The Football Association (FA) has been given a deadline of the end of February to bring in wide-ranging reforms including taking a leading role in controlling club debt.

The Government has published its response to the select committee report on football governance and called for further changes to the make-up of the FA board. The FA, working with the leagues, should take a prominent role in monitoring finances as part of a new licensing system, the response said.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson said: “This is an opportunity for football to sort this out for itself. They have until the end of February to do so, otherwise we will introduce legislation to require them to make the necessary changes.”

Robertson said the football authorities did not have to agree to follow the select committee’s proposals exactly but if not then they had to come up with an alternative solution.

“This is an opportunity to come up with something sensible that tackles the issues that have been raised,” he said.

The Government’s response says there should be a system of licensing for clubs where financial sustainability and robust checks on club owners directors are included.

The response states: “The Government shares the concern expressed by the committee at the extent of losses and the number of clubs on the edge of viability.

“Debt per se is not always a bad thing, but it must be genuinely sustainable and should be assessed as a percentage of turnover. Government believes that there is a legitimate role for the national governing body, working hand in hand with competition organisers, to ensure that appropriate and consistent checks and balances are in place to protect the overall financial integrity of the national game and its long-term viability.

“The recent moves by the Football League to work towards a break-even rule in the Championship are a welcome indication of the appetite amongst many clubs for a change.

“The Government expects that the issue of financial sustainability should be addressed as part of the recommendations on the new licensing model.”

The report makes clear the Government’s threat to bring in legislation if reforms are not made.

It states: “We expect the football authorities to work together to agree proposals, including plans for implementation, by 29 February 2012. The new board can then agree the way forward for the remainder of the recommendations, ideally for implementation for the start of the 2012-13 football season. If that does not happen the Government will introduce a legal requirement on the Football Association to implement the appropriate governance clauses by the swiftest possible means.”

The Government’s proposals also call for reform of FA board. They propose the new structure should be made up of chairman, general secretary, two further FA executives “bringing wider football expertise”, two independent non-executive directors and two each from the professional and national game.

The FA Council’s role should be changed so that committees report to the FA board instead, with a maximum limit of eight years for council members.

The football authorities should look at ways to encourage more fans on clubs’ boards, the Government says, and clubs should be forced to release players for England duty at all age levels from under-17 upwards.

A joint FA, Premier League and Football League statement said they would take some time to decide on action. The statement said: “We shall now take time to consider the department’s response as we formulate what the most appropriate actions might be.

“The FA, the Premier League, The Football League and representatives of the national game are already engaged in this process and are committed to keeping the minister and his department informed of our progress.”

By Martin Laurence

2010 was a fantastic year in the world of sports with numerous major events catching the eye and imagination of fans from around the world. The World Cup was staged in South Africa, the first World Cup to be staged on the continent. Sebastien Vettel became the youngest winner of the Formula One Driver’s championship with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber finishing third, ensuring victory for the young constructor’s team. The likes of England and India dominated World cricket with the former winning their first Twenty20 World Cup and retaining the Ashes in the same year. Europe’s golfers overcame the American’s to regain the Ryder Cup under Colin Montgomerie’s stewardship. The Commonwealth Games were shrouded in controversy prior and since the event in October in Delhi with organisers heavily criticised in their preparations to the event.

These are just a few highlights from a memorable sporting year and here will depict the world’s major sports in images highlighting their 2010!

American Football

Athletics

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Cricket

Football / Soccer

Formula One

Golf

Horse Racing

Ice Hockey

Rugby

Tennis

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has signed a commercial deal with Eden Park, the clothes brand founded by five international rugby players in 1987.

Eden Park will provide an exclusive tailored collection of bespoke formalwear for the team.

The six-year deal will cover the next two rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015. Eden Park will kit out the entire 215-strong England squads, ranging from the seniors, the under 18s, management, and backroom staff.

Martin Johnson, England team manager, said: “Eden Park’s rugby heritage and attention to details make it an ideal partner for the RFU. Being founded by five ex-international rugby players means they know exactly what a rugby player requires and we are delighted Eden Park has committed to a long term contract with the England team.”

The RFU Eden Park formalware includes grey suits, white shirts, smart overcoats and cashmere scarves.

Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips is intent on turning the British racecourse into the best circuit in the world, he has revealed.

Silverstone signed a new 17-year contract to host the Formula One British Grand Prix last December after Donington Park failed to secure funding for a major refurbishment .

For this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Silverstone has spent over US$7 million on a new layout, the first reconfiguration of the track since 1991.

Phillips said: “We intend to be the best circuit in the world. We will never compete with Abu Dhabi who have built a hotel that lights up in different ways, which is absolutely fantastic.

“But do we have a better circuit than they do? Yeah, I think we do. Do we have better crowds, better atmosphere? Yes, we’ve all those things.

“So we have something they, and a lot of these emerging circuits around the world, will never have. So if we can perfect our track – I’m not saying we’re absolutely there yet – and everything we do build is cutting edge and really spectacular, then why wouldn’t people think we’re the best in the world?”

Phillips went on: “I would say that in somewhere between three and ten years we would hope to achieve our aim. We’re almost emerging again – a rebirth if you like. We’re trying to cover an awful lot of ground in a short period of time. I wouldn’t pretend we are going to achieve it in anything less than that.”

US sporting goods retailer Sports Authority have announced that Jeremy J. Aguilar has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer, ailment effective February 3, 2014.

He joins Sports Authority from h.h.gregg where he has worked since 2005 and has been the Chief Financial Officer since 2009.

“Jeremy’s expertise in finance and accounting will play a critical role in further strengthening Sports Authority,” stated Michael E. Foss, Chief Executive Officer of Sports Authority. “He will be a valuable asset to the team, we are thrilled to have him on board.”

