Cincinatti Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has banned his players from tweeting during training camp, a way of trying to get them to focus while they work out at their downtown facility the next few weeks.

He imposed the ban after consulting team leaders about the social media crackdown.

Many Cincinnati players tweet regularly, keeping up with each other, friends and family. So far, they’ve gone along with the ban.

“I don’t think it’s something where we’re trying to fine guys $10,000 if they Twitter something,” said offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who doesn’t have a Twitter account. “I think we’re just more saying, ‘Let’s let our focus be on what we do.'”

Fine with Lewis, who is particularly wary of players spreading information about injuries through social media. Rookie cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick unintentionally crossed the line when he tweeted earlier in the week that he had a leg injury.

Lewis informed the players of the ban when they reported for the start of camp this weekend.

“I don’t see how tweeting is going to help us win a football game,” Lewis said. “So it’s part of being selfless right now. It’s not best for our football team to be involved in that. It’s best that we just take care of ourselves and not announce what we’re doing or not doing, or who did this or who did that, and commenting on what’s going on in other spots. Let’s be football players.”

Lewis struggled for years to try to get former Bengals receiver Chad Johnson to cut back on his social media comments. Johnson would use Twitter and other media to bait opponents or post photos of himself getting treatment for an injury.

The NFL’s relationship with social media has been in transition for years. Some teams cracked down on players, fans and reporters using social media during training camp workouts. The league adopted a policy in August 2009 that permits players to use social media except during a limited time frame, from 90 minutes before the kickoff of a game until after traditional postgame interviews are completed.

The construction of Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium has been halted after construction workers went on strike following an on-site accident which hurt one of the workers.

The $595 million redevelopment project will see a new stadium formed within the shell of the original epic facility, ailment which opened for the 1950 World Cup. The iconic Maracana is the centrepiece of Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and is expected to stage the tournament’s final.

However, order problems began when one of the workers was badly burnt on Wednesday when an oil barrel with chemical residue exploded. Up to 1, treatment 500 people work on the stadium in rotating shifts and clearly felt a demonstration was needed to improve rights such as working conditions, pay and health care. “We must improve our working conditions which are not ideal. We’ll only return to work when our demands have been heard,” workers’ union director Romildo da Silva told Reuters.

Strikes have become a familiar story as one of the other venues the Mineirao stadium had workers strike for four days in June after poor conditions and bad pay.

 

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell will retire from his role after 17 years and is set to be replaced by Malaysia’s Prince Tunku Imran.

76-year-old Fennell has overseen the last four Commonwealth Games but he will not seek re-election at the CGF general assembly in St Kitts in November, the CGF said in a statement.

The statement added that Imran, 63, who has served 11 years on the CGF board as the vice-president, was the only nominee for the top post.

Last year’s Delhi Games was probably the toughest assignment for Jamaican Fennell with chaotic preparations and a series of well-publicised organisational blunders in the lead-up to the event.

Indian federal agencies are still investigating the 2010 Games local organisers for corruption allegations which have transformed into major political wranglings.

The elections for the CGF executive board will be held on November 11 later this year, when the 71 member nations will also vote to decide between Australia’s Gold Coast or Sri Lanka’s Hambantota as to who should host the 2018 Games.

The 2014 Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

Octagon has been appointed by Nivea for Men to activate the brand’s new soccer campaign – The Great Football Experiment. 

Nivea for Men signed up as an official supplier to the FA and England National Team in 2010 and is now building on the relationship with The FA and has appointed the Sports and Entertainment agency to engage with fans and those that play the game on a regular basis. 

‘The Great Football Experiment’ plans to establish whether ‘Preparation is Everything’ and if training and management from former England manager Terry Venables, former England player Ray Wilkins and former player and current England goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence can unveil potential in an average Sunday League team.

The selected team will also receive regular training from FA qualified coaching staff, physiotherapy, nutrition advice, sports psychology, new kit and training equipment. The campaign will challenge the chosen team to prove that their first rate training has paid off by competing against a team of England legends at the end of the season.  

Octagon will be responsible for activating the programme including PR, Event Management, securing talent and managing the relationship with The FA. 

Lindsay Key, brand manager Nivea for Men said: “Our partnership with the England Team provides us with a fantastic opportunity to position our products as part of the essential preparation of playing and watching the sport. 

“Octagon have a proven track record in developing sponsorship campaigns that deliver clear business objectives so it’s great to be working with them on this project.” 


Octagon vice president, Matt Hales added: “This campaign is a great example of how a sponsor can use the assets they buy into in a creative way to achieve clear business objectives. 

“This campaign is about using The FA assets creatively to enable us to drive the brand proposition that Preparation is Everything.”

America’s first professional rugby sevens league, ampoule The Grand Prix RFL, doctor has announced League Counsel Frank Grant of legal giant Perkins Coie, symptoms as the new league’s first Commissioner.

Commissioner Grant shall oversee all off the field formation matters of both the RFL as well as Grand Prix’s pending formation of its USA Volleyball Exclusively Sanctioned and Licensed indoor men and women’s professional leagues.

