Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire accused of running a scheme that persuaded investors to buy certificates of deposit from Stanford International Bank, located in Antigua, has filed a countersuit against US prosecutors, accusing them of depriving him of his constitutional rights.

Stanford has been in custody since June 2009 and is now seeking US$7.2bn in damages from the SEC and FBI in a lawsuit which claims prosecutors “undertook illegal tactics” in their investigation of Mr Stanford’s alleged pyramid scheme that they claim defrauded investors of $7bn.

Mr Stanford was ruled unfit to stand trial last month by US federal judge David Hittner over concerns of his ‘mental capacity to assist his lawyers’. He has pleaded not guilty to fraud, conspiracy and obstruction.

Mr Stanford rose to prominence in the UK and the Caribbean for his lavish sponsorship of cricket and in 2008, he bankrolled a high-profile $20m cricket match between England and a Stanford All-Stars team in Antigua.

Italy’s second-tier football division, Serie B, will be rebranded Serie bwin after a two-year sponsorship deal was signed with the Austrian betting company.

The deal will bring much-needed revenue to the division, which has seen several years of financial difficulties.

Serie B will run its own affairs in the new season, after top flight Serie A broke away from the two-division professional league.

Serie B president, Luca Ferrari, said: “The breakaway of Seri A was consensual. The newly created Serie B has already faced many challenges and there will be others in the future, but with bwin by our side, we can achieve great things.”

Bwin Italy CEO, Paulo di Feo, added: “We are delighted to be working alongside the new Serie B in this exciting new adventure. Today, with the advent of Serie bwin, we are facing a very exciting new challenge, giving us real contact with local people, the chance to support a competition strongly linked with the Italian tradition in which we will pay particular attention to the youth.”

Horizon Communications, pills a leading provider of wireless solutions to large venues and events, medicine has been announced as an official provider of Wi-Fi to the Special Olympics 2014 USA National Games to be hosted in New Jersey, ampoule from June 14 to June 21, 2014.

“We are excited to have been selected as the official Wi-Fi provider for the Special Olympics 2014,” said Mike DeGraw, CEO at Horizon. “We look forward to supporting these world class athletes, their coaches, families and their fans by enabling Wi-Fi connectivity at this event.” Fans at the event and across the country will be able to monitor results real time and view certain events via streaming video on the Special Olympics website. “We are proud to help share remarkable experiences by providing a more engaging and interactive experience for all,” added DeGraw.

Horizon has installed wireless solutions at some of the most recognizable sporting venues in the Western United States, including AT&T Park, SAP Center, Dodger Stadium and the Honda Center. 

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) have announced today for the first time ever a World Triathlon Series event will be held on the continent of Africa as the race joins the 2014 schedule.

The race is slated to be held at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa on April 26-27, 2014.

The World Triathlon Cape Town race will serve as the second stop on the eight-city tour, which kicks off in Auckland on April 5-6. Cape Town is one of only two cities to debut on the WTS calendar in 2014, with Chicago also hosting an event for the first time as well. 

“We have been working to secure a WTS event in Africa for a long time,” ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado said. “We are very excited to bring our fast paced, action-packed style of racing there. The location is an ideal spot for premium racing, and will also serve as an important development tool for all of Africa.” 

Race organizers have proposed a two-lap 1500m swim within the V&A Waterfront, followed by a scenic eight-lap 40km bike ride along Beach Road and a four-lap 10km run with constant ocean views for the elites. The weekend of events will also include races for mass participation events. 

Furthermore, the heart of the event will be the Race Village hosted at the Look Out Venue at the V&A Waterfront which will feature a lifestyle expo and will contain grand stands from which the public has a clear view of the finish line. 

“South Africans are passionate about sport, and will be very excited to have another world-class, premium sporting event to add to their active lifestyles,” said Bruce Parker-Forsyth, CEO of local delivery partner, WORLDSPORT.  

“The World Triathlon Series is an exciting multi-city global series, during which athletes earn points throughout the season for a chance to be crowned the ITU Triathlon World Champion at the Grand Final,” said CEO Lagardère Unlimited Events AG, Christian Toetske. “Every 2014 WTS event will feature age-group races, with all elite women’s and men’s races broadcast live to an international audience in more than 160 countries, as well as streamed online live. Equally important, these events give the public the opportunity to compete on a World Triathlon Series stage.”  