Aguilar served in several roles at h.h.gregg, including Interim Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Controller and Director of Financial Reporting. He was involved in h.h.gregg’s Initial Public Offering as its controller in 2008. As their CFO, he led a secondary stock offering and had ongoing involvement with equity analysts. Earlier in his career, Aguilar worked at KPMG LLP.

He holds a BS in Accounting and Computer Information Systems from Indiana University and will be relocating to Denver from Indianapolis.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have announced Doha, viagra Qatar, adiposity will stage the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships.

The event will be the last major gathering of top international athletes before the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and is expected to attract around 1, sale | 300 of the world’s best athletes from 90 countries and will take place in March in 2015. 

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted that Doha will play host to the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships especially since we now have secured host cities for our Athletics World Championships until 2017. 

“With Lyon in 2013, Doha in 2015 and London in 2017 we have not only selected excellent host cities, but we also ensure a strong and consistent development of IPC Athletics and Paralympic sport in general in the years to come.” 

Ed Warner, IPC Athletics Sport Technical Committee Chairperson, said: “These Championships will be an important milestone on the way to the Rio 2016 Paralympics and we are expecting all of our top athletes to come out to Doha to compete. 

“Doha will offer excellent sporting facilities for all of them and the people of Qatar will have the chance to experience the world’s best Paralympic athletes perform at their highest level.“ 

In December, IPC Athletics announced its decision to award the 2017 World Championships to London, Great Britain, after staging one of the best and most-talked about Paralympic Games in history last summer. 

The 2011 edition of the Championships was held in Christchurch, New Zealand, and welcomed 1,151 athletes from more than 70 countries, generating a national economic impact of approximately $19.6 million, including spending outside Christchurch. 

The next edition of the event will take place from 19-28 July 2013 in Lyon, France, where nearly 1,200 athletes from 90 countries are expected to take part, including a majority of the medal winners from London 2012.

Former West Bromich Albion sponsor Bodog88.com and FIFA subsidiary Early Warning System GmbH (EWS) have signed a cooperation agreement to protect the integrity of football throught their new sports betting system.

The agreement is based on a continuous and trustful cooperation for the early detection of suspicious activities in sport betting which can be an indicator for match-fixing on FIFA relevant sporting events. Thus, Bodog88.com provides an important contribution to prevent betting-related fraud and corruption in sport.

The cooperation agreement between Bodog88.com and EWS includes the exchange of betting relevant information to support the analysis and review of odds-movements with regard to FIFA organized competitions.

Robert Gustafsson, Managing Director of Bodog88.com, commented: “It is in everyone’s interest that the sport remains untainted by any form of corruption and it is programmes such as this that help maintain football’s reputation globally and that reputation is exactly why we see such phenomenal audiences for televised football matches in Asia.”

The Commonwealth Games Federation has appointed pmplegacy to undertake a comprehensive and independent Strategic Review of the organisation.

The objective of the Review is to provide a framework for the future development of the organisation, therapy | which will in turn ensure its activities remain sustainable and relevant in the continually evolving sporting landscape through to 2022 and beyond.

The Strategic Review process, which follows the recent appointment of HRH Prince Imran as President of the CGF, will consider the organisation’s vision and objectives, governance, management and funding, as well as branding and communications. It will encompass all aspects of the CGF’s activities including both the commonwealth games (bidding, planning, delivery, monitoring, financial model, impacts, sports etc) and wider development activities.

The Strategic Review process will include extensive stakeholder consultation, and the findings will be reported at the CGF General Assembly in Uganda in September. An online forum will also be established (details of which will be published on the CGF website) to promote wider industry and public engagement in the Review process.

“We are delighted to have secured the services of pmplegacy,” said Mike Hooper, the Commonwealth Games Federation CEO. “It is a leader in its field. We know that the project team will do an excellent job for us, as we look to shape the future direction of the CGF.”

HRH Prince Imran, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation added: “This is a very exciting time for the CGF. We recognise the many challenges and opportunities’ facing the Commonwealth Games movement and this review provides a critical opportunity to re-assess our long term vision and objectives and ensure our activities remain relevant and sustainable going forward.”

Alan Pascoe, Chairman of Chime Sports Marketing commented: “We are very pleased to be working with the CGF on this independent Strategic Review, at what is a critical time in the organisation’s development. We look forward to engaging with the varied stakeholders and developing an effective, progressive and exciting plan of action through to 2022.”

by Ismail Uddin

The African Squash Federation announced today that Harare, order Zimbabwe have been awarded the next All Africa Junior Championships from 5-10 April 2012.

Commenting upon the first time that the event has been staged in Harare, at the St John’s Squash Club,

Vijay Gajjar, President of ASF said: “While Egypt go from strength to strength at the top of the sport, here in Africa there are encouraging signs of growth in a number of other countries.

“A number of traditional squash-playing nations have a well-developed squash culture – in Congo, for example, the government has provided land for a national centre, and a new scheme ‘Squash to Schools’ has been launched there. Malawi is also targeting primary and high schools as part of its strategic plan with government sponsorship under the title ‘President’s Initiative For Sport’.

“Namibian squash also continues to develop, with the country competing in the Men’s World Team Championships this year for the first time. And with Botswana, Zambia and other countries active too, there are growth spurts to be seen across the continent,” concluded Gajjar.

N Ramachandran, President of the World Squash Federation, welcomed the announcement: “Sub Saharan Africa has tended to be a hidden gem in the world of squash. Despite limited resources, there is so much going on, with national federations spearheading initiatives to develop the sport.

“We can only praise this work which will ensure the vibrancy of our sport in the region.”