The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has met Rassie Erasmus, the former Springbok flanker, to discuss his plan for a new Twenty20-style form of the game.

Erasmus’ idea for the new format, which would be the equivalent of Twenty20 cricket with shorter halves and amended rules, has been influenced by the hugely successful Indian Premier League (IPL).

The panel have confirmed that any new tournament would need backing from SARU, and is now set to report back to its member unions, SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia Rugby) and the International Rugby Board (IRB).

A SARU statement said: “A delegation from the South African Rugby Union met the developers of a proposed new rugby competition in East London on Sunday (27June).

“The five-man SARU delegation received a formal presentation from Rassie Erasmus and Frikkie Erasmus on a proposal to hold a pre-season rugby tournament in South Africa in January 2012.

“Mr Oregan Hoskins, the President of SARU, made it clear at the meeting that any such tournament would require the sanction of SARU before it could be held.”

London 2012’s healthcentre will be renamed as a lasting tribute to the father of the Paralympic movement, Sir Ludwig Guttmann.

The polyclinic will be handed over to the NHS and eventually become the Sir Ludwig Guttmann Health Centre. It will serve the new residents of the Olympic Village (which will be known as the East Village) and the existing local community.

Alongside its GP and pharmacy services, the centre will also provide a range of healthy activities, to be chosen and run by the local community.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Sir Ludwig Guttmann devoted his life to improving the care of disabled people, using sport to help turn people’s lives around completely. Without his innovative work, it’s clear that the Paralympics as we know them today would simply not exist. So it’s only fitting that we dedicate this state-of-the-art health centre to his memory.”

Eva Loeffler, daughter of Sir Ludwig Guttmann, said: “My father would have been honoured and thrilled to know that the legacy of the London 2012 Games would include a polyclinic that bore his name and served a community that had its roots in the wonderful Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2012.”

Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a pioneering neurologist, founded the Paralympic movement by incorporating sport into his rehabilitation programme for ex-servicemen after World War II.

In 1948, Sir Ludwig held an archery competition at Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s National Spinal Injury Centre to coincide with the London Olympics. Four years later the 16-participant event became an international competition, setting the foundations for the first Paralympics in Rome in 1960.

Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), said: “This is a fitting tribute to a great man who started this movement. I’m thrilled that his legacy will live on long after London 2012 comes to a close.”

SES announced today a multi-year capacity deal with Eurovision – the leading distributor of premium sports and news events and department of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – to provide live transmission of international sporting events originating in, or broadcast to, North America, Latin America and Europe.

Eurovision, a longstanding SES customer, is increasing capacity to 54 MHz and using the SES teleport and the NSS-806 satellite to broadcast the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (which begin August 29) to TV audiences across Latin America.

Located at 40.5 degrees West, NSS-806 is among several SES satellites providing the EBU, BBC and other broadcasters, extensive coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games into North America, Latin America and throughout Europe.

The capacity will also be utilised for the contribution and distribution of major 2013-2014 sporting events in high-definition (HD) such as Tour de France, Formula One, European and Latin American Football including 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. This will enable sports fans in three continents to watch all races and matches live.

NSS-806’s tailored, high-powered hemispheric beam provides simultaneous coverage of both Europe and the Americas, with virtually complete coverage of North, Central and South America, ensuring the maximum reach throughout Spanish and Portuguese-speaking markets. The satellite has a line-up of over 270 channels and reaches almost 19 million homes across Latin America.

Eurovision’s Head of Procurement Paolo Pusterla expressed the EBU’s pleasure. “Eurovision has more than 60 years experience in delivering premium live content in a seamless, reliable and cost-effective way. We are delighted to extend our relationship with SES to allow us to provide our broadcast customers with the high-quality and flexible service they demand.”

Pusterla continued: “The prime orbital location of NSS-806, with its comprehensive coverage over Latin America and Western Europe, is an ideal fit when it comes to broadcasting international sporting events in both SD and HD to enthusiastic sport fans in the region. We have full confidence that our trusted partner SES will enable us to solidify our ability to continuously broadcast sporting events around the world, year after year.”

Vice President of Global Occasional Use for SES, Samantha McCloskey, added: “It is thrilling to see how our partnership with Eurovision has grown since the early days of 1999 when we provided the occasional 15 minute news feeds in North America. Today we can support them with fulltime and occasional use capacity for both contribution and distribution of sports and news across our global fleet of 51 satellites, and extensive teleport and fibre network.”

Legacy Plans for the VeloPark set up in the Olympic Park following London 2012, have been given a major boost following a disagreement between the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), British Cycling and Sport England.

