UEFA is to investigate allegations of racist chanting during the opening group games between Spain v Italy and Russia v Czech Republic matches at Euro 2012.

Mario Balotelli was victim to racist chanting from the stands at the Spain game on Sunday according medi reports.

Two days earlier, Czech Republic full-back Theodor Gebre Selassie revealed he had ‘noticed’ racist chants directed at him during the game against Russia in Wroclaw.

No official complaint has been made to UEFA by either the Italy or Czech Republic football associations.

However, subsequent information has prompted UEFA to launch a formal investigation into both incidents.

“Following the provision of new independent information today, regarding the two cases of alleged racist chanting in the Spain-Italy and Russia-Czech Republic matches, UEFA is now conducting further investigations,” read a UEFA statement.

“There are, however, no disciplinary proceedings opened at this moment in time.”

This adds to the incident where Dutch players were subjected to racist chanting while training in Krakow

Leyton Orient FC chairman Barry Hearn has said that he would be open to the idea of a ground share of the Olympic Stadium with West Ham United. 

Hearn has previously criticised the Hammers’ pursuit of the stadium, labelling their bid to secure the 60,000-seat arena as “fundamentally flawed” because it did not receive the backing of the Football League. 

Hearn now appears willing to negotiate. 

“Subject to the changes West Ham are asking for, namely covering the running track, we’d be interested in bidding for the stadium as part of a ground share with them,” Hearn told BBC Sport. 

“We will now talk with the Olympic authorities.” 

Hearn and Orient’s main fear of West Ham moving away from Upton Park is that it could threaten the O’s survival by tempting fans away from Brisbane Road. 

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Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold medalists Kerri Walsh, Misty May-Treanor and five others will become the new face of U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor Kellogg Company as part of its marketing campaign leading into the 2012 London Olympics.

Other athletes on “Team Kellogg” include Summer Sanders (swimming), Juan Agudelo (soccer), Michael Landers (table tennis), Rebecca Soni (swimming), Casey Tibbs (paralympics) and Dwight Phillips (athletics).

The campaign will focus on the importance of eating a good breakfast as part of a sound strategy for success.

In April, Kellogg’s signed a sponsorship deal with the USOC through 2016, rekindling a relationship with the Olympics that began in 1976. Kellogg ended its relationship after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Renault announced a double coup on Friday by agreeing engine supply deals with Red Bull and Lotus Racing.

Both contracts cover next season as well as 2012, and mean Renault join Mercedes, Ferrari and Cosworth in supporting three teams on the grid.

The extension of the arrangement with Red Bull will now run to six years as the team and manufacturer initially joined forces in 2007. As for Lotus, they were able to break free of a three-year tie-up with Cosworth earlier this season, with Friday’s confirmation of a Renault partnership unsurprising in Formula One circles.

Bernard Rey, president of Renault Sport, said: “Renault is delighted to announce an expanded agreement with Red Bull and the arrival of a new customer.

“These new agreements mean Renault engines will power three teams next year – in simple terms, 25% of the cars on the grid.

“We remain firm believers in the benefits of our successful involvement in F1. It positions Renault as a technological leader, and boosts awareness of the brand across the globe.”

In recognition of the new deal with Red Bull, Renault branding will feature more strongly on the cars and drivers’ helmets, starting with this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Team principal Christian Horner said: “We have always enjoyed a very straightforward relationship with Renault. They have supported us extremely fairly during the past four seasons, contributing to our 13 grand prix victories so far.

“The relationship continues to evolve and we look forward to working with them during our 2011 Formula One World Championship campaign.”

Lotus Racing owner Tony Fernandes added: “There has obviously been a great deal of speculation about which engine will be powering our cars from 2011, and now the announcement has been made I think everyone can see just how ambitious we really are.”

Kosovo Curling Federation has become a provisional member of the World Curling Federation.

The vote took place at the WCF Annual General Assembly held at the conclusion of the inaugural World Curling Federation Annual Congress at the Turnberry Resort in Scotland.

?”On behalf of the Kosovo Curling Federation, impotent we are very happy to join the world curling family, order “? said Besim Hasani, allergist president of the Kosovo Olympic Committee.

In other business, it was announced that Flims in Switzerland has been awarded the 2014 World Junior Curling Championships. 

