FIFA have kept up the pressure on the bribery scandal by charging ten more officials from the Caribbean.

FIFA’s ethics committee has already banned five officials and reprimanded or warned eight others. A further 10 officials will now have their cases heard next month after proceedings were opened against them, FIFA said in a statement.

The officials have been charged with breaching rules on ethics in the wake of the corruption scandal that saw Mohamed bin Hammam banned for life.

The ethics committee ruled in July that he had made or offered cash gifts of $40,000 to each of the 25 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) association chiefs at a special meeting in Trinidad on May 10-11.

FIFA said in a statement: “The FIFA ethics committee has opened ethics proceedings against 10 more Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials in regard to possible violations of the FIFA code of ethics in relation to the investigation of the cases related to the special meeting of the CFU held in Trinidad and Tobago on 10 and 11 May 2011. The ethics committee has asked the 10 officials for further interviews on these proceedings.”

The 10 officials named by FIFA on Wednesday were: Raymond Guishard (Anguilla), Damien Hughes (Anguilla), Everton Gonsalves (Antigua and Barbuda), Derrick Gordon (Antigua and Barbuda), Lionel Haven (Bahamas, CFU), Patrick John (Dominica), Philippe White (Dominica), Vincent Cassell (Montserrat), Tandica Hughes (Montserrat), Oliver Camps (Trinidad and Tobago).

The ethics commitee will deliberate over the cases at its next meeting in mid-November.

Infront Sports & Media are to deliver all key aspects of this year’s Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) World Championships, from media production, implementing new technologies and providing the highest standards of delivery.

As Official Media and Marketing Partner of the FIBT, Infront has secured title sponsor BAUHAUS alongside a wide range of broadcasters that will ensure live and/or delayed coverage to more than 20 countries and territories.

Infront produces the programming in full HD quality, whilst ensuring the highest standards and technical controls to meet the key criteriaof broadcasters, sponsors and fans across all markets. Approximately 40 staff members deliver the production with up to 27 cameras shootingthe action on and around the tracks.

Bruno Marty, Infront’s Executive Director Winter Sports, says: “Once again we have been able to grow a successful ongoing client partnership organically through adding a new service from our broad range of solutions. Like the previous four FIBT World Cup races, the BAUHAUS FIBT World Championships will now also benefit from our wide experience of handling the media production for other major sports events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Serie A, Ligue 1, the FIM Superbike World Championship, the IIHF World Championship and FIS World Cups.”

Formula One veteran Patrick Tambay has reacted to F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s comments that the Monaco Grand Prix would not be a loss if it was replaced on the calendar.

Earlier this week, Ecclestone suggested that Monaco, along with some other European GPs, would need to raise its game financially to compete with countries eager to join the race calendar.

He said: “The Europeans are going to have to pay more money or we will have to go somewhere else. We can do without Monaco [if] they don’t pay enough.”

But now Tambay has responded, saying that dropping Monaco would be a risky move.

He said: “It is the highlight of the season and of the grand prix, with which partners and sponsors from around the world want to be involved.

“There are things that probably need to be put straight, and there are clearly plenty of candidates who want to organise new grands prix, while the other pay fees that may need to be revised upwards, but all of this is a matter of negotiations that Bernie Ecclestone is currently conducting with the Automobile Club de Monaco.”

India is due to join the F1 schedule next year, with the USA and Russia both expected to join the calendar in the next few seasons too.

National governing body USA Triathlon has announced today Chuck Menke has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.

Menke joined the organization in February 2010 as Director, health Marketing & Communications. The announcement was made by Chief Executive Officer Rob Urbach.

Menke’s professional background includes nearly 19 years of high-level sports marketing and communications experience, tadalafil including the U.S. Olympic Movement, the National Hockey League and NCAA Division I Athletics.

After doubling the organization’s sponsorship revenue in Menke’s first three years, USA Triathlon realized a 31 percent year-over-year increase in 2013. Overall marketing cash revenue also increased more than 50 percent since end-of-year 2009. Menke has led efforts to broaden the partner portfolio while signing non-endemic sponsors such as MetLife, Transamerica, Capital One and Avis/Budget. Menke has overseen communications for the London 2012 Olympic Games, a re-launch of usatriathlon.org, and several national television agreements.

A member of USA Triathlon’s senior management team, Menke is responsible for all strategic marketing efforts, including corporate sponsorship, licensing and advertising. He directs all branding, event marketing, and membership acquisition and retention, while supervising a department of 10 staff members. An organizational spokesperson, Menke also guides public relations initiatives, USA Triathlon Magazine, social media and creative services.

“Our marketing and communications platform has reached new heights under Chuck’s leadership, and I look forward to collaborating with him in the years to come,” Urbach said. “Chuck’s elevation to CMO will enable USA Triathlon to further benefit from his expertise, work ethic and broad capabilities.”

“I’m extremely appreciative for this recognition and the increased level of responsibility that accompanies it,” Menke said. “Our accomplishments over the past four years are the direct result of a team-wide effort, and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by talented professionals who thoroughly embrace USA Triathlon’s mission.”

