The Rugby Football Union has apologised to former chairman Martyn Thomas for the comments made against him in the report into former CEO John Steele’s departure from the organisation.

Steele left the RFU in controversial circumstances in June of last year and Thomas was one figure who was at the centre of the Blackett Report into the former CEO’s departure.

The report, which was submitted on July 8, 2011, for debate on July 10, 2011, stated that Thomas – who was then chairman and acting chief executive:

(i) had inadvertently, but improperly and repeatedly passed confidential information in relation to the RFU either directly or indirectly through third parties to members of the media.

(ii) had inappropriate contact with one of the candidates for the role of RFU Performance Director and breached confidentiality between prospective job applicants.

But a subsequent independent report compiled in November last year by Charles Flint QC concluded there was “no solid evidence” to support misconduct charges against Thomas. The RFU has now claimed that there was “insufficient evidence to support these conclusions” and “therefore apologises to Martyn Thomas”.

The statement concludes: “The RFU is now pleased to bring this matter to a close. We wish to thank Mr Thomas for his many positive achievements during his long and valued service to the Union and wish him well for the future. It is further agreed that neither Mr Thomas nor the RFU will comment further on this matter.”

The Blackett report had originally recommended that Thomas and the whole RFU board, apart from Bill Beaumont, should all resign. The panel reached their conclusions based on evidence from 65 witnesses on a confidential basis.

The report was eventually sent to member clubs in September last year after Thomas had initially succeeded in blocking its publication by threatening to sue for defamation during an RFU council meeting.

That threat remained live once Thomas had been cleared by the Flint report and the RFU council members were told by email in May that Thomas may issue a defamation writ. But today’s announcement seemingly brings an end to any animosity between the two parties.

English Premier league side QPR are close to revealing plans for a new 35,000-seater stadium within weeks, according to the Press Association.

The Hoops’ Loftus Road home is the smallest ground in the top flight and the club have been vocal in their attempts to find a plot of land for a new stadium. QPR chairman Tony Fernandes revealed this week the club are evaluating three potential sites and on Friday posted via his Twitter account the club have made a “great first step” in its attempts for a new stadium.

The plans are likely to be unveiled after QPR return from their pre-season tour in Asia rather than at a press conference on Monday, which many had expected.

MP Andy Burnham has today called for the Rugby Football League (RFL) to reintroduce promotion and relegation to the Super League.

The shadow health secretary has launched a campaign on his website seeking signatures for an open letter he will send to RFL’s new chair once the position is filled.

Burnham feels the current licensing system has created a “closed shop” at the top which is starting to damage the sport he has come to follow since becoming MP for Leigh.

Winning promotion provides the “dream factor” that keeps fans coming through the turnstiles and without it the lower levels of the sport will suffer, health he says.

Here, ed in full, is the letter Burnham will send to the RFL, addressed to Richard Lewis’ successor.

“Congratulations on your appointment – we look forward to working with you to build our great game. With that in mind, we wish to place one issue at the very top of your in-tray: namely, the return of a proper annual system of promotion and relegation to Rugby League.

“We believe this is urgent and essential to the long term health of our sport at every level and we cite the following specific reasons to support its re-introduction.

“It’s ‘the British way’ of doing things. Do we really think that the same old sides year in, year out playing in the top flight is good for the game? If you take away the dream of top flight Rugby League from the Championship clubs, you take away their lifeblood. Where is the incentive to invest in the squad if there is no prospect of promotion?

“Likewise, without the threat of relegation where is the incentive for Super League clubs to improve, knowing they can and will remain in the top flight year on year.

“Promotion and relegation adds excitement and drama to the season at both ends of the tables. Currently bottom of the table fixtures are played out as meaningless games.

“The loss of competitiveness, threatens in the long term to damage spectator and TV audiences for the sport. Too many predictable, one-sided games will make people switch off or not bother to turn up.

“We are lucky to have a number of towns across our heartlands where RL remains the dominant sport and we understand the RFL’s desire to spread our great game to new areas.

