Jenson Button might have been the victim of an attempted kidnapping in Sao Paulo on Saturday night, according to former Formula One champion Jackie Stewart.

The Formula 1 paddock was in shock on Sunday after it emerged the reigning World Champion’s car had been approached by up to six men with guns whilst returning from Interlagos to his Morumbi hotel.

The specially trained police driver fended off the attack by smashing through traffic, with triple World Champion Stewart worrying that wallets and watches might not have been the target.

“Drug barons don’t go out to kill people but kidnap them because they are linked to rich multinational companies. In Jenson’s case that means Vodafone and Mobil,” the Scot said.

50 years ago, Cuban rebels kidnapped the then reigning World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio at gunpoint and held him for 24 hours.

Button’s father John, who was in the car with his son at the time of the attack, admitted he fears it was not random.

Rumours on Sunday suggested the attackers were alerted a few minutes before the attack that Button’s entourage had left the circuit.

“It was really weird,” said John Button, “because we were in a very small, compact Mercedes, and they couldn’t see in.”

“It looked like they were waiting for someone, so that’s a little bit worrying.”

Button’s attack was not the only security issue at Interlagos this year. A group of photographers had their cameras stolen, a radio producer was relieved of his wallet and car keys, and even the local Lucas di Grassi admitted to being mugged.

“A guy walked up to the car, tapped a gun in his belt and I handed over the watch,” said the Virgin driver.

One certainty is that Button was relieved to leave Brazil on Sunday night.

“I don’t think that’s the way to put it,” he said before the race. “It’s an epic circuit and it holds a lot of good memories. But I’ll be on my way home tonight.”

The International Cycling Union (UCI) have announced today the appointment of Sebastien Gillot as Head of Communications.

Joining from the International Boxing Association (AIBA), medstore the Frenchman will support the strategy of modernization and transparency implemented by the new governance of the UCI and its President Brian Cookson. The announcement comes few a days after the International Federation for Cycling appointed deltatre to assist in revamping its digital strategy. 

Sebastien Gillot, 34, is joining the UCI with sound experience of International Federations, having spent three years as Head of Communications and Public Relations at AIBA and seven years as Lead Editor of the French channel for FIFA.com. A multi-linguist and father of two, Sebastien has also worked for the advertising agency Havas Sports & Entertainment before advising the Annecy 2018 Olympic bid. 

Welcoming Sebastien to the UCI Martin Gibbs, UCI Director General, said: “Having Sebastien on board is excellent news for the UCI. His understanding of international sports federations and the Olympic Movement is perfectly in tune with our goal to restore the reputation of our Federation and to get it back on track as a major player in global sport. His appointment comes at an exciting time for UCI communications as we prepare for the launch of the new UCI website later this summer.” 

Gillot will join the UCI on May 5.?

MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, has announced a multi-year partnership with BaseballProspectus.com (BPro) to share data and analysis.

The partnership’s debut feature on MLB.com is Postseason Probabilities, an interactive visualization of the current standings and each team’s chances of winning the division or wild card, or securing a postseason berth. Additional content and features will be forthcoming as Baseball Prospectus and MLBAM collaborate to leverage their respective analysis and data.

“We are thrilled to partner with MLB Advanced Media,” said Joe Hamrahi, President of Baseball Prospectus. “We have long since admired and respected the amazing accomplishments of the MLBAM team and look forward to working and collaborating with them going forward.”

“Baseball Prospectus has a long-standing expertise in analysis and research and it will play an insightful role as we launch new programming on MLB.com,” said Dinn Mann, EVP, Content, MLBAM.

Over 40, health 000 gathered to participate in World Squash Day Challenge in united support of the sport’s 2020 Olympic bid. 

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect, symptoms Andrew Shelley, Chief Executive of the World Squash Federation (WSF), said: “World Squash Day gives us an annual opportunity to promote squash locally, regionally and nationally, using a theme. 

“Last year, for example, it was ‘Bring on the Girls’. This year we combined the opportunities for clubs and centres to do this by introductory offers with an opportunity to take part in the World Squash Day Challenge, to be part of a unified demonstration of just how universal we are, and how passionate our players are. With 40,000 players registered from over 70 countries I think that has been clearly shown!” 

World Squash Day proved a massive hit from around the globe. 

“Overnight I have received group photo from clubs in places as diverse as the Cook Islands, Nigeria and Ecuador, amongst others. The enthusiasm to get involved everywhere has taken my breath away,” added Shelley. 

The event, designed to give the sport visibility and encourage every country around the world to pick up a racket, has already received a great amount of exposure. 

Shelley concluded: “There have also been media reports circulating from all over the place too, which is just what promoting our sport is about. There are a bunch of videos on YouTube and I have heard about various TV interviews too. 

“World Squash Day wasn’t a success, it was a roaring success!”

IMG Doğuş, the Turkish joint venture between IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, and Doğuş, one of Turkey’s largest sector conglomerates, today signed a letter of intent (Lol) with Besiktas to develop a broad range of world class sports, fashion and art projects in Istanbul. This represents the first major initiative undertaken by the IMG Doğuş Joint Venture.

IMG Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Dolan, representing the IMG Doğuş Joint Venture, and Mr. Fikret Orman, Chairman of Beşiktaş JK, signed the LoI in Istanbul today.

Under the terms of the LoI, IMG Doğuş will work with Beşiktaş on a variety of important strategic initiatives around sports, fashion and the arts. IMG will provide design and development work of the new stadium and also will create additional revenue generating concepts.

In one of the first projects being planned, IMG Doğuş will assist Beşiktaş in revamping and modernizing to global standards its Youth Sports Academy and Close Season Training Camp in Turkey. IMG has extensive expertise in this area as the owner of one of the world’s leading academies in Florida, USA. Set on over 400 acres, IMG Academy features programs for American Football, European Football, tennis, golf, basketball and baseball among other sports.

In addition, the LoI calls for IMG Doğuş, utilizing IMG’s position as the world’s leading marketing organization, to manage the sale of all the commercial rights of the Club and the Club’s Stadium in Istanbul. This will include the development of a family of sponsors including naming rights, shirt sponsorship, technical sponsors and official suppliers.

IMG Doğuş will also assist Beşiktaş in developing a business plan for all aspects of the proposed Stadium redevelopment project. IMG is the market leader in the commercialization of new stadia and is currently working on a number of new stadia in Brazil and Russia for FIFA World Cup 2014 and 2018 respectively. The agreement includes the development of a business plan for the planned new Beşiktaş stadium.

IMG and Beşiktaş also plan to cooperate on the creation of an exciting new concept — a Centre of Excellence in the Stadium Management.

“We are extremely pleased and excited about the new IMG Doğuş relationship with Beşiktaş JK,” said Michael Dolan on behalf of the IMG Doğuş Joint Venture. “The Club has enormous history in Turkey and has enjoyed tremendous success in its more than 100 years of existence. We believe that with the IMG Doğuş experience and knowledge of the Turkish market, that we can have a very significant positive impact on The Club. We are looking forward to a long and prosperous association,” Mr. Dolan concluded.

Speaking at the press meeting, Mr. Fikret Orman, Chairman of Beşiktaş JK, said, “As the oldest sports club in Turkey, we are glad to pioneer the industry again to initiate a strong long-term cooperation with IMG Doğuş. We believe that IMG’s worldwide experience and know-how will lead us to develop new projects and bring a new vision to our understanding of sports and club management. We hope that this Lol will constitute a benchmark both for Turkey and the sector.”

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.”