The European Tour’s International Schedule for 2013 sees the formation of a new end-of-season series, covering the final four tournaments of the calendar.

Although ‘The Final Series’ will not be a copy of the ‘FedEx Cup Play-Offs’ introduced in 2007 by America’s PGA Tour, it is intended to create some extra interest during the closing weeks of the season.

The four tournaments are BMW Masters, HSBC Champions, Turkish Open and DP World Tour Championship.

The first two are in China, while the third is a brand new event at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal course at Antalya.

According to the Tour’s website: “Any Tour member participating in the first three tournaments of ‘The Final Series’ will receive a 20 per-cent bonus on The Race to Dubai points earned from those three events.

“And any European Tour Member hoping to qualify for the World Tour Championship in Dubai will have to participate in two of the three tournaments preceding the season finale.”

George O’Grady, chief executive of Tour, said: “The introduction of ‘The Final Series’ and the associated changes to the structure are being made to bring even more drama and excitement to the conclusion of our season, and to further enhance The Race to Dubai.

“We felt there had to be an additional level of commitment from the Membership to these important tournaments, hence the new regulation.

“The response from our leading players to this change has been extremely encouraging, and we take confidence from their support as we look to continue the positive evolution of The European Tour in an extremely challenging economic climate.”

MotoGP have added North American venue, Circuit of the Americas to their ever growing calendar for next April.

The new 3.4-mile circuit in Texas is having the finishing touches applied before it makes its Formula 1 debut in November, and will become the first American venue to host both two and four-wheeled world championships in the same season.

Luring MotoGP to the track following a prolonged process is a major coup for the circuit bosses who have invested heavily in creating the first purpose built track for FIA and FIM events.

Circuit President Steve Sexton said: “The Circuit of The Americas team is delighted to introduce yet another world-renowned racing series to our 2013 event calendar-one we know will be hugely popular with fans coming to experience MotoGP for the first time at our state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex in Austin.

“MotoGP has a worldwide fan base with more than two million followers watching races in person each year. We’re confident it will be a great addition to our programming and draw tens of thousands of people to Central Texas, creating yet another major event with significant economic impact for our region.

“We want to extend our thanks to the Austin Sports Commission for its help in securing yet another first-class event for our city and for helping us become the first U.S. racing venue to host two world championship motorsport events.”

German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen has denied claims they will enter Formula One in the near future as either an engine supplier or a full constructor.

Volkswagen revealed three years ago that they were considering entering the sport in 2014 when the engine rules will change.

But new motorsport director Jost Capito said on Thursday that this was “not on the radar,” as its focus was instead fully on its entry in the World Rally Championship with the new Polo R WRC next year.

When asked whether a future Grand Prix entry was under consideration, Capito said: “Definitely not. At the moment we don’t even think about it because we’re thinking WRC.

“I’ve got my hands full with the WRC right now and we have to focus on that. This is the very much the main motorsport programme for us and the board is watching it very closely. I think that’s what we have to deliver.”

VW currently fields a pair of S2000-spec Skodas in the WRC in order to gain its team experience of the championship, ahead of its first full-time campaign with a World Rally Car next year.

The 2013 NBA All-Star Game has been awarded to the city of Houston, anesthetist the league announced.

“Houston is a spectacular sports city, link and for one week it will be the basketball capital of the world,”NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “NBA All-Star is a magnificent celebration of our game, and I want to thank the city and the Rockets for welcoming us once again.”

This is the third time Houston has hosted All-Star weekend, with the first two coming in 1989 and 2006.

“I am thrilled the Rockets and the City of Houston have once again brought NBA All-Star to Toyota Center,” Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said. “The All-Star Game showcases the best basketball players in the world and will allow our great Rockets fans and the entire community the opportunity to once again experience the best that our league has to offer.”

by Ismail Uddin

NFL’s the New England Patriots will dedicate the 2011 season to the loving memory of Myra Kraft, owner Robert Kraft’s wife, who passed away on July 20 after a long battle with cancer.

When the Patriots play their pre-season game on August 11 against the Jackonsonville Jaguars, at Gillette Stadium, every Patriots player and coach will honour her memory by wearing a patch with her initials on it in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local and global community and her influence on the charitable mission of the entire Patriots organization. The patch will be worn on the left chest of every player throughout the season.

