Speedway team, Leicester Lions have failed with their bid to enter the Elite League and have been told to re-apply in 2013.

The ambitious Premier League outfit only returned to the track in 2011, but after two seasons their promoter David Helmsley applied for entry as their is no automatic promotion in British speedway.

But after talks at the AGM between the Elite League promoters and Leicester, it was decided that because of the difficult economic climate – that the numbers in the two top leagues should be protected.

Leicester promoter David Hemsley said: “Though it is disappointing for us at this stage not to enter the Elite League, we recognise that we are part of a bigger picture, are grateful for the support we have been given for the future, and pleased that we are encouraged to pursue our ambition to race at the highest level.

“We would always want to do what is right for British Speedway and we are looking forward to an exciting year of competitive Premier League racing.”

It was also announced that the Elite League KO Cup would be ‘shelved’ for 2013 after a number of clubs struggled to fit in the fixture towards the end of the season.

Four-time Major winner South Africa’s Ernie Els, therapy | has announced today that he has signed with IMG, the world’s leading sports, fashion and media company, for worldwide management and marketing representation.

Els, a four time Major Champion, former World Number One and winner of more than 65 international titles, is one of golf’s truly global stars. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011 and is today known as much for his charity work as for his golfing prowess, both in aiding underprivileged children in South Africa and more recently for his work for Autism through his charity, Els for Autism.  He also has burgeoning golf course design and wine businesses.

Els enjoyed a fairytale return to the Major league when he won the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in July, proving he is still competing at the very highest level.

Els explained his decision to join IMG commenting, “IMG has a global network of offices, loads of experienced and dedicated golf staff operating in every aspect of the game so really is best equipped to help me achieve everything I want to do on and off the course.”

Ernie’s management at Pros Inc. will be moved to IMG who will work closely with Phil Cotton and Ernie’s existing team of staff. Vinny Giles of Pros Inc., commented, “I am delighted to be part of transitioning Ernie to IMG where he will be in the most capable of hands.”

Guy Kinnings of IMG commented: “Ernie has had an amazing career to date and his influence on the game is extraordinary. We are delighted to be working with Ernie and his team and know that IMG’s offices and staff situated all around the world will be excited to have the opportunity to work with one of golf’s most inspiring figures. IMG is ideally placed to showcase both what Ernie has achieved and to assist with the exciting times ahead of him as one of the world’s iconic golfers.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has today suggested former boss Joao Havelange should be stripped of his honorary title following the release of the ISL documents implicating the Brazilian. 

Blatter’s comments mark a reversal for the president of soccer’s governing body. At the FIFA congress meeting in Hungary in May, Blatter had led a standing ovation for the ailing 96-year-old.

But Blatter has been under mounting pressure since last week after FIFA released a Swiss prosecutor’s report confirming Havelange accepted kickbacks from marketing agency ISL in the 1990s.

“He has to go. He can’t remain honorary president after these incidents,” Blatter told Swiss weekly SonntagsBlick in an interview that was published Sunday.

Blatter was a senior official during Havelange’s reign at FIFA. The 76-year-old Blatter, who is Swiss, took over from Havelange in 1998.

He had previously acknowledged that he knew about payments, but insisted they were legal in Switzerland at the time.

“I only learned of it (the payments), after the collapse of the ISL agency in 2001,” Blatter said. “It was FIFA which made a criminal complaint at the time and thereby got the ball rolling in the ISL case.”

Allerdale council has agreed to improve the Derwent Park stadium boosting Workington’s bid to host Rugby League World Cup games.

The council executive yesterday agreed to make up the funding shortfall to a maximum of £50,000 – subject to the completion of a works schedule.

The upgrade will allow the stadium to meet the standards required of Rugby League World Cup 2013 host venues.

Council leader Alan Smith said: “When I heard that west Cumbria might not get any of the World Cup matches, I was determined that this council would do everything it could to try and secure the events.

“The Rugby League World Cup 2013 is a highly prestigious event, which will raise the profile and bring trade to the area, and strongly aligns to the council’s commitment to support festivals and events.

“It has taken huge effort and a lot of discussions within a very short time frame with representatives from Workington Town RLFC, Britain’s Energy Coast and the World Cup organisers to get this far, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we have just taken another positive step in the right direction.

“We can make this happen; we can bring the Rugby League World Cup to West Cumbria.”

