The International Eventing Officials Club (IEOC) has become the third of the former FEI Associate Members to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

The IEOC was formed in 1998 by Dr Bernd Springorum (GER), allergist supported by Jean Mitchell MBE (IRE), to give a voice to Eventing Officials.

The independent organisation now has over 1,000 members including FEI Judges, Technical Delegates, Stewards, Course Designers and Organisers based around the world.

“The International Eventing Officials Club has been a vital link between the FEI and Eventing officials for fifteen years”, said Ingmar De Vos, FEI Secretary General.

“During this time, the number of Eventing competitions at all levels has grown rapidly – last year alone, there were over 560 competitions globally, which since 2004 represents a massive 77 per cent growth in this sport.

“As Eventing continues to expand, the role of the International Eventing Officials Club and its members is key to the FEI, the National Federations and Eventing Organisers.”

“The IEOC, which is free for our members, is firmly focussed on developing Eventing at every level internationally”, said IEOC Chairman Andy Griffiths (GBR).

“This Memorandum of Understanding with the FEI is testament to the continued worldwide popularity of Eventing, and the magnitude of the growth of this sport as it continues beyond its traditional heartlands and into new territories.

“These are exciting times for Eventing, and we are all very much looking forward to continuing our work with the FEI, the National Federations and Eventing Organisers this year and beyond to help build a solid future for our sport.”

Rising amateur golf star Jordan Smith has appointed MB Partners for worldwide, mind exclusive management and marketing representation.

Smith, cialis who has been selected for the 2013 Walker Cup team, cialis the highest level of amateur golf competition in the world, is currently ranked 16th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and establishes himself as one of the world’s best amateur players.

Explaining his decision to sign with MB Partners, Smith said, “I’m looking forward to being part of the team and having a bright future with MB Partners. I really like how the company works. Everyone is a close knit team and will do their very best to get you to where you need to be, so I’m excited with what lies ahead.”

Duncan Maxim, who will be managing him, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Jordan to MB Partners and believe he has a very bright future ahead of him. He has a great amateur record, a fantastic golfing ability and with his personality and charisma will be very appealing to strategic partners.”

Smith will be playing in the Walker Championship, September 7-8 at the National Links of America in Southampton, N.Y.

A-League’s newest side Western Sydney Wanderers have revealed their Parramatta Stadium is set to see a capacity increase to around 25,000 by 2015 as part of a $29 million upgrade.

The venue, home to the Wanderers and NRL club Parramatta Eels, currently holds 19,000 but new Federal Sport Minister Don Farrell has announced the government will commit $20 million towards the project.

In addition to increasing the capacity, the redevelopment will include improving the changing rooms and hospitality facilities and the lengthening of the adjacent 70-metre training area to a full-sized field.

Football Federation Australia chief executive, David Gallop, said: “This is a significant moment in the phenomenal journey of the Wanderers. Only one season in the competition and they have sold out this stadium three times.

“The fans got behind the club and became part of the most sensational atmosphere that you’ll see in Australian sport and they are being rewarded with a stadium upgrade.”

Parramatta also hailed the works, with CEO Ken Edwards saying the Eels previously had to prepare in the worst training facilities in the NRL.

Edwards said the upgrade would allow Parramatta to compete on a level playing field with other clubs and coach Ricky Stuart also acknowledged their significance.

“It’s a big part of elite sport today to have modern facilities – it’s a very very big part of preparation,” Stuart said.

“It’s something the players have lacked here for a number of years.

“I’m glad we’ve got an opportunity to move forward with modernised facilities.

“You don’t need the best facilities in the world – we’re not that precious.

“It’s just a matter of being realistic about the environment and the training facilities around the players.

“We put a lot of pressure on the players to be at their best. It’s our job to give them the best training environment and resources.”

Major League Baseball (MLB) team, Cincinnati Reds have announced an exclusive partnership with Brand Affinity Technologies, Inc., the experts in engaging, activating, and monetizing fans. 

The Reds are the latest of several MLB franchises to sign on for Brand Affinity’s fan photography services, in which Brand Affinity will deliver personalized fan photography services for the Reds and fans attending home games at Great American Ball Park during this season to preserve their game day in-venue experience.