“A comparison with top flight football is relevant here. The FA Premier League’s open approach has brought top-flight football to new areas (Hull, Wigan, Reading) and at the same time has improved the competitiveness of both the Premier League and the Championship beneath it. In particular, Wigan Athletic have disproved the theory that clubs must be given top flight security or face relegation.

“We urgently need to engender the same open and competitive culture in Rugby League or the game faces slow decline in the long term.

“We wish you well in your endeavours as the steward of the sport we love and look forward to your active consideration of this crucial issue.”

English Championship leaders Southampton FC has introduced a new marketing campaign which allows loyal fans to show their support using blippar image recognition making them the first club in the Football League to use the latest mobile technology.

Advertising banners across Southampton can now be brought vividly to life using the latest in augmented reality technology, click putting the club firmly at the heart of the city as it continues to strive toward possible promotion at the top of the Championship.

Fans of the Championship-leading club can put themselves at the centre of the Saints’ huddle with up-to-the-minute technology allowing them access to a wealth of information at the touch of a button. Supporters need only to install the free blippar app to their iPhone or Android device to become part of the team with just one click.

As well as providing instant access to the club’s website, team shop and ticket office, fans can also use the huddle feature to place their own face into the Southampton FC team, then use the app to share this image via email, Facebook and Twitter, showing their support for the team across social media networks.

Chris Hayler, Marketing Manager at Southampton FC, said: “We always place our fans at the heart of what we do so we are delighted to be able to engage them using such new technology, and to be leading the way in the use of augmented reality marketing by English football clubs. Our supporters now have the chance to access exclusive information and features at just the touch of a button, ensuring that they stay connected with the club wherever and whenever they wish.”

The Kenya Open golf tournament is the longest-running event of the European-based Challenge tour schedule and today agreed a multi-year title sponsorship deal with Barclays bank.

Barclays Kenya managing director Adan Mohamed spoke of the partnership: “Barclays recognises the power of sport to connect with customers and consumers from diverse backgrounds. We have been involved in developing professional leagues such as the Barclays Premier League in England and more recently cycling here in Kenya, sildenafil citrate sale online and are committed to promoting excellence in the game of golf,”.

The tournament, which carries a prize fund of US$253,000, has obtained the title sponsorship worth $485,000 and will now be officially named the Barclays Kenya Open for a duration of three years.

Kenya Open Golf chairman (KOGL), Peter Kanyago, added, “We are delighted by this strategic partnership with Barclays Kenya, and will ensure that the three-year sponsorship they have committed to will be handled with transparency and accountability in all aspects of our organisation. The KOGL is committed to delivering a world-class tournament which will showcase international golf in Kenya.

“The tournament has grown in statue over the years, and remains the biggest golfing event in the East Africa region. The Kenya Open is the only tournament in the region which meets and maintains the strict standards set by the Challenge Tour, thus attracting top international players from the Tour and from Africa.”

Minor League Baseball team Charlotte Knights has revealed plans to install the widest videoboard in the league at the BB&T Ballpark in a partnership with Toshiba.

The Knights are partnering with Toshiba Managed Business Services and Total Sports Entertainment (TSE) on the state-of-the-art videoboard to enhance the ballpark experience. Opening Day at BB&T Ballpark is set for Friday, April 11, 2014.

The BB&T Ballpark video project will feature a 30-by-82 foot HD videoboard consisting of nearly three million LED lamps. Located in left-center field, the HD videoboard will give fans at BB&T Ballpark a front row seat to all of the team’s on-field promotions, in-game entertainment, as well as up-to-the-minute scores, highlights, and instant replays. The BB&T Ballpark videoboard will be the largest of its kind in the International League and is six times larger than the team’s previous one at Knights Stadium.

The new home of the Knights will also feature a dazzling 14-by-35 foot LED exterior video display, an 8-by-120 foot LED ribbon board display along the right field wall, two 3-by 32 ½ foot fascia ribbon LED displays along the upper level façade on both sides of the stadium, and an LED video ribbon board measuring 2 ½- by 42 ¾ feet within BB&T Ballpark’s five-section ticket plaza.

