The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has threatened to stop its county teams from competing in this year’s Champions League Twenty20, hosted in India. unless the organisers of the event pay them the participation fees in advance.

The ECB insists that the two participant counties will have to receive the money to cover their costs from the BCCI before travelling to India for the tournament in September, a report in the Daily Telegraph stated. 

The ECB’s statement came after many of the participating teams in the first two CLT20 tournaments have alleged that they have either not received their payment on time or in full. 

Somerset and Sussex played in the inaugural CLT20 in India in 2009.

“The payment was late but was paid eventually, within about five months, and it was paid in full less about 20 per cent Indian government tax,” said Richard Gould, who was Somerset’s chief executive when they participated in CLT20 in 2009.

The CLT20 is currently allotted a window in ICC’s Future Tours Programme which schedules international cricket, unlike the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is regarded as a domestic competition. 

The third edition of the tournament begins in Hyderabad on September 19 with the qualification matches.

The first document in the so-called “lockout insurance” case between the National Football League and its players’ union (NFLPA) became yesterday, February 24.

The document regards the union’s brief to the federal court in Minnesota contending the court should overturn a special master’s decisions allowing the league to use US$4bn of media fees in 2011 if there is a lockout.

All documents have been sealed in the process since it began early last year, and the brief is redacted, with key numbers darkened out.

However, it does include excerpts of deposition transcripts and testimony, including from league execs like NFL Exec VP/Media and NFL Network President & CEO Steve Bornstein and Commissioner Roger Goodell conceding that the lockout insurance was a critical element in renewing the broadcast deals.

The news comes after late on Wednesday, February 23, DirecTV filed a motion in Minnesota federal court seeking to block the unsealing of its confidential records in the closely watched NFL media fees case.

Two local Minnesota newspapers are seeking a complete unsealing of records in the players union’s case against the NFL, in which the union alleges the league took lower media payments in return for guaranteed payments during a possible lockout. The arguments in that case were thought to be heard yesterday, February 24, but the DirecTV and the NFL could not prevent the unsealing.

DirecTV had said unsealing the records, which includes the contract and privileged communications, would expose the satellite channel’s NFL strategy, thereby impairing its ability to renew the deal in 2014.

The National Ice Skating Association (NISA) has revealed it has submitted a bid to bring the ISU World Figure Skating Championships to the UK for the first time in almost 20 years.

The bid in partnership with Glasgow City Council, medicine Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, EventScotland and UK Sport will be for the 2017 event in Glasgow.

A decision by the International Skating Union (ISU) is expected to be made after the organisation’s congress taking place in Dublin from 9 to 13 June.

Nick Sellwood, chief executive of NISA, which is the national governing body responsible for the development of the sport throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said: “The ISU World Figure Skating Championships were last held in the UK in 1995 in Birmingham, so it would be fantastic to bring this prestigious championship to Glasgow.

“It is one of the largest annual ice skating events in the world attracting more than 170 skaters from almost 40 countries in a superb showcase of figure skating.

“Our bid comes on the back of the hugely successful ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2012 which we hosted in Sheffield. We hope to build on this with the staging of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2017.”

If successful, the ISU’s flagship event will be held in the new state-of-the-art SSE Hydro. As the biggest indoor sport and entertainment venue in Scotland, it will provide a campus-based Championship with all athlete accommodation, training and competition rinks on one site.

The 12,000-seater SSE Hydro will host 2014 Commonwealth Games events and the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

Men, Ladies, Pairs and Ice Dance couples from all over the world would travel to Glasgow to compete. It would be the first time the event has ever been held in Scotland.

Liz Nicholl, UK Sport Chief Executive said: “UK Sport is delighted to be working in partnership with NISA, Glasgow and EventScotland to bid for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2017. We have been working hard over the last 18 months to be in a position to present a proposal to the ISU that is not only exciting and innovative, but which also has the development of Ice Skating within the UK at its core. The ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2017 being bid for as part of UK Sport’s Gold Event Series demonstrates our continuing significant commitment to winter sports following the unprecedented success of Sochi 2014 where our athletes provided so many inspirational performances.”

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for major events, and the SSE Hydro would be a fantastic venue for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2017. We have an outstanding track record for delivery in Scotland, and that has been achieved through strong partnerships at national and international level. We have an exciting and engaging bid, backed up by robust plans and a wealth of experience developed from some of the biggest events in world sport.”

World Snooker have announced the Capital Venue in Gloucester will host the qualifying rounds of the 2014 China Open from next February 17 and 18.

The Capital Venue in the south-west of England has already staged events on the World Snooker Tour this season, and will once again host the best players in the world as they compete for places in the final stages in Beijing. 

All 128 players who enter the event will play one qualifying match, with the 64 winners to go on to China for the season’s penultimate world ranking event. 

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “The Capital Venue has proved an excellent location for staging professional events and we are delighted to hold the China Open qualifiers there for the first time. 

“These qualifiers are just before the Welsh Open so it is convenient for the players to make the short journey from Gloucester to Newport.”

South African golf star Brandon Stone announced today he has appointed IMG, no rx the global sports, viagra fashion and media company, sale cialis for exclusive worldwide management and marketing representation after turning professional while also revealing Ping as a sponsor

Stone headed to the United States on a golf scholarship last year as the top ranked amateur in South Africa and has had a freshman year to remember, winning the 2013 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, the Bayou City Collegiate Championship and the Big 12 Championship. Last week, he was announced as the 2013 NCAA Freshman of the Year and a Ping First Team All-American.