“We are proud to see Cape Town, South Africa – indeed Africa added to the World Series calendar,” said Debbie Alexander, President of Triathlon South Africa. “This event will contribute to the continued growth of triathlon in not only South Africa – but all of Africa.”

Fast Track, cialis an International sports marketing agency, cialis has extended its deal to lead the media programme of three premier golf tournaments in Asia in the final quarter of 2013.

Based out of Hong Kong, pills  Fast Track Asia will continue to provide PR consultancy services for both the Venetian Macau Open and the Thailand Golf Championship, two flagship professional golf tournaments of the Asian Tour.

In addition, Fast Track has been reappointed by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to deliver the media and communications programme for this year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), held at Nanshan International Golf Club in Shandong Province of China.

Dan Parr, Director at Fast Track Asia, said: “We are naturally delighted to be engaged again to provide PR services for these three hugely influential golf tournaments in Asia with each having a role to play in the development of the sport in the region in their own right.”

He added, “With local expertise and knowledge together with international reach through other Fast Track offices, we are able to promote these tournaments to mature as well as developing golf markets around the world, raising the profiles of these events, and hopefully generating worldwide buzz for them.”

The Venetian Macau Open, which takes place at the Macau Golf & Country Club on 17 to 20 October this year, was won by India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar in 2012. With a 16-year history, the tournament is one of the highlights of Macau’s annual sports calendar. Title-sponsored for the second year in succession by The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, the total prize fund has been increased to US$800,000.

The third edition of the Thailand Golf Championship is scheduled for 12 to 15 December this year at the magnificent Amata Spring Golf and Country in Chonburi province. Boasting a world class field of international stars and leading Asian payers, last year’s event was won by 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel with an imperious display of golfing giving him an 11 shot victory.

For the first time since its U.S. launch in 2002, for sale AXE, the No. 1 men’s grooming brand in the U.S., will air a 30-second television commercial during Super Bowl XLVII.

The spot is entitled “Lifeguard,” and includes a twist at the end that aligns with a larger creative campaign scheduled for a January 2013 launch.

“As a lifestyle brand synonymous with innovative products and marketing, we are always pushing boundaries into uncharted territories,” said Gaston Vaneri, Brand Director for AXE. “We have some extraordinary news to announce in 2013, taking our interaction with our fans to new heights, so the Super Bowl became the obvious platform to share it with the world.”

The commercial was created by BBH London.

Royal Melbourne Golf Club has been confirmed as the host venue for the 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, cheap ed organisers announced before this week’s fourth staging of the prestigious championship in Thailand.

The 2013 event will be held at Nanshan International Golf Club in Shandong province, order China. The inaugural championship in 2009 was held in China before the event moved to Japan in 2010 and Singapore last year.

The annual event is organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the Masters Tournament and The R&A, and offers the winner an invitation to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. The champion and runner(s)-up earn spots in International Final Qualifying (IFQ) for The Open Championship.

The 2014 event will mark the first time the championship has been held in Australia. Royal Melbourne has hosted many major events including this year’s Women’s Australian Open, the Presidents Cup match between USA and the Internationals in 1998 and last year, and the World Cup in 1959 and 1970.

“Australia will be an exciting new destination for the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship,” said Kwangsoo Hur, President of the APGC. “Royal Melbourne is one of Australia’s and the world’s most famous golf clubs, so we look forward to continuing to work with the club and Golf Australia on what will be a spectacular week.”

John Hopkins, Chairman of Golf Australia, commented: “The 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will mark a new chapter for the event as it visits our region for the first time,” Hopkins said. “Australia has a proud history of hosting amateur and professional events, and Australians will come out in force to watch the top golfers from all across the Asia-Pacific region. The players can be assured of playing at one of the country’s best and most famous golf clubs.”

The sixth Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will be held over the Composite Course, which features 12 holes from the West Course and six from the East Course, a layout developed for the 1959 World Cup.

Richard Allen, Captain of Royal Melbourne Golf Club, said: “Royal Melbourne has great experience of hosting tournaments, from club competitions to the world’s top tournaments featuring the biggest stars in the game. We’re proud to host the 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and would like to extend an early warm welcome to players, staff and officials for what will be a special week.”

This week’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will feature 120 players from the APGC’s 36 member associations. Television coverage will include two hours of live broadcast on each of the four days and a 30-minute highlights show, and will be aired in more than 150 countries, confirming it as the world’s most televised amateur golf tournament.