The Reds, expected to contend for the National League pennant this year, were ranked fifth in the MLB on ESPN’s 2012 list of “Ultimate Team Rankings.” By partnering with Brand Affinity the Reds are extending a fun in-venue experience that will last well past game day through Brand Affinity’s FanPhotos photography platform.

“We’re a company filled with baseball fans, so we’re thrilled to partner with one of baseball’s most storied franchises by providing an engaging and compelling service to help capture and share a Reds fan’s in-venue experiences with their friends and family,” said Ryan Steelberg, CEO of Brand Affinity. “We look forward to working with the Reds throughout the season at every home game to leverage our FanPhotos photography platform to further promote this winning MLB franchise and truly capture and activate fans’ passion and excitement for Reds baseball.”

Throughout each game, Brand Affinity photographers will be on site to capture photos of the attendees. Reds fans will easily be able to view, download and share the photos taken during the game by visiting the FanPhotos site and entering a specific code provided to them.

IMG and Caddiemaster have formed a strategic alliance to develop caddie services in China.

The new agreement calls for Caddiemaster, prostate the leading caddie services company in the world, cialis to provide caddie training at IMG managed clubs in China. In turn IMG will use its resources and reputation to market Caddiemaster and help establish its business in China.

“We are excited to offer this enhanced service to IMG managed clubs in China, anesthetist ” said Paul Burley, Vice President, IMG Golf Course Services. “Caddiemaster is renowned as the premier provider of caddie management services in the world, and we are confident this new agreement will add further value to our management business and consolidate our position as the market leader in China. We also look forward to using our network and brand recognition to create additional business opportunities for Caddiemaster in China”.

“First and foremost, we look forward to helping IMG managed golf properties to further establish themselves as the premium golf facilities in China,” said Michael Granuzzo, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Caddiemaster. “The alliance with IMG provides an exciting opportunity for Caddiemaster to grow in the caddie market with the greatest potential in the world. International growth is a long-term strategy of our Company and the alliance with such a prestigious and experienced partner as IMG will allow us to provide our services to and grow in this very important market.”

Caddies are an important part of the golf experience in China, with every club offering caddie services. Over 50,000 caddies are employed in the industry and the vast majority are female. Golf Clubs spend a lot of time and effort recruiting and training caddies, and at busy 18 hole golf courses it is not unusual to have over 130 caddies on the books.

Luca Rossetti, has praised his sponsors following his Turkish Rally Championship victory

The three times European Rally Champion and former Italian champion, won on Sunday the Yesil Bursa Rallisi, the last round of the Turkish Rally Championship.

With this victory, Luca Rossetti and his co-driver Matteo Chiarcossi have won the 2012 Turkish Rally Championship. With their Skoda Fabia S2000 from Pegasus Racing – Skoda Turkey – Yuce Auto, they obtained the fourth victory of the season in the Turkish National Championship, a series consisting of 7 races.

Luca’s sports marketing partner, United Business were proud of their involvemnet in his success.

Luca Rossetti, said: “A big thank you for the title of 2012 Turkish Rally Champion must go to all the advertising partners who have accompanied us during the season, this success came also thanks to them and to the work of the team that gave me a performing and reliable car.”

“This title has a very special meaning for me, to win in a country like Turkey where I have many friends and fans is beautiful. I am aware that I would not have been successful had I not had the support of Pegasus Racing – Skoda Turkey – Yuce Auto and Pirelli tyres which were very  performing at all times and in all race conditions.”

“When at the beginning of the year we were offered to take part in the Turkish championship with Skoda – said Pier Liberali of United Business – we had no doubt in giving an affirmative answer, we knew that for Rossetti all was new, but we also knew that for him, although difficult it was not an obstacle nor a problem to tackle rallies never seen previuosly, he is used to it and has raced and won all around  Europe, often competing in a race for the first time. For my company an unforgettable moment was  Ypres Rally, where Luca won on his debut. He is a professional driver, very fast, solid and constant, we all had great trust and once again he did not disappoint us, the goal was to win and Luca and Matteo reached it.”

Rosetti sponsors include: Yuce Cars, Pirelli, Mobiltrust, Di Vita, Omnia New Energy, Damaplast, Go Turkey, OMP, Skoda Rally Team Italia and TcHealth. 