The VeloPark, which will be operated by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, will be available for cyclists of all abilities after the Olympics and Paralympics with original plans for the venue agreed last year.

They included a one-mile road circuit, a six kilometre mountain bike course and a BMX track.

But in March this year, the OPLC sought to change the boundaries and layout of the site saying they wanted to have the track in a more contained area to free up green space for local residents.

British Cycling and Sport England launched a joint objection in April arguing that the proposals compromised previously agreed plans and would be detrimental to the legacy of cycling from the London 2012 Games.

An agreement on the VeloPark has now been reached between all parties with the OPLC agreeing to withdraw its two planning applications.

A joint statement from British Cycling, Sport England, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: “We are pleased to announce an agreement for an alternative scheme to create a world-class road cycle circuit and a spectacular new park in the north of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

“The plan proposes that the consented one mile cycle circuit route is amended to create a new area of open space and accessible riverside, along with a large park for families and local residents to enjoy.

“The new plan will also ensure that cyclists are able to enjoy a mile long circuit that crosses the river into the parklands.

“The circuit will be part of the wider Lee Valley VeloPark with a new, enhanced area for mountain bike trails directly adjacent to the BMX track, on land to the east of the Velodrome.

“The agreement on the new plan is a significant milestone in the development of the Park and reflects the long-term commitment of all parties to work together to achieve an exemplary park with sport and neighbourhoods at its heart.

“All partners will be working together, and with local cycling groups, on the technical aspects of the scheme to finalise the design and enable the Olympic Park Legacy Company to prepare a new planning application.

“The Legacy Company has withdrawn its two current planning applications for an alternative cycle scheme and works to the parklands.”

The new plans have been agreed with the support of the Mayor of London, the Government and The London Marathon Trust.

The future VeloPark is already under way having its first taste of cycling action at the London 2012 BMX Olympic test event which successfully took place this weekend.

FIFA have been told to make conclusive government reforms by Transparency International (TI) after recent scandals that threaten the fabric of the organisation.

Transparency International, cough the global anti-corruption organisation is pursuing FIFA, symptoms in response to the bribery allegations and lack of transparency that marred FIFA’s presidential elections in June, health along with December’s vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

TI would monitor an independent investigation of existing corruption allegations and the introduction of new procedures to ensure transparency and good governance, such as term limits for senior positions and a conflict of interest policy, with external figures present in bodies that make major decisions.

“FIFA says it wants to reform, but successive bribery scandals have left public trust in it at an all-time low,” said Sylvia Schenk, senior advisor on sport to TI. “Working with an oversight group – taking its advice, giving it access, letting it participate in investigations – will show whether there is going to be real change. The process has to start now.”

TI’s have sent a eight-page recommendation document, entitled Safe Hands: Building Integrity and Transparency at FIFA, to national football federations in countries where it has a presence, calling upon those federations to support reform.

FIFA has recognises the report, adding in a statement: “The FIFA president already publicly stated in October 2010 that FIFA would show zero tolerance toward any form of corruption in football. While FIFA acknowledges that work remains to be done, it is convinced that the measures which have been implemented and the direction which has been taken will help to further strengthen FIFA’s governance in cooperation with the FIFA Executive Committee, the member associations, the confederations and other FIFA stakeholders.”

British amateur golfer Tom Lewis, doctor who shot to fame over the weekend when he won the silver medal as top amateur at this year’s Open Championship, overnight sale has moved a step closer to turning to the professional ranks by selecting IMG to represent him.

Lewis made the decision on the advice of his father, an ex-professional golfer himself, and will also sign deals with the kit and equipment brands he currently uses for free as an amateur.

The planned contracts will therefore be with Boss clothing, Footjoy shoes, Ping clubs, and Titleist balls.

The agreement with IMG will also include an advisory role for Daniel Field, the East Herts club professional who has been looking after Lewis as an amateur, to keep the continuity of Tom’s learning.

The senior management team for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games in Toronto has been finalised, denture CEO of Toronto 2015 Ian Troop has announced.

Troop will be joined by Barbara Anderson as Chief Financial Officer, drugs Kathy Henderson as Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Revenue, viagra Elaine Roper as Senior VP of Human Resources, Bill Senn as VP of Infrastructure and Allen Vansen as Senior VP of Operations.

Troop said: “This team has the experience, the smarts and the passion to deliver a great Games and to build a valuable legacy.

“Their credentials are rock-solid and they each bring the essential ability to collaborate and build effective partnerships.  Assembling this kind of talent is a huge accomplishment for Toronto 2015.”

The 2015 Games are expected to attract 10,000 athletes and officials from 42 countries that belong to the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO).

The next Pan American Games are to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2011.