“This videoboard will provide fans with a one-of-a-kind experience at BB&T Ballpark,” said Charlotte Knights Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Dan Rajkowski. “The audio-visual aspect of our new ballpark was a clear priority for us as it relates to providing the best experience possible for our fans. Toshiba and TSE clearly understood our vision while providing an impressive digital signage implementation to allow our fans to better enjoy their time at BB&T Ballpark.”

Toshiba is also installing vibrant LCD menu boards within the BB&T Ballpark concession stands, as well as televisions throughout the concourse so that fans will never miss a pitch of the action. Televisions will also be installed in the clubhouses, offices, team store, ballpark suites and suite level areas.

“By working closely with the Knights’ executives in every phase of the planning, our goal was to deliver a comprehensive digital signage implementation to meet the discerning audio-visual needs of the team’s fan base,” said Bill Melo, General Manager, Toshiba Managed Business Services. “By outfitting the team with one of the largest and visually dynamic scoreboards in professional baseball as well as nearly 200 digital displays throughout the ballpark permitting fans to stay connected to the game, we believe we have done just that.”

Charlotte’s consultant on the video project was TSE, a firm that provides quality design, equipment, installation, and support facilities while increasing efficiency, content, and adaptability of video production.

“Everyone at TSE Services, is excited to be chosen by the Knights to lead in the design, procurement and oversight of BB&T Ballpark’s state-of-the-art LED displays, HD production room and other audio-video technology,” stated TSE’s Owner and Chief Consultant, Bob Masewicz. “We challenged ourselves to integrate more innovative technology aspects to ensure BB&T Ballpark becomes one of the most dynamic stadiums in professional baseball.”

The FEI Bureau has this week withdrawn Guadalajara, buy Mexico as hosts of the FEI World Cup Jumping and Dressage Finals in 2015.

The organisers have been unable to meet in full the requirements imposed by the FEI Bureau when the Finals were allocated to Guadalajara at its meeting in June of last year.

“The FEI truly appreciates the efforts that the Guadalajara organisers put in to try and meet all the requirements,” FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos said, “but as they were unable to fulfil them within the agreed timeline, the FEI Bureau was left with no choice but to withdraw the Finals. In spite of this set-back, we hope that the Mexican Federation will consider hosting a major FEI event in the future, as we are very keen to see a world class equestrian event organised in the region.”

Guadalajara and Las Vegas (USA) both put in bids to host the 2015 Finals, but although Guadalajara is no longer involved, hosting rights will not automatically be transferred to the American city.

The international governing body of equestrian said in a statement: “The FEI has contacted the Las Vegas organisers to see if they are still interested in staging the double Final in 2015 and, if they confirm their continued interest, allocation of the Finals to Las Vegas will be dependent on the organisers fulfilling all the requirements. Following receipt of this information from Las Vegas, the ultimate decision on allocation of the Finals will be made by the FEI Bureau.”

IMG College, the nation’s leading collegiate marketing firm, has agreed a12-year extension with TCU college.

The agreement, effective through the 2023-24 academic year, includes IMG College’s representation and management of game broadcasts and coaches’ shows for radio and television, publications, Internet sales, corporate partnerships, stadium and venue signage, game promotions and hospitality.

“IMG College is a leader in collegiate athletics and we are extremely proud of our relationship,” TCU director of intercollegiate athletics Chris Del Conte said. “IMG represents the same values as TCU and has been a great partner. We are very excited to have IMG synonymous with us during this historic time for our athletics program and university. Rudy Klancnik, general manager of TCU IMG Sports Marketing, and his team have done an excellent job representing us in the community with our corporate partners.”

