Craig Sesker has been promoted to the position of Senior Communications Manager for USA Wrestling, anabolics the national governing body for wrestling in the United States.

Sesker joined USA Wrestling in March 2006 as its Communications Manager, ed working within USA Wrestling’s Communications Department. He assumed his new responsibilities as Senior Communications Manager in March 2014.

“Craig Sesker has been an important part of our Communications team, doctor and has made substantial contributions to USA Wrestling and to the promotion of wrestling. We look forward to his expanded responsibility and leadership in the future, as we expand wrestling’s position with the media and the general public,” said Gary Abbott, Director of Communications and Special Projects.

Among his new or expanded responsibilities will include oversight of the production and printing process of USA Wrestler, on-site event media operations management, athlete biography and statistics record systems and working with stringers and contract staffing for USA Wrestling’s media outlets.

The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) have signed a partnership with United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) which aims to use taekwondo as a vehicle to promote the organisations’ common objectives of promoting sport-for-all and peace.

The agreement was signed by Mr Wilfried Lemke, denture  the U.N. Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, professional viagra and WTF President Dr. Chungwon Choue on the opening day of the inaugural World Taekwondo GP in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Speaking after the signing, WTF President Choue said: “The WTF has a very special relationship with the UNOSDP. We share many of the same values and we fully support the UNOSDP in their mission to support people around the world by providing them with opportunities to engage in sport.

“Taekwondo is more than a sport – it’s a philosophy. Taekwondo teaches young people discipline, fair play and sportsmanship. Young athletes learn the importance of respecting one another whatever their nationality, race or gender. These values will not only help them to be a success in taekwondo but help them to contribute to society outside of the sport.”

The partnership aims to use taekwondo as a tool to promote peace-building objectives, social inclusion and the rights of persons with a disability. The WTF Peace Corps for Para-Taekwondo will be largely responsible for carrying out the work of the partnership but will also be supported through the WTF’s involvement in the UNOSDP’s Youth Leadership Programme (YLP).

Wilfried Lemke added: “Taekwondo is an excellent partner for the UNOSDP. We look forward to collaborating with them in the future as we look to achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.”

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn will continue his pursuit of securing a groundshare with West Ham at the Olympic Stadium.

The League One club’s written request for a judicial review of the decision to grant the Hammers sole tenancy of the stadium was turned down last month.

But Hearn will now attempt to state his case at an oral hearing and is “confident” of a successful outcome.

A club statement read: “Orient would like to confirm that it has renewed its application for permission for a judicial review against the London Legacy Development Corporation in respect of their decision to deny the club Olympic Stadium tenancy.

“The club believe that in refusing permission, the judge erred in his decision on reviewing the papers, and we are therefore opting to debate the issues at an oral hearing where we are confident that permission will be granted.”

West Ham were declared anchor tenants in March and are due to move into the stadium in August 2016.

The organisers of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf have announced the next two editions of the event will continue to be staged at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda.

The official hosts of the event include Bermuda Department of Tourism, Port Royal Golf Course and the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

Next year, the 36-hole stroke-play event, which is also lauded as ‘the most exclusive tournament in golf’, will be played from October 15 to 16.

Every year, the tournament brings together the reigning major champions to compete against each other for the US$1.35 million prize fund, with the winner receiving US$600,000.

Starting from 1979, the prestigious four-man tournament used to be held at different courses each year. However, the event remained at the Poipu Bay Golf Course in Koloa, Hawaii, from 1994 to 2006.

In 2007, the organisers decided to stage the event at the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda for two years, prior to moving to the Port Royal Golf Course in 2009.

According to the tournament officials, the tournament achieved huge success in Bermuda and the local golf fans always show their support by visiting the golf course every year.

That was the major reason behind the plan of staging the event at the same venue course for the upcoming two years.

“The PGA of America is honored to continue the PGA Grand Slam of Golf tradition on the island of Bermuda through 2014 at the Port Royal Golf Course,” said PGA of America President Ted Bishop.

He added, “Bermuda has embraced the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, serving as an exemplary host the past six years and delivering unmatched hospitality and community support for the game’s elite foursome”.

“We are excited to once again join the Bermuda Department of Tourism in showcasing Bermuda as a premier golf and tourism destination by presenting the PGA Grand Slam of Golf to the world,” he concluded.

Citroën announced that they are seriously evaluating a possible participation in the World Touring Car Championship from 2014 or 2015.

Citroën Racing team principal Yves Matton said: “WTCC would enable Citroën to showcase ‘Creative Technology’ inmajor markets, such as China and Brazil. The final decision regarding this programme is depending on the evolution of the FIA regulations and the determination of our current and future partners to support us in this project.”

Matton also admitted that eight-time World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb would be in the frame: “The role of brand ambassador for Citroën cannot be a passive one for someone as driven as Sébastien. This project would give him the opportunity to pursue his career in track racing with the support of the manufacturer with which he has worked since his debut.”

“We would be extremely pleased to welcome in WTCC a top car manufacturer like Citroën and a superstar like Loeb that boast impressive winning records in motorsports. While waiting for their decision, I can say now that we areflattered by their interest in the WTCC that is the recognition of the joint efforts put in by the FIA and Eurosport Events to grow and promote the championship,” said Olivier Fisch, Eurosport Events Managing Director.

The newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer of Cricket Holdings America LLC (CHALLC) Keith Wyness believes the organisation’s foundations will help turn the dream of bringing world-class cricket to the United States of America (USA) into a reality.

The dream has remained just that for many years despite the country being able to boast substantial interest in the sport.

But Mr Wyness said the framework CHALLC has put in place will help ensure the venture will succeed where past efforts have failed.

“We have been able to look properly at getting the correct permissions, mind ” he said. “We have involved the ICC (International Cricket Council) right from the start, ed we have got the Full Member involvement of New Zealand and we are working with USACA (the United States of America Cricket Association).

“So we have got it right in terms of the right pyramid of cricket authorities and that makes a fundamental difference to everything that has gone before.

“With that, we are able to sit back and plan properly and strategically to make sure we get everything in the right place.”

CHALLC is a joint venture between New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the USACA for the development of cricket within the USA.

Mr Wyness, formerly the Chief Executive Officer of two Premier League football clubs, Everton in England and Aberdeen in Scotland, worked on the Sydney Olympic Games of 2000 and has more than a decade living and working in the USA.

He will be responsible for the delivery of a business plan which will include the sale of Twenty20 franchises for a professional league set to begin next year.

“At present we are looking at a target date of starting games in the summer of 2013,” said Mr Wyness.

“We will certainly have lead-up events through 2012 and that will give us (the chance) to introduce the game and give people (the opportunity to get) more understanding of what we are trying to achieve.

“There are two goals here: firstly, we are looking to make sure the cricket opportunity is fully exploited in America in terms of bringing it to the general population and from that there will be development at the grass roots to eventually get more kids playing.

“Without a doubt Twenty20 is the format that is going to achieve most visibility and penetration in the USA – that is what we expect to happen.

“However, we will also be supporting other forms of the game if there is a need and desire (for them) as we move forward.”

Mr Wyness played down suggestions that governance issues within the administration of the game within the USA could potentially hamper CHALLC’s attempts to develop the sport.

“There are always going to be debates and different points of view and I do not see anything unusual in that at this time of the lifecycle of a sport,” he said.

“As we move forward with Cricket Holdings America and we can show there can be major penetration (of the game within the USA), those differing opinions will become things of the past and everyone is going to move forward towards getting the best interests of cricket promoted in the best possible way.”

by Ismail Uddin