Explaining his decision to sign with IMG, the industry leader which also manages his fellow countrymen Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Branden Grace, Trevor Immelman and Richard Sterne, Stone said, “I have had an amazing year in Texas and I would like to thank the University of Texas Golf coaches and my teammates for their support. I am very excited to turn professional and get started with the next phase of my golf career. I spoke to a lot of management companies but IMG, with all of their offices around the world and many decades of experience, make them the perfect fit for me. Initially, I will need invitations to play and IMG has the global influence to ensure I get the opportunities to compete in the right tournaments to give myself the best possible chance to win cards in Europe and the US.”

He continued, “My first start will be at the BMW International Open and I am very grateful for the opportunity BMW are giving me and hope I reward them with a great performance.”

Brandon will be managed by Duncan Reid out of the London office with assistance from Katie Gordine and Jacques Retief from IMG South Africa.

Reid, who also manages Ernie Els and Branden Grace, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Brandon to IMG and believe he has a very bright future ahead of him.  His achievements over the past couple of years have been remarkable and along with his fantastic golfing ability he is an extremely charismatic young man who will be very appealing to sponsors.”

PING Signs On as Sponsor 

Stone also revealed he signed an agreement to play with PING equipment.

As part of a multi-year agreement, Stone will wear a PING hat, carry a PING staff bag and play a minimum of 11 PING clubs, including a PING driver and PING putter. Financial terms and the length of the agreement were not disclosed.

PING Chairman & CEO John A. Solheim, said: “Brandon is a wonderful example of a young man coming up through PING’s amateur program, which reaches into every corner of the world to identify and develop talent. Our South African distributor, Doug Vilas, has had a connection with the Stone family for many years, so there’s a comfort level with Brandon that we feel contributes to his success. He has incredible skills but on top of that he has a great work ethic, and his determination makes him very tough to beat. Yet with all of his early success, he has a good head on his shoulders. He’s well-grounded. We look forward to continuing our relationship and giving him what he needs to achieve his goals.”

The Australian Footbal League (AFL) is open to restoring one of Melbourne’s disused suburban stadiums to help poorer clubs make money from low-drawing games.

Chief executive Andrew Demetriou says Carlton’s training base Princes Park and Richmond’s Punt Rd Oval are both options.

The AFL and all clubs met last week met to discuss ways to counter a growing gap between the AFL’s rich and poor clubs.

The inability of the smaller Melbourne-based clubs such as the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne to compete financially is exacerbated by poor deals at Etihad Stadium.

There have been calls for the AFL to help by buying that venue early, rather than wait until 2025 when it’s due to take ownership under its current contract.

But with the AFL unwilling to meet the current asking price, Demetriou says there is a realistic prospect of refurbishing a third Melbourne venue.

“There is. Particularly when you consider that our commitment to the number of games at (Etihad Stadium) goes down in 2014,” Demetriou said.

“We have got a number of games that would be attractive in an 18-20,000 seat venue, games we know we’re not going to get more than that.

“But if you’ve got a full house in a ground you can get a great atmosphere.”

Three of the Kangaroos’ home games at Etihad last season drew fewer than 20,000 spectators, while the Bulldogs had two such matches, all of which would have cost the clubs money.

The league has conducted a feasibility study on Princes Park and found it to be a viable option.

It’s the most recently-used suburban stadium for AFL home and away games, the last of those in 2005, and is still used for pre-season matches.

The Kangaroos, who already play two home games in Hobart, have also pushed to play some in Ballarat.

But while the AFL is open to that idea, the current Victorian Government’s unwillingness to help fund a stadium upgrade is a sticking point.

GVA has completed the sale of Aston Wood Golf Club in the West Midlands on behalf of Struan Investments Limited, allergist following a short public marketing campaign.

Designed by renowned professional golfers and course architects Peter Allis and Clive Clarke, allergist the 18-hole Aston Wood Golf Club is located in Little Aston, just 12 miles outside of Birmingham city centre.  Opened in 1994 and set in 160 acres (64 ha), the course sits adjacent to Four Oaks Park and is well connected to the rest of the West Midlands via the nearby M6 and M6 Toll motorways.

Offers in the region of £2.25 – £2.50 million were invited for the freehold property, which comprises an 18 hole 6,604 yard (par 71) golf course, practice facilities, purpose built greenkeepers’ building and a recently refurbished 8,934 sq ft (830 sq m) clubhouse that includes a substantial function room, lounge bar, members lounge, pro shop, and changing facilities.

Ben Allen, of the Hotels and Leisure team at GVA, said: “With its well-designed course, and affluent trading location on the outskirts of Birmingham, it is easy to see why many consider Aston Wood Golf Club to be one of the West Midlands’ premier proprietary golf courses.

“Our marketing campaign generated a high level of interest and resulted in strong competitive bidding for the Club.  This sale provides further evidence that the recent economic turmoil has had little impact on the value of a good quality, profitable freehold golf course such as this.’’

Colin Crawshaw, the new owner of Aston Wood Golf Club, said: ‘‘I am delighted to have purchased Aston Wood Golf Club and look forward to working with the current team to further enhance the offering and standards at the Club’’