Bahrain Grand Prix organisers have accepted the eventual decision from the Formula One to cancel the race in the Gulf kingdom this season, after F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone said that the race could not go ahead as teams had objected. 

The race was originally set to open the 2011 season in March, but was postponed due to political unrest before it seemed to have been salvaged following the world governing body of motorsport’s (FIA) announcement last Friday that it would be rescheduled for 30th October.

However, any changes to the racing calendar required unanimous agreement from the race teams and that has not been reached, leading Bahrain circuit chairman Zayed Alzayani to admit: “Whilst Bahrain would have been delighted to see the Grand Prix progress on 30th October… it has been made clear that this fixture cannot progress and we fully respect that decision. 

“We want our role in Formula One to continue to be as positive and constructive as it has always been, therefore, in the best interest of the sport, we will not pursue the rescheduling of a race this season.”

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix, which had been provisionally moved to December to accommodate Bahrain, will now revert to the original 30th October slot.

Alzayani added: “We look forward to welcoming teams, their drivers and supporters back to Bahrain next year.”

Indian Premier League’s (IPL) controversy ridden Kochi franchise unveiled on Saturday, March 12, the new name and logo of its team as ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala’ following an online voting initiative.

Media reports have quoted Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials as saying the new team name has been approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing council.

KCA, on Saturday, said preparations for the first IPL encounter between Kochi and Royal challengers Bangalore were almost complete and it was fully geared up to host the five matches of the home team here from 9 April.

KCA secretary TC Mathew said the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the venue of the IPL matches, was quite suitable for conducting the home matches of the Kochi IPL team, further stating that the KSC was prepared to host the two matches now allotted to Indore.

As for the new name, a statement posted by the franchise read: “It was their (the fans) energy and enthusiasm which made this one of a kind special initiative a run-away success. Such an encouraging response made the name process exciting and a memorable occasion.”

German tyre manufacturer Continental has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The deal, which runs through to 2015, follows Continental’s recently announced tie ups with the German DFB cup, the North American Major Soccer League, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Head of the passenger and light truck tyres divisions for Continental, Nikolai Setzer, said: “We are delighted with the attractive possibility our role as exclusive tyre partner offers to link two premium brands, Continental and FC Bayern Munich.

“This adds a further component to our international football sponsoring strategy. Hooking up with Germany’s most successful club and the one best known around the world boosts the image of the premium Continental brand.

“FC Bayern Munich stands for a highly professional and impassioned approach of the playing field, too. These are attributes that perfectly match our products and our brands.”

Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Sporting Kansas City have announced today a partnership with fan engagement technology company Experience.

The parties hope the deal will empower Sporting Kansas City’s fans with the ability to create memorable events by purchasing seat upgrades and one-of-a-kind experiences at Sporting Park, all from their mobile device, beginning with the 2014 season.

Experience’s innovative technology will be seamlessly integrated into Sporting Kansas City’s existing Sporting Club Uphoria mobile application for iOS and Android . Currently, Sporting KC fans can use Sporting Club Uphoria on game day to view video highlights and live stats among other features. The Experience technology will also further enrich Sporting KC’s fan database, allowing the club to better tailor marketing offers.

Robb Heineman, Chief Executive Officer of Sporting Club, stated: “Building on our technology strategy which centers around enhancing the fan experience, Sporting Kansas City chose Experience based on their innovation and sole focus on the fan. Experience’s mobile technology, integrated into our Uphoria app, will be fast for fans to use as well as very simple and intuitive. Sporting KC fans will be further empowered to personalize their game day experience, whether it’s having the ability to purchase an on-field experience or simply enabling a seat move to get closer to the action, our fans will be able to use technology to create a memory and make the most of their visit to Sporting Park.”

Experience President Ben Ackerman added, “Sporting Kansas City has built their brand, their stadium, and the Uphoria app, all with an eye towards the future and how technology plays a key role in enhancing the game for fans. Working with teams like Sporting KC, who embrace technology and leverage it to help fans enjoy the game in new and unique ways, is what we are all about at Experience – we exist to ensure fans have fun at live events.”

The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) has announced today the appointment of two leading international agencies to develop their ongoing strategy in 2014.

They have hired Jon Tibbs Associates (JTA) to deliver brand building and global communications services and MP & Silva, healing who will advise the body on their media rights and will be their events management agency.

On 11 December the umbrella organisation unveiled nine new Commissions and Working Groups tasked with addressing a wide range of priority issues for the NOC family, remedy from engaging youth to diversifying revenue streams. JTA’s role will be communicating the successes of this and other initiatives to ANOC’s stakeholders and the wider Olympic Family. MP & Silva will help deliver a range of special events for ANOC in 2014, apoplectic including the first ever ANOC Gala Awards Ceremony as part of the General Assembly from 5-9 November.

Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al-Sabah said: “I am delighted at these significant new appointments. ANOC is committed to enhancing the level of support we provide to NOCs all over the world by professionalising every aspect of our organisation. With their wealth of Olympic Movement and sports industry experience, and their genuine best-in-class expertise, I am certain that both of these agencies will make a valuable contribution to our objectives. I look forward to a fruitful partnership in 2014.”

JTA is one of the foremost international strategic communications and brand building agencies in the sports industry, specialised in the Olympic Movement.  Their team of international relations experts provide an unparalleled understanding of Olympic Family audiences and a clear focus on client objectives.