At halftime of Thursday night’s regional broadcast of the game, a segment will air featuring Patriots greats – past and present – reflecting on  Myra‘s memory and the lasting legacy she created. Also in honor of Myra Kraft’s lifetime commitment to philanthropic service, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation will focus its season-long initiative in 2011 on recognizing and rewarding volunteerism. Included in that focus will be the recognition of the nation’s largest volunteer organization: the  United States military. That season-long initiative will formally commence at the regular season home opener on Sept. 18. Prior to that game, the organization will honor  Myra with a moment of silence.

“ Myra touched the lives of so many people,” said Patriots All-Pro defensive lineman Vince Wilfork. “My conversations with her were never about football. She always asked about my family and always made me feel as if I were a part of hers. By her example, she made us all want to give more and to make a positive impact in our communities. We are proud to dedicate the 2011 season to Myra Kraft.”

Over a 40-year career as an engaged philanthropist and professional volunteer, Myra Kraft committed tens of thousands of hours to improve the lives of children and people in need across the globe.

Along with Robert Kraft, she contributed well over $100 million to charitable causes, with the primary focus of improving the lives of children and enhancing their educational opportunities. Locally, she served on and chaired boards and committees for virtually all of the Boston area’s major non-profit organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Upon the Kraft family’s purchase of the Patriots in 1994, Myra and Robert Kraft established the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, for which Myra served as President

The chairman of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, Suresh Kalmadi has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on allegations of corruption surrounding last year’s issue ridden event.

Ajay Maken, India’s new Sports Minister dismissed Kalmadi from his post in January and the former chairman has now become the third top official to be arrested following accusations of financial irregularities, following the arrest of the Games’ secretary general Lalit Bhanot and director general VK Verma in February.

Kalmadi, who remains defiant over any wrongdoing, has been accused by the CBI of illegally colluding with a Swiss firm that supplied the timing, scoring and results systems for the Games during the tender process.

CBI spokesman Dharini Mishra stated, as Kalmadi is set to appear before the Patiala House Court in Delhi later today, April 26: “The CBI has arrested Suresh Kalmadi, the organising committee chairman of the Commonwealth Games 2010, for conspiracy to cause favour to a private firm based in Switzerland in awarding the contract for Timing-Scoring-Results System at an inflated cost.”

Construction delays and cost overruns saw the Games budget balloon to US$15.7bn from an estimated $425m.

The 2011 SportAccord Convention in London have confirmed several speakers for the event which attracts more than 1,500 leading representatives of international sport.

Among those confirmed is CEO of advertising giant WPP, Sir Martin Sorrell as well as Daniel Frigo, executive vice-president and general manager of Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios EMEA. The two men will be on the panel that focuses on “Why Sport Matters to the Entertainment Industry&rdquo”.

Chairman of HSBC’s International Business Advisory Board, Lord Digby Jones, will join a panel on “What Sport Can Learn from the Banking Crisis”. London Organising Committee (LOCOG) chairman Lord Sebastian Coe will be joined on the programme by LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton.

The convention takes place from April 3-8, 2011 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) have revealed today a number of different hosts for their events in 2015 and 2016, as well as for the Olympic Qualifying Events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The host cities were selected by the AIBA Executive Committee Members in a secret ballot on July 17th during their meeting currently being held in Istanbul, Turkey. 

The Executive Committee Members selected the following Host Cities, further to the bid presentations made by all candidates yesterday:

• St. Petersburg won to host the 2015 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships
• Taipei will host the AOB Women’s Junior/Youth World Championships
• Astana, Kazakhstan, won to host the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships
• Yaounde, Cameroon, won to host the 2016 AOB African Olympic Qualifying Event
• Buenos Aires won to host the 2016 AOB American Olympic Qualifying Event
• Qian’an, China, won to host the AOB Asian/Oceania Olympic Qualifying Event
• St Petersburg won to host the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships
• Istanbul won to host the 2016 AOB European Olympic Qualifying Event
• Baku, Azerbaijan, won to host the 2016 Final AOB World Olympic Qualifying Event