World Championships. These bid processes will be launched at the beginning of 2014.

Essar Gabriel, IAAF Secretary General, said: “We at the IAAF are always looking for ways to improve the way Athletics is showcased to the world, including its promotion to our future host cities. As part of the IAAF’s new strategic plan, we have launched a thorough review of our events and the way we connect these to host cities worldwide. We look forward to working more closely with host cities. This has started already with the launch of the first edition of the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas in 2014.” 

Greg Curchod, TSE Director, said: “We are pleased to continue working with IAAF and to assist them in better connecting to our large network of ambitious host cities. Athletics events bring great value and so we look forward to helping these events get the visibility they deserve.”

TSE Consulting has worked with the IAAF since 2002, guiding them in the development and implementation of the IAAF Athletics’ World Plan – that had the ten year mission to ensure that, at the time of the IAAF Centenary in 2012, Athletics would continue to remain the number one sport for individuals in a changing world. 

Coca-Cola has increased it’s commitment in the Hispanic market with a new marketing campaign  that celebrates the passion for the sport, the fans and the 30-year relationship with the Mexican National Soccer Team (MNT).

The campaign includes a new television commercial titled “Wave,” that looks to bring people together match after match.

“Seventy percent of the 52 million Hispanics in the U.S. today are Mexican or of Mexican descent, and many continue to follow their team,” said Lauventria Robinson, VP Multicultural Marketing, Coca-Cola North America Group. “Coca-Cola’s involvement in this campaign hits very close to home because we understand the feeling, the excitement, the hope, and the need to cheer and follow the Mexican National Team.”

Shot on location in Mexico City’s fabled Estadio Azteca, “Wave” shows Mexico fans’ unrelenting support for the Mexican National Team. The film starts in 1986, when an avid fan accidentally starts a wave, or “Ola,” after a near miss by Mexico. The wave then travels around the stadium, and also through time. We follow it as it goes through all the decades, taking us into the future, to 2014, where we reconnect with the avid fan from the beginning. Only this time, the fan has his son with him, keeping the support alive. They celebrate a goal with an ice-cold Coca-Cola as it ends with the message, “never stop believing.” “Wave” was created by Ogilvy & Mather.

Coca-Cola has been a partner of the MNT for more than 30 years in Mexico and 10 in the U.S. as part of the Mexican National Team’s annual tour. 

“Coca-Cola has always been part of our fans’ soccer viewing events – it’s simply a natural element of their soccer celebrations,” said Anali Cabrera, Brand Director Multicultural Marketing, Coca-Cola North America Group. “This new spot highlights our commitment to the Latino community, letting them know that we have and will continue to celebrate and support their team.”

The creative will premiere July 1 on Univision Deportes. “Wave” hits billboards July 15 and print Aug. 14.

A new city-based golf league in India is set to debut next month featuring four major winners.

The format is modelled on the country’s Twenty20 cricket league and is the brainchild of Indian golfer Shiv Kapur.

The league could feature former major winners Darren Clarke, Angel Cabrera, Michael Campbell, and Rich Beem.

“When I saw the Indian Premier League, I thought it made cricket look cool. I wanted to do the same in golf, without taking away the seriousness of course,” said Kapur, whose lone Asian Tour win came in 2005.

“It would be a great opportunity for the local players to team up with some of the big names. It would be an experience they would cherish for the rest of their life.”

The inaugural league is scheduled to begin on 8-10 February on a course near Mumbai and will feature two day-night rounds of strokeplay, followed by the third and final round of best-ball format.

Each three-hour round will be played over 14 holes, instead of the regular 18, by the teams comprising four golfers, both local and international, and a player auction is scheduled to take place later this month.

Following a a loss of $36 million this year, Korean Grand Prix organisers have suggested the race will bring long-term benefits.

The event is yet to post a profit since being introduced to the calendar as part of F1’s expansion into Asia. 2010’s race lost an estimated $50 million and that increased to a reported $56 million the following year.

The race has been plagued by a lack of accommodation and poor attendance, whilst the track was barely finished in time for the inaugural Grand Prix and speculation has mounted that it could be dropped from the F1 calendar.

However, organisers say that the losses are only a short-term problem.

“It’s hard to say what kind of impact the loss has on next year,” race organisers said.

“Although there are many concerns regarding the operating loss, the loss for a third straight year is only a short-term effect.

“In the long-term the F1 event will bring more benefits to the country. It will not only pave the way for South Korean car industries in the future but also help foster new industries.”

Bernie Ecclestone has reinforced the seriousness of his desire to see a grand prix in London, viagra saying: “It is no joke.”

Plans for a race on a 5.1km circuit taking in sights including Buckingham Palace, generic Big Ben and Trafalgar Square were unveiled last month.

The event was seen by many as nothing more than a publicity stunt for sponsors Santander, ask but Formula One supremo Ecclestone insists he is pressing ahead with the idea of a London Grand Prix in some form.

“We are getting on with it,” he told the Guardian. “It is no joke, 100% completely no joke.”

Ecclestone also suggested the sport could help to fund the race should it happen.

“With the way things are, maybe we would front it and put the money up for it,” he said.

“If we got the okay and everything was fine, I think we could do that.”

Discuss the issue here… Once around Piccadilly