Jon Tibbs, Chairman of JTA, said: “It is a real honour to become part of this ANOC family and to be supporting one of the most fundamental stakeholders of the Olympic Movement. This is an organisation brimming with potential, and we are excited about helping to achieve the vision of Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al-Sabah – and sharing some fantastic stories along the way. JTA has decades of Olympic communications experience and an extensive global network: we are ready to draw on all our assets to help ANOC achieve their objectives.”

Peter Hutton, Joint-CEO of MP & Silva, said: “We are extremely honoured to be appointed by ANOC as their media rights advisor and events management agency. ANOC’s plans to develop a brand awareness campaign and new activities in the Olympic calendar are very much welcomed and necessary.

“We look forward to working with ANOC and using our innovative media rights expertise to engage with a new generation of sports fans all over the world.”

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) have announced a $2 million injection into the direct athlete support (DAS) scheme, with the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) kicking in an extra $1 million.

More than 600 athletes who have earned less than $60,000 per annum over the past four years are eligible for DAS funding.

ASC chairman John Wylie said the annual investment in DAS was now $11.4 million.

“It is vital support is delivered direct to athletes at the right time in their pathway to enable a commitment to pursue sporting excellence,” said Wylie.

“The DAS scheme is all about providing targeted and means-tested financial support for our most deserving elite athletes that are not accessing the strong financial returns that some sports can from commercial broadcast contracts.”

ACGA president Sam Coffa said under previous DAS criteria, many potential Commonwealth medallists fell through the funding net.

“Today’s announcement recognises that we need to invest in our best athletes if Australia is to top the medal table in Glasgow in 2014,” Coffa said.

The ASC will announce its 2013-14 funding allocations to individual sports on Monday.

Coventry City have been offered a ground-share with Hinckley United’s Greene King Stadium.

The Knitters have offered the League 1 side an opportunity to share their Greene King Stadium home after discovering the Sky Blues could soon be homeless.

Sky Blues chiefs have ramped up their threat to quit the stadium and find a more affordable home this week after its Ricoh Arena owners ACL issued a statutory demand for rent arrears giving the club until Boxing Day to pay.

ACL have offered to cut the £1.28 million annual rent by 67% to £400,000 and give City 10 years to repay the £1.1 million but the football club have now started to look at other grounds.

If they fail to meet the deadline the Sky Blues, bankrolled by Sisu for the last five years, would have to declare themselves insolvent.

The club has been looking at the former Rushden and Diamonds Stadium as a possible home but the distance is a turn off.

Hinckley’s interim chairman Mike Sutton today confirmed he had spoken with Coventry City chairman Tim Fisher this week to offer the 1987 FA Cup winners a lifeline and an opportunity to share the Greene King Stadium.

The Sky blues have 6,000 season ticket holders whereas Hinckley’s stadium only has a capacity of 4,200 but Mr Sutton said temporary seating would be installed to provide extra seating for fans.

He said: “After hearing about the plight of Coventry City I rang up the club and spoke to the chairman Tim Fisher. He was very grateful for the phone call and the offer of help and said our offer would be seriously considered. I also know they are looking at the Rushden and Diamonds Stadium as well so we will just have to see what happens. But the offer is there. We have a lot in common at the moment with our financial problems. It would help out the Sky Blues who are a football club with a fantastic history and it would also give us a massive financial boost.”

The two clubs have a lot in common as both teams have been issued statutory rent demands from their stadium owners.

The Knitters’ former chairman Kevin Downes recently issued the club a statutory rent demand totalling £73,833.

This sum is the outstanding demand for rent due on the main stand for the period of March 1 2010 until October 1 2012.

But Mr Sutton said the club has reduced the debt from £185,000 to £75,000 and said he hopes the club will be out of debt by the start of next season.

The Rugby Union of Russia (RUR) has announced the first wave of Official Travel Agencies (OTAs) appointed to cover Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Moscow.

The first official travel packages for the tournament, healing which takes place from June 28-30 will go on sale shortly with all promising fun-packed trips to the festival of Rugby planned for the Russian capital.

The agencies include two in South Africa, viagra four in the United Kingdom and one each in New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and Spain. More agencies will be appointed in due course.

The agent appointments follow a comprehensive tender evaluation and selection process. The appointed agents will ensure Rugby supporters from around the world are offered a choice of travel packages based on content and price.

Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be a celebration of the Game and will offer spectators a unique opportunity to see the best Sevens players in the world competing at the highest level in one of the world’s most vibrant and interesting cities.”

“We are delighted that we now have on board the first of the OTAs for RWC Sevens 2013 and that we are continuing our excellent partnership with many of them that has been forged over several years. This is a key step in the ticketing programme and the announcement so far in advance of the tournament is another indication that we are on track to deliver a great Rugby World Cup Sevens.”

RUR President Vyacheslav Kopiev said: “This announcement is the next step along the way towards what will be a wonderful occasion for all Rugby fans. Moscow is a great place to visit, full of history, culture and excitement. We are confident visitors from overseas will enjoy a memorable trip to a beautiful city while following their teams’ progress at RWC Sevens 2013. These official travel agents will certainly help them make the most of their time in Moscow.”

The agents appointed so far are: 

• Makro Travel Pty Ltd (South Africa)
• Experience Group (New Zealand)
• TUI Group, which includes Gullivers (UK), Sportsworld (UK), Sport Abroad (UK), Emirates Live (UAE) and Thomson Sport (UK)
• Viajes Diertis (Spain)
• Marabou (South Africa)