Rt Hon Brian Wilson, Chairman of Britain’s Energy Coast, said: “We still want to see the Rugby League World Cup coming to West Cumbria in 2013 and the Derwent Park proposal has created a way of keeping that objective alive.

“Hosting these games will be an economic opportunity for the whole of west Cumbria and it would be a great pity to lose it at this juncture. We are willing to help fund the improvements required at Derwent Park and await a detailed application.

“This will be money well-spent not just in order to secure the World Cup fixtures for west Cumbria but also to create better facilities for the whole community in the longer term.”

Dave Bowden, Workington Town chairman, added: “This is a wonderful and unique opportunity to raise participation in sport by trying to ensure West Cumbria hosts the Rugby League World Cup in Workington.

“I can only praise the commitment from Britain’s Energy Coast and Allerdale Council.”

According to estimates the cost will be between £400,000 and £450,000. The Britain’s Energy Coast Board has ringfenced £350,000 for the scheme, subject to any necessary balance of funding being provided through external sources.

The 2013 Rugby League World Cup final will be hosted in Old Trafford while Wembley will play host to both semi-finals.

The 14-teamtournament, to be held in October and November next year, were unveiled in Manchester on Thursday attended by delegates from the Rugby League International Federation.

Organisers announced in March that Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium will host the opening ceremony and a double-header to launch the event and also confirmed venues for the group matches and quarter-finals, but kept the big games under wraps after a delay in finalising contracts.

Co-hosts Wales will get the tournament under way on Saturday, October 26 against qualifiers Italy, followed by England’s group A clash with favourites Australia, while the final will be on Saturday, November 30 at Old Trafford, which was also the venue for the last final to be held in England in 2000.

Wembley hosted a double header during the 2011 Four Nations Series and is a regular venue for the Challenge Cup final.

RLWC 2013 General Manager Sally Bolton, said: “It’s a stunning venue and has hosted some famous Rugby League World Cup games in the past,” said RLWC 2013 General Manager Sally Bolton.

“Having two matches back to back will make for a wonderful day of Rugby League with the four top teams going hammer and tongs for a place in the Rugby League World Cup final.

“We know Old Trafford very well too, a venue that always delivers a fantastic Super League Grand Final for us.

“Holding the final there will allow the Rugby League community, the people of the North West and we hope many new fans to witness a fantastic spectacle.”

Sainsbury the Paralympics-only sponsor has created a new brand identity and strapline to support its sponsorship of London 2012 by giving the Games a consistent identity.

The supermarket giant will use the strapline: “Here’s to Extraordinary” on all its marketing and communications in the run up to Summer Olympics in 2012. The identity, ampoule created by Futurebrand and AMV BBDO, cheap ed incorporates a Union Jack in Sainsbury’s orange brand colour and purple illustrations of Paralympic sports.

The brand identity and strapline will be at the heart of a media campaign due to launch in 2012 to “celebrate all that is great about the Paralympic Games”. It will also appear on a range of fresh produce, point of sale material, lorries and store fronts in the London area.

Sainsbury’s will use the branding to promote Paralympic Games and ParalympicsGB merchandise that it will sell in its UK stores. Sainsbury’s is one of only two Games sponsors to have a branded presence on the field of play, in and around venues and on athletes’ bibs during the Paralympics.

Jat Sahota, Sainsbury’s head of sponsorship, said: “We wanted to create an identity that celebrates Paralympic athletes not just for the obstacles they have overcome in coming to terms with their disabilities, but also for their status as world class, elite athletes. By creating this branding we hope to drive a consistent message within all communications relating to our sponsorship.”

The supermarket has also recently changed its core brand message by introducing the “Live Well for Less” strapline.

The PGA Tour’s season-opening tournament at Kapalua has a new sponsor and a new name.

The tour announced Thursday that Hyundai Motor America has taken over as the title sponsor on Maui for a winners-only tournament that now will be called the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

Seoul Broadcasting System had signed a deal through 2019 to be the sponsor, and will continue to support the tournament.

By changing the name of the tournament, the tour goes back to its tradition of when it began in 1953 in Las Vegas. It had been the “Tournament of Champions” until Mercedes began as sponsor in 1994.

The winners-only event moved to Kapalua in 1999. It most recently was called the SBS Championship.