Members also voted unanimously to suspend Bulgaria and Armenia from the Federation due to failure to pay outstanding subscription fees.

England Hockey has announced the appointment of Two Circles, pills specialists in enabling sports rights holders to drive commercial growth through data base marketing, prostate to handle their CRM Strategy to cover the period up to the next Summer Olympic Games in 2016. 

The brief is to enhance the experiences of existing and potential new customers with England Hockey to drive commercial growth for reinvestment back into the sport.

The appointment of Two Circles is designed to address the opportunity within England Hockey and to develop a data driven campaign designed to directly engage with hockey fans and customers in England.

The project will aim to clearly identify details of hockey’s customers.  This will apply to those customers that already interact directly with England Hockey as club members as well as non customers such as the majority of school or club players.

Speaking about the appointment and its objectives, the Commercial and Membership Director at England Hockey, Jon Cockcroft added: “We are extremely excited about the work that Two Circles is doing for us.  Hockey has a huge, untapped market made up of players, coaches, members and supporters of the sport not least the half a million spectators who enjoyed hockey at London 2012.  With the sort of expertise Two Circles brings we are looking to better engage with these groups and increase the commercial opportunities and revenues for England Hockey”.

Gareth Balch, Director of Two Circles commented: “This is an extremely exciting challenge for us.  Hockey is just one of many sports that has latent commercial potential which through new technology and improved data marketing techniques we know we can now turn into significant revenue streams”.

Two Circles is the leading exponent of data driven marketing specialising in the sports marketing sector.  The agency has worked very closely with major sports rights holders such as Manchester City, the England and Wales Cricket Board, Harlequins RFC and the Youth Sport Trust.

Following the allegations of racist abuse at a Holland training session, UEFA have pledged they will take action against racism during the Euro 2012.

Members of Bert van Marwijk’s squad were allegedly subjected to monkey chants at Wisla Krakow’s Miejski Stadium on Wednesday, with captain Mark van Bommel branding the incident “a real disgrace”.

Having been satisfied by the Dutch FA’s initial assurances the abuse was not racially-motivated, UEFA announced they had been made aware of “isolated incidents of racist chanting”. European football’s governing body confirmed they would consider increasing the number of stewards at open training sessions in order to eject fans if there was a repeat.

UEFA said in a statement: “UEFA has now been made aware that there were some isolated incidents of racist chanting that occurred at the open training session of the Dutch team. Should such behaviour happen at further training sessions, UEFA would evaluate the operational measures to be taken to protect the players.

“UEFA has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to discriminatory behaviour and has given the power to referees to stop matches in case of any repeated racist behaviour.”

Holland winger Ibrahim Afellay, who is black, said in De Telegraaf: “The only thing that you can say is that there are more madmen roaming than trapped. I hear certain things. When you’re a footballer, you must be strong, because you hear it all the time – when you enter the pitch, when you take a throw-in, or when you take a corner.”

abortion helvetica, ed sans-serif;”>The Hive Football Centre of Excellence has been chosen by  the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) as the Match Officials Training Venue for the football tournament at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

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The 85 Officials, a combination of Men and Women from all over the world, will be using the state-of-the-art training facility as their base in between matches for the duration of the tournament. They will be stationed at the centre of excellence, where Barnet FC’s First Team trains, from 18 July – 12 August. Whilst there, the Officials will be using 2 full-sized pitches to run through drills, replicate match scenarios and participate in other training exercises.

By training at The Hive, the Olympic Officials will follow a host of International and Club Football Teams who have used the Camrose Avenue facility as their footballing headquarters, including The Swedish National Team, Egyptian National Team, Montenegro National Team, Parma FC, and FC Gabala, amongst others.

John Blasebalk, Senior Manager at Barnet FC, said, “It is an absolute honour to be selected by LOCOG to host the Olympic Officials during the course of the London 2012 Olympics. The Games are the biggest sporting event in the world so to be associated with it in some way is something all those associated with The Hive, Barnet FC and the local community should be extremely proud of.

“The Hive has been growing in notoriety since it opened in 2009 and it shows how much recognition we are now receiving after having International Football squads training here, and now the Olympic Officials. Our aim is to constantly provide state-of-the-art, top level training facilities for elite athletes and local residents alike.”