With goal-line technology set to be debuted at the Club World Cup in Japan, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has welcomed the introduction of the system.

The game between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Auckland City will stage the system.

The issue of goal-line technology has veered from one extreme to the other in recent years, with FIFA unsure whether it would undermine officials rather than help them. However, world football’s governing body will try out two systems – UK-based Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, from Germany – in Japan to see if they can be implemented at a wider level.

“It’s a big day,” Valcke told FIFA’s website. “Tomorrow will be the first time that goal-line technology will be officially used in a game. The tests are done; and the instillation tests were successful.

“This is also an important day for us, because we will use one of the two systems we are using here in the FIFA Confederations Cup next year.”

He added: “This is a kind of revolution. It is the first time that this kind of technology is coming into football. It will be restricted to the goal-line specifically. The IFAB (International Football Association Board) is there to ensure the 17 laws of the game are protected.

“It was their decision, and they were clear, to say that the technology is limited to the goal-line. We must ensure that when the ball goes into the goal, the referee must get the information that the ball has gone in. The referee has the final decision.

“The technology won’t change the speed, value or spirit of the game. There is no reason to be against this technology.”

The Hawk-Eye system is the same as that used in cricket and tennis, which relies on a series of seven cameras to create a 3D picture of each goal, while GoalRef uses electro-magnetic sensors.

Valcke also said he had full confidence there would be no errors from the technology.

“It needs to be the most accurate system we can have at the moment,” he said. “There can be no mistakes with this and that is why the IFAB took two years to make sure the system was perfect.”

Recognised golfing brand Mizuno Golf UK has appointed Revolution Sports Marketing Group (Revolution) to work with the brand as it makes its first major push into the sports and consumer media sectors.

Mizuno was founded in 1906, medic and is one of the world’s most established and technologically advanced golf brands – its clubs are used by Luke Donald, denture as well as England’s Chris Wood. Revolution has been retained to work across the stable of Mizuno golf products but with a focus on its Swing DNA fitting system and the new range of MP-59 irons.

Graeme Gorrie, professional ed UK Marketing Manager, commented: “Mizuno has a long heritage in golf and its clubs are well known to those in the know, but the time is now right to expand the brand’s appeal and we are delighted to be working alongside Revolution to take Mizuno into new markets.”

Rod Kohler, PR Director at Revolution, added: “Mizuno is a premium golfing brand and everyone who plays the game should be aware of its history and outstanding range of products. We look forward to working closely with the in-house team to take the brand into the major sport and lifestyle media.”

by Ismail Uddin

Sebastian Coe has unveiled a new £8.25 million ($13.1 m) sports centre at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham which is to play host to three international teams in the build-up to London 2012.

Teams from China, Ireland and South Africa are all due to base themselves at St Mary’s before the Olympics.

With £500,000 ($796,000) of National Lottery investment from Sport England, the sports centre will further support and enhance the ever growing number of sport and health related academic programmes the University College has to offer, as well as facilitating the numerous student, staff and community activities that take place on campus, officials there claimed.

Lord Coe, London 2012 chairman, said: “Since visiting St Mary’s in April, when I was walking round what was effectively a building site, the progress that has been made here is astonishing and this really is an extraordinary facility.” 

St Mary’s has established itself as one of London’s top-performing sporting institutions, providing a comprehensive sports development programme that focuses on elite performance sport, special events, recreational opportunities, coaching and broader sports development activities.

Charles Johnston, Sport England’s Property Director, said: “This Lottery investment will ensure we build a lasting legacy beyond next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games by giving students, staff and the local community the opportunity to enjoy and play sport in this first-class facility.”

Among the athletes who have used St Mary’s to prepare for major events are Britain’s Mo Farah, the world 5,000 metres champion.

Professor Richard Fisher, head of St Mary’s 2012 Preparations and Sport Strategy, commented: “Sport plays an important role in the student experience at the University College and the facilities are a key part of delivering this.”

“In turn, these facilities and support services attract professional athletes to train on campus, including athletes from the South African, Irish and Chinese Olympic teams who will be using St Mary’s as their 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp. They also enable the University College to provide an even better service to the local community.”

IndyCar Series have taken help from Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in a bid to investigate the accident that led to the death of British driver Dan Wheldon in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Wheldon died after a 15-car crash at the 1.5-mile oval, which was hosting its first IndyCar event for 11 years.

As well as the FIA, the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States is involved in the probe.

IndyCar announced on Tuesday that it hopes to be able to announce its initial findings into the reasons behind the multi-car crash that occurred on the 11th lap of the race, causing several cars to become airborne.

A statement from the IndyCar series organisers, read: “The safety of our drivers, their crews, IndyCar staff, racetrack staff and spectators is always our paramount concern.

“As part of our standard safety protocol, a full investigation has been launched by IndyCar, with assistance from the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS) and Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the national and international governing organisation, to determine the factors involved in this accident.

“We hope to have preliminary findings to report within the next several weeks. In the meantime, it would be inappropriate to comment further until the investigative team has had the opportunity to conclude its work.”

IndyCar has also cancelled the two-day test the Ganassi team was scheduled to run with the 2012 Dallara at Las Vegas this week, which Dario Franchitti was scheduled to take part in.

Franchitti’s wife Ashley Judd tweeted: “I appreciate @IndyCar canceling my husband’s test at Las Vegas track. The new car needs development – but not now, and never again there.”

A memorial service for Wheldon, who was 33, will be held on October 23 in downtown Indianapolis.

A lack of sponsorship and poor ticket sales have led to the cancellation of an international showjumping event scheduled to be held at the Sheffield Arena next month between 22-24 April.