In an attempt to boost Rugby in the country, USA Rugby have revealed they will bid bid to host the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2018.

Interest in the USA has increased ever since it was announced Sevens would feature in the 2016 Olympic Games.

USA Rugby director Will Chang, who is a part owner of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, will lead a delegation which will visit Moscow later this month to study how they are going about organising the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens which takes place at the end of June.

“Hosting this tournament will support our goals of developing the game and further its popularity in the United States,” Chang said. “We are looking forward to hearing more about the bid process and will do everything we can to ensure the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens will take place on United States soil.” 

The International Rugby Board said the next tournament would take place in five years’ time rather than four, in order for it to be integrated into the Olympic cycle.

Danish software company GolfBox A/S have signed a new 3-year agreement with the Nordic Golf League, health which is a cooperation of professional golf tours from Denmark, therapy Finland, ampoule Norway and Sweden.

This third level tour is one of the breeding grounds for the upcoming professional, and many talents which are now on the European Tour are a product of the Nordic Golf League.

GolfBox have been a partner of parts of the Nordic Golf League for many years, but since the Nordic Golf League have joined forces for the upcoming 2013 season, they have brought GolfBox and their new tournament software into this new setup to enhance their service and tournament management.

GolfBox has not yet officially released this new software, but during the recent Q-School for the Ecco Tour(the Danish part of the Nordic Golf League), the new software was shown in public during this live pilot test. The feedback was extremely positive, not only from the organizers, but also from players and spectators.

“We are very pleased with this new agreement. This is a confirmation that the significant investment into the new tournament software has paid off. We started this project in August 2011 and now almost 10.000 production hours later we can’t wait to release it,” says Christian Faergemann, CEO of GolfBox.

Faergemann adds that the new tournament software has been designed completely to embrace the fact that tablets and mobile devices are a central part of the future software usage. It may also be groundbreaking in several areas with new modules to assist Tournament Directors, referees, TV crews and other official’s connected to high profile tournaments.

GolfBox are not rookies in supplying tournament software. They have many high profile clients and in 2012 close to 30.000 tournaments was handled using the current GolfBox tournament solution.

More than 900 golf clubs and several golf unions, such as The Danish Golf Union, Norwegian and Swedish Golf Federations, European Golf Association, Scottish Golf Union and Golf Union of Wales today use GolfBox or parts of the software.

GolfBox have previously been consecutively awarded as a “Gazelle” company by Danish financial magazine Børsen and nominated to “Entrepreneur Of The Year” in the “Start up” category by Ernst & Young. GolfBox was also given the award “Owner Leader 2010? by PWC. GolfBox anticipates their international growth to continue in the years to come.

NFL defensive lineman Calais Campbell of the Arizona Cardinals announced today that he has signed with Centurion Strategies, asthma a high-level marketing, medstore advertising and public relations firm.

“The players I surround myself with off the field are just as important as my teammates on Sundays, for sale ” said Campbell. “Centurion’s team has proved they are dedicated to producing results with speed and integrity, and I look forward to working with them.”

The four-year veteran finished the 2011 season with a career-best eight sacks and two forced fumbles, leading his team’s defense. In March 2012, Calais received the franchise tag from the Arizona Cardinals. He is founder of the CRC Foundation, an organization named after his late father that assists with the development of young people by empowering them with quality life skills. As a result of his hard work in the community, Calais was named the Arizona Cardinals 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

“Calais is one of sports’ brightest young stars,” said Michael Bilello, president and CEO of Centurion Strategies. “We are excited that he chose Centurion Strategies as his agency of record and anticipate success as we continue to surround him with opportunities that showcase both his athletic successes and community achievements.”

by Ismail Uddin

Taiwan have hosted its first surfing competition in the form of Asia’s Surfing Championship (ASC), earning its status as one of Asia’s best surfing spots, and building Taiwan’s repertoire.

The Taitung County 2011 International Surf Challenge, the first ASC sanctioned event held in Taiwan, attracted contestants from around a hundred different countries, including Japan, the U.S., Indonesia, Australia, France, and Canada. Also included was this year’s Australian surfing champion Jackson Close, who has helped transform Taitung into Asia’s Hawaii. The competition, took place on the 26th and 27th of November at Taitung’s Donghe Village, separated into different categories with five different judges from countries such as Australia and Indonesia. The environment of Taitung, including geography, waves, and climate, has been recognized by the ASC as “four-star” out of a maximum rating of six stars.

The Taitung County Government has been working in tandem with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Education, the East Coast National Scenic Administration, and other government departments to make the 2011 Asian Surfing Championships happen. Taitung County Governor Justin Chang expressed his affirmation that the selection of Taitung as the location for this competition, earning recognition from competitors all over the world for its geography, waves, and scenic value, solidifies the county’s reputation as one of Asia’s top surfing spots.

Aside from the competition on the 26th and 27th, there was a welcome night party on the night of the 26th, which was open to participants and guests alike for a night of song and dance. The awards ceremony took place from 16:00 to 17:30 on the 27th. The organizers also offered transportation service that took commuters back and forth to ensure maximum convenience throughout the day at the event.