Grand Prix Chairman William Tatham endorsed Grant’s appointment stating, “Based on our extensive experience in the shark invested waters of new leagues where the hard hitting action takes place off the field, and sometimes in the courtroom, League Counsel Grant backed by Perkins Coie, is the right man, backed by the right legal team, at the right time.”

Frank Grant is a senior counsel with Perkins Coie. Frank has been practicing law for over 17 years, representing entrepreneurs, emerging growth companies, venture capital firms and investors.

Grant emphasized the RFL’s commitment to the Father of American Football, stating, “90 years ago America’s greatest athletes played and dominated rugby world by winning the last Gold Medal awarded for rugby at the 1924 Olympics. 90 years later Americans remain bigger, stronger and faster and the RFL’s is committed to USA Rugby’s efforts take these elite athletes and win the Gold upon rugby’s return at the 2016 Rio Olympic Summer Games.”

Grant also laid out his agenda stating, “Priority One will be to select the RFL’s Founding Franchise Owners from a growing list of prospects vying for the rare opportunity to acquire a major league franchise for major U.S. media markets such as New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. Priority Two will be to work with the RFL’s 4 Founding Franchisees in creating America’s first prosperous new sports league in over 60 years. Priority Three will be to have fun, make money and guarantee the RFL’s Sevens All-Stars win the Gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Summer Games.”

Tatham concluded, “The RFL has complete confidence that Commissioner Grant and USAR CEO Nigel Melville will successfully complete the joint USA Rugby – RFL mission to package the World’s Contact Sport for the World’s Greatest Sports Market. The RFL’s strategy is simple; (1) Exploit Grand Prix’s USA Rugby awarded Exclusive Sanction Rights; (2) Execute the RFL’s Two Phased Tour to League smart start; and (3) Monetize the RFL’s global media rights.”

Following the end of the London 2012 Paralympic Games which were considered a massive success, Rio 2016 are hoping to follow in the footsteps and stage an impressive games.

The London 2012 Paralympics have reportedly broken all records, with 2.7 million tickets sold and more than $70 million raised in ticket sales, unprecedented in the 52-year history of the Paralympics.

The Games were broadcast in more than 100 countries.

British Prime Minister David Cameron called it “a golden summer of British sport”.

Now it’s on to Rio. Leonardo Gryner, head of Rio 2016 said, “we go home back to Rio soon with renewed energy to bring Brazilian joyfulness to the Games and transform the city and the country. We will ensure the great work here in London to promote inclusivity, accessibility, and the great sport of the Paralympic Games will continue in Rio.

Gryner praised London 2012 organizers, promising to learn from the lessons of the last seven years. He said: “London has done it right for both Games, we have to build upon your success because this was very well delivered. We have been learning with you for a long time, our teams have been talking for over a year and already we have learnt a lot.

“What will be different in Rio is our way of doing things, we will add our cultural heritage and that will be our contribution to the movement”.

Deutschlands Team für die Olympischen Spiele in London tut sich schwer mit dem Internet. Nur 42% der 392 Athleten des Olympia-Teams besitzen eine Homepage, order magere 30,2% eine Facebook-Page. Mit 18,2% nutzen noch weniger Twitter als Marketing- und Kommunikationsinstrument. Das ergibt eine Studie der Digital-Beratung kpunktnull aus Düsseldorf.

“Gerade in Zeiten, da Sportförderung kritisch hinterfragt wird und der Kampf um Sponsoren immer härter wird, böte Social Media für Athleten kleiner Sportarten die Chance, sich mit ihren Fans zu vernetzen und Geldgebern Argumente für eine Unterstützung zu liefern”, meint kpunktnull-Geschäftsführer Thomas Knüwer. Ein Erfolg im Internet sei dabei unabhängig von der Sportart oder der Präsenz in Fernsehen oder Zeitung: Tennisstar Philipp Kohlschreiber schaffte es bei Facebook auf nicht einmal 3.500 Fans und wird überholt von Judoka Ole Bischof (9.600 Fans) und Degenfechterin Monika Sozanska (5.000).

Die Top-Facebooker im deutschen Team sind die zwei Taekwondo-Kämpfer: Sie verfügen beide über eine Facebook-Page. Knapp dahinter folgen die Tennis-Spieler, von denen 85,7% dieses Marketing-Instrument nutzen, die Turner mit 84,2%, das Tischtennis-Team (71,4%) sowie die Schwimmer (60,5%). Ganz hinten: die beiden Bogenschützen, von denen sich keiner in das Social Web wagt.

Schon beim Thema Homepage hakt es bei vielen Sportlern. “Das Design vieler Web-Auftritte von Olympia-Teilnehmern aus Deutschland wirkt wie von einem Teenager vor Jahren zusammengehauen”, kritisiert kpunktnull-Gründer Knüwer. Die Integration eines Weblogs, mit dem sich die Fans leicht auf