Suspension of talks between the National Football League (NFL) and its players on a new labor accord have been put in place for almost a month while they await a federal judge’s ruling on a request to end the lockout.

Players’ and owners’ representatives met four times over the past two weeks in Minneapolis with the mediator, apoplectic Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan.

James Quinn, outside counsel for the players, said as he left yesterday’s, April 20, meeting: “We’re going to be back here on May 16 to continue the mediation. Everybody believes that it was helpful.”

Executive vice president and general counsel for the league, Jeff Pash, said Boylan’s contributions are moving the sides toward a conclusion, stating on NFL.com: “This was a valuable process. I don’t think a single minute of it was wasted time. We’ll be back here ready to make a deal; that’s the only way we’re going to solve this problem.”

Before the players and owners meet again, U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson is expected to rule on the players’ lawsuit to end the lockout after quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees led a group of 10 NFL players who sued the league on March 11 after negotiations on a new labor contract ended without agreement.

The players moved to decertify their union and owners declared a lockout. Players claim the league’s policies violate U.S. antitrust laws.

Lawyers for two of the Pakistan cricketers banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last month after being found guilty of corruption, Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the sanctions placed against them in the spot-fixing scandal.

Butt was banned for ten years – five of them suspended, while Amir was banned for five. Mohammad Asif, banned for seven years, two of which are suspended, is yet to appeal against the tribunal’s decision despite denying any wrongdoing in last summer’s Test Match versus England..

The players were all banned after UK newspaper – the News of the World reported no balls were bowled at specific points in England’s innings after a payment was made to a businessman.

Former captain Butt said in a statement: “This is to confirm that today my legal team served a statement of appeal.”

Amir’s lawyer Shahid Karim said he filed his client’s appeal on Friday, stating: “The process is now to set to motion, we have challenged the judgment of the tribunal on various grounds.”

In a separate development, the players are due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 17 March to face charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat.

Rick Kenney, buy Vice President of JudoScotland, shop was re-elected as Executive President of the Commonwealth Judo Association at the recent CJA Congress held in Glasgow.

Rick was a member of the CJA Executive from 1990 and was elected as Senior Vice President in 1998. He attended Commonwealth Judo Championships in this position all over the world, advice including Mauritius; Malta; Canada: Singapore and New Zealand. He was Chairman of the Organising Committees when Commonwealth Championships were held in Scotland in 1998 and 1986.

He was previously Chairman of JudoScotland for seven years and Vice Chair of the British Judo Association for 5 years along with serving 2 terms as Vice Chair of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland.

The role of CJA Executive President is a demanding one with some 71 Commonwealth countries having involvement in the sport of judo at all levels from recreational to international representation. The CJA is now involved in discussions with the International Judo Federation to progress mutual opportunities to further develop judo across the Commonwealth.

Judo was a demonstration sport in Edinburgh at the 1986 Games, when Rick was also the team coach, and due to its success, the sport was then included in the following Games in Auckland, New Zealand in 1990. Judo had to wait until the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 before the sport re-appeared on the Games programme, with Graham Randall winning a gold medal for Scotland.

Rick said, “I look forward to developing judo across the Commonwealth over the next few years and am sure that the success of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games will continue to showcase our sport across the world. Scotland has a long tradition in judo at Commonwealth level stretching back to 1986 and I see a bright future for judo.”

The Rugby Football League (RFL) have granted Bradford Bulls a new license to play in the Super League in 2014.

After being taken out of administration last August, the Bulls were only given a 12-month provisional licence.

But the club has now been put on the same footing as the other 13 Super League clubs, whose current three-year licences expire at the end of next season.

Blake Solly, the RFL’s director of licensing and standards, said: “The Bulls have been granted an extension of the year-long licence they were awarded in September 2012.”

“The new licence expires at the end of the 2014.”

Bradford, who were taken out of administration by local businessman Omar Khan and Bradford MP Gerry Sutcliffe, are debt-free and have proved competitive on the field under new head coach Francis Cummins, despite being unable to claim their full allocation of central funding.

Solly added: “Bradford have delivered good crowds with people paying full rate for their season tickets and the team are obviously performing very well on the pitch.