The Yorkshire International Showjumping Event has been reluctantly cancelled due to facing “substantial financial losses” according to its organisers.

British Showjumping, herbal which had several national finals at the show, diagnosis revealed that it had been left in “a difficult position”.

A statement from the organisers said: “This decision has not been taken lightly but is a result of insufficient levels of sponsorship in an increasingly difficult economic climate, mind together with a general lack of support by potential visitors to the event… in terms of advance ticket sales.

“This is an incredibly sad day, but the costs of running a three-star international jumping event at a major indoor venue are significant.

“Balanced against the limited support we have received to date, we could not possibly contemplate bearing the substantial financial losses we were facing.”

Sponsors, athletes, officials and contractors who had agreed to support the event were released from their obligations to the event in order to seek alternative opportunities.

The statement continued: “There is no way we could consider running an event and not being in a position to pay everybody at the end of the day. added.

“It is generally acknowledged that there is a lack of international jumping shows within the UK, never more so than in the run-up to an event such as the London Olympics in 2012.

“We intend to pursue other options to run an international jumping show at a venue in Yorkshire at some time in the not-too-distant future.”

Linktel Corporate, buy a Brazilian telecommunications operator, has just signed a partnership with Orla Rio to deploy a Wi-Fi network to offer internet access on the Rio de Janeiro beaches with the World Cup and Olympics to visit the city in the next few years.

The project, “Orla Rio Digital,” will provide free Wi-Fi for the local population and tourists. This service takes place as part of the preparation for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. By the end of 2012, the service will be available in Leme and Copacabana beaches. In 2013, it will be extended to Leblon, Ipanema, São Conrado and some parts of Barra da Tijuca.

“To ensure full time access, complete redundancy, control content and control access we are now preparing for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. As millions of tourists come to Rio de Janeiro for these sporting events, clients/users of services such as Boingo, iPass, Trustive, Swisscom and Skype, will enjoy their easy experience of connecting to the Internet. The Wi-Fi service offered by Linktel has a similar technology used at international airports such as Heathrow, (London) and JFK (New York),” said José Antonio Ferreira Pinto, New Business Director at Linktel.

The foreign tourists also will use the service in roaming Linktel through international agreements with the major Wi-Fi operators from around the world. “Users will access their e-mails and social communities. All paying Skype customers will be able to use their credits via Wi-Fi to talk to their friends and business partners from around the world,” added Pinto.

Luis Antonio Abreu, Vice President of Orla Rio, commented: “In coming years the Wi-Fi Linktel services will be available from Leme to Prainha. By the end of 2012, this service will be available in Leme and Copacabana. In 2013, it will be available for Arpoador, Leblon, Ipanema, São Conrado and some part of Barra da Tijuca. Then, it will be deployed on other beaches.”

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced the appointment of IMG, Dentsu and XYZ to market its commercial (marketing and media) rights for the period 2013-2020.

It is the first time in the FIVB’s history that such a comprehensive marketing and media group has been engaged to work with the international volleyball’s governing body with the exclusive marketing and media rights agreement, which contains a relevant minimum guarantee, ensuring that the FIVB remains in control of its global marketing and media strategy.

All three agency partners will collectively work across marketing for the FIVB, while IMG and Dentsu have been appointed to handle the media rights sales to all FIVB events.

The FIVB President Jizhong Wei signed the partnership agreement during the FIVB Executive Committee meeting in Lausanne with the President of IMG Media Michel Masquelier, the general manager of the Dentsu International Sports Department Soichi Takahashi and the XYZ Olympic Sports vice-president Fernando von Oertzen.

“This outstanding marketing alliance heralds another significant step in this new and exciting era for FIVB marketing,” President Wei said. “We are extremely proud to work together with three distinguished companies which bring unparalleled strength and depth when it comes to media and marketing and an extensive global reach to deliver on our very important marketing goals.”

The unprecedented decision, made recently by the FIVB Board of Administration, to work with three world-class marketing agencies  – with IMG, Dentsu and XYZ providing unrivalled expertise and experience in volleyball and beach volleyball, and sports marketing across every market where the game is played – was formed to deliver on the FIVB’s vision of creating a ground breaking volleyball and beach volleyball Global Partner programme and follows on from the impressive initial phase of the FIVB’s new marketing strategy which has seen rebranding of FIVB events over the past two years and the introduction of the popular FIVB Heroes campaign. 

IMG Media head of sales worldwide Ioris Francini said at the signing: “We are delighted to be working with the FIVB and alongside both Dentsu and XYZ over the next eight years with the shared goal of expanding and growing the marketing and media rights of all the sports’ assets. All three companies have well established relationships with FIVB and our objective is to increase the value of the sports, enhance the global awareness of the players and teams, widen the horizons of volleyball outside its core constituencies and develop the marketing programme by attracting global sponsors and the best official suppliers. It will be an exciting time for volleyball and its followers.”

Dentsu Inc. sports division director Kiyoshi Nakamura said: “We are delighted to be a part of this unprecedented historical consortium of IMG, XYZ and Dentsu that will be responsible for the central commercialisation of the FIVB’s programme of events and the sport of volleyball that continues to be extremely popular in Japan and across the rest of Asia.”

XYZ President Bazinho Ferraz, added: “Working with Dentsu and IMG on behalf of volleyball builds unprecedented and impressive potential to market and take FIVB properties to every corner of the world. It is a unique and historical opportunity to experience volleyball and beach volleyball’s cross cultural value at the highest level.”