Motprsport governing body, FIA, is keen to establish a series of cost control measures for F1, with teams been given until the end of the month to vote on plans to bring new measures into play.

The governing body made the announcement following the latest meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, where the FIA ‘reiterated its intention to make motor sport more affordable in all categories’.

With concerns about rising costs, the FIA and teams will hope to finalise an agreement reduce the expenditure required to compete in the sport, with the governing body they overseeing the policing of any agreement made.

“At their request, the FIA is having active discussions with teams regarding cost control and any amendments to the technical regulations resulting from a further limit on expenditure on the chassis will be submitted to the WMSC via a fax vote before 30 June,” a statement from the FIA read. “The intention is to help all teams participate in the Championship in a fair and equal manner.”

The FIA also confirmed that the deadline for entries for the 2013 season has been put back to September to allow negotiations regarding a new Concorde Agreement to be concluded.

“Constructive Concorde Agreement discussions are on-going between the FIA and the Commercial Rights Holder, with the intention of finalising an agreement in the coming weeks,” the FIA revealed. “It was also decided that the deadline for the closing of entries be deferred to 30 September.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are searching for a new venue for their limited overs series against Australia in August after Sri Lanka dropped plans to play host.

In March Sri Lanka had agreed in principle to put on three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s, but the series now clashes with the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL).

A deal signed this week by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed the SLPL will go ahead for the first time after the proposed 2011 edition was postponed.

Subhan Ahmed, Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief operating officer, said: “It’s disappointing. Initially Sri Lanka Cricket offered to host the series and we stopped negotiating with others.

“We were trying to finalise the Australia series in Sri Lanka but due to their Premier League which is to be held in August directly clashing with our plan, we have to find another venue.”

Nishantha Ranatunga, the secretary of SLC, said: “We will not have enough grounds and facilities with the SLPL being played. That is one reason. Also, if we are playing too much cricket, the wickets will not be in good condition for the World T20 in September.”

Following Sri Lanka’s announcement  the PCB have started negotiations with other countries about hosting the series, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia.

Ahmed confirmed: “We are looking for other venues and hope to finalise it soon.”

In an effort to ignite women’s sports in the country the first ever Qatar Women’s Basketball League has been created in 2020 bid city Doha with 10 teams fighting for the chance to become national champions.

The Qatar Women’s Basketball League is a six-week event taking place at the state-of-the-art Aspire Academy of Sports Excellence in Doha and involves series of teams battling it out in group games to the final cut May 24th. The competition finals will take place on June 2nd to decide the national winners.

Doha 2020 CEO, Noora Al Mannai, said, “It is great to see the establishment of the Qatar Women’s Basketball League and that so many women of all ages are showing the passion to participate in sport.

“National sporting competitions such as this league highlight that there is a great interest in Qatar to play sport and we are delighted to be able to create these new sporting opportunities for women.

“The female athletes competing in the league are wonderful role models for young people and we can show that sport can help break down barriers, empower women and promote healthy and active lifestyles. I wish all the athletes competing in the event the best of luck and I hope one day they can realise their dreams to play at an Olympic Games in front of cheering fans in their home city of Doha.”

Ahlam Salem M. Al-Mana, head of the Qatar Women’s Sport Committee, added: “We are very pleased to launch the first-ever Qatar Women’s Basketball League and we want to ensure that this event becomes an annual fixture in the nation’s ever expanding sports events calendar.

“Following Qatar’s participation in the women’s basketball competition at the 2011 Arab Games in Doha, the Qatar Women’s Basketball League reaffirms the nation’s commitment to developing women’s sport across the country.

“The athletes competing in this event will provide inspiration to many more young girls in Qatar and throughout the Arab region. With the progress we are making in the development of women’s sport in Qatar, we are confident that this latest initiative will help a new generation of female athletes compete at an international level and ultimately become Olympians in many sporting disciplines.”

Qatar this year will send the first female athletes to the Games and is in the process of fostering their participation.

Doha is in the bidding against Baku, Istanbul, Madrid, and Tokyo to host the 2020 Games. The final decision will be taken on September 7th of 2013 at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

by Ismail Uddin