“They’re working very hard to make sure the club is a sustainable business and they’ve certainly engaged and energised the local community.

“Like all clubs, cash-flow is tight but they have made great progress, given the situation they inherited.”

The Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV) have continued their partnership with Infront Sports & Media up to and including 2021.

The international sports marketing company will continue to distribute the world-wide media rights for the bi-annual Men’s and Women’s CEV Volleyball European Championships. The agreement also marks an expansion of the partnership. From 2014 onwards, diagnosis Infront will also distribute the international media rights for the CEV Beach Volleyball European Championships as well as the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Finals in 2016 and 2020 – the decisive qualifying competitions for the Olympic Games in the respective years.

The new contract covers all forms of electronic media rights including television, ambulance radio and new media broadcast rights for the CEV top events on national team level. Infront will continue to offer the rights in a varied and flexible manner, including live, delayed, highlights and news coverage. The company will also be directly in charge or supervise the host broadcast production of the CEV events, guaranteeing media rights licensees a TV signal of high international standard.

CEV President André Meyer said: “We look forward to another step of our cooperation with Infront Sports & Media. By taking into consideration the good results stemming from the past few years, we have decided to join our forces once more in order to provide the Volleyball and Beach Volleyball community with a first-class service when it comes to TV production and the distribution of all relevant media rights. We know we have a very solid and professional partner at our side and I am convinced this extended cooperation will significantly help the promotion and development of our sport.”

Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront Sports & Media, added: “The CEV-Infront partnership is among the most long-standing in the industry and Volleyball a core pillar of our summer sports portfolio. We are proud and delighted that we earned the trust and respect of the CEV to further strengthen this successful partnership. Together, we will continue to deliver top quality and excellence for the good of European Volleyball, its commercial partners and fans. At the same time we are taking a more comprehensive approach that includes traditional Indoor Volleyball and the rapidly growing sport of Beach Volleyball. For both disciplines, we will leverage our unique expertise in media rights distribution, media production as well as marketing, ensuring continuous success for the CEV and its events.”

Affiniti Golf Partners management responsibilities at Huntsville Country Club, a historic facility located in northern Alabama, have been extended according to the company’s founding partner, Whitney Crouse. 

Founded in 1925, Huntsville Country Club has been a centerpiece of life in Huntsville, the first incorporated town in Alabama and recognized among “America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations” by The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The club’s distinctive 6,586-yard, par 71 golf course also opened in 1925 and was designed by course architect Robert B. Harris. The course is dotted with magnificent willow trees and hardwoods, and offers glimpses from several holes of the commanding Cumberland Plateau that frames the east side of Huntsville. It is a “core” golf course, a refreshing break from today’s modern real estate driven golf properties.

Current plans call for Affiniti Golf to market limited, midweek, non-member play at the club in an effort to advance new membership opportunities. The firm also will launch a new website, enhance customer service, expand the banquet business, and add many more activities for the members to choose.

Crouse said: “Affiniti is so pleased to work with a historic property like Huntsville Country Club, one that has endured for 87 years. We will be working with a Board of Directors that represents both the traditional golfers and the younger constituents who desire more family activities. You have to have both for a club to succeed today.”

Affiniti Golf Partners will oversee the golf and club operations, membership, marketing, finance, dining and special events at Huntsville Country Club. For more information contact Affiniti Golf Partners at 678-679-0523, or visit online at www.affinitigolf.com.

Plans for a motor racing complex in Ebbw Vale could be submitted to Blaenau Gwent council as early as September.

The £250m Circuit of Wales project promises to boost regeneration and bring 6,000 jobs to the area, as well as enhancing Wales’ international profile.

It will focus on the low-carbon automotive industry and international motorsports.

The main racetrack will be approximately 3.5 miles long with an international kart track and motocross tracks as well as the main circuit. The development will include a technology park for research, development and support services in the automotive and motorsports sectors.

The plans were first unveiled last November, with land adjacent to the Rassau industrial estate on the edge of the town earmarked for the racetrack.

Chief Executive Michael Carrick says the circuit is designed to host international motorsport events such as MotoGP, World Superbikes and World Motocross.

The project would be delivered by The Heads of the Valleys Development Company in partnership with the Welsh Government, local authorities, universities and industry partners.