Through IMG College’s representation, TCU has benefitted by the support of large national brands as well as new and enhanced relationships with many local companies. By consolidating schools’ media rights coast to coast, IMG formed the first national collegiate marketing platform giving companies easy access to the largest, wealthiest and best-educated fan base in sports. With TCU involvement in this groundbreaking platform, major sponsors including UPS and Lowe’s are now providing support to TCU Athletics. Additionally, IMG College has helped TCU forge foundational local sponsorship deals with brands such as Albertson’s, Pepsi and Muscle Milk.

“Our relationship with TCU has been a true, successful, mutually beneficial partnership, which we are very gratified to extend for another 12 years,” Klancnik said. “IMG College is honored to serve one of the country’s finest universities and athletic programs.”

Each year on the TCU IMG Sports Network, more than 200 hours of Horned Frogs sports programming is produced and distributed, including play by play and pre- and post-game shows for TCU football and basketball games.

Die neue Organisationsstruktur der DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH tritt, sale wie vom Aufsichtsrat im vergangenen März beschlossen, zum 1. September 2012 in Kraft. Das Organigramm sieht demnach nur noch zwei statt wie bisher drei Geschäftsbereiche vor. Der Verantwortungsbereich des Vorsitzenden der Geschäftsführung umfasst neben den Aufgabenfeldern “Finanzen, IT & Organisation”, “Recht” und “Kommunikation & Werbung” auch die neuen Direktionen “Strategisches Marketing & Produktmanagement” sowie “Public Affairs & Internationale Beziehungen”. Der zweite Geschäftsführungsbereich umfasst wie bisher die Direktionen “Spielbetrieb” und “Lizenzierung” sowie die Arbeitsgebiete “Spielplanung” und “Fan-Angelegenheiten”.

Die DFL wird sich damit verstärkt auf ihre satzungsgemäßen Aufgaben wie die Organisation des Spielbetriebes und die strategische Positionierung und Vermarktung der Liga konzentrieren. Gleichzeitig geht das Deutsche Fußball Archiv (DFA) in der neugegründeten DFL Digital Sports GmbH auf. Das Tochterunternehmen mit Sitz in Köln wird die Erstellung und technische Bereitstellung von medialen Inhalten zur Aufgabe haben, um die nationale und insbesondere internationale Präsentation sowie Vermarktung des Wettbewerbs in allen Facetten elektronischer Medien optimal zu unterstützen. Wie schon bei den DFL-Töchtern Sportcast GmbH und DFL Sports Enterprises GmbH werden so zusätzliches Know-how und Synergien geschaffen, von denen Clubs und Liga profitieren.

PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games committee have announced their plans to improve the venues that will stage the games.

PyeongChang 2018 President Jin Sun Kim said, clinic “in the past year the PyeongChang Organizing Committee has been established, a special act was approved to support preparation works, the ground for the Wonju-PyeongChang-Gangneung high-speed rail link was broken, and the designing of the competition venues has begun”.

A review by the organising committee revealed adjustments had to be made to improve the experience.

He added: “the adjustments are inevitable in order to deliver the athlete-and Games-oriented concept that we had promised in the bid”.

Improvements include changes in location of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the speed skating and ice hockey II venues, as well as the Olympic Station. The sties for the downhill events, ice hockey I and snowboarding have been confirmed after detailed reviews.

One of the key changes is to the site of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The new proposed site will be in Hoenggae, two km from Alpensia and where the national team trains regularly. It will be converted into a festive hub during Games time.

Measuring 80,000 sq. m., the hub will feature a temporary 50,000-seat stadium, a medal plaza, an Olympic exhibition hall, traditional food markets and other attractions expected to be popular with athletes and tourists.

Future plans include 13 competition venues, seven of which already exist and six to be newly constructed. A budget of 19.8 billion Korean Won ($17.3 million) has been set aside this year for design works, which have already started. Construction should be completed by October 2016.

Meanwhile construction and upgrading of the transportation infrastructure has started. A budget of 4.7 trillion Korean Won ($4.1 billion) has been a allocated for 14 transportation infrastructure projects, including the upgrading of the rail link between the Incheon International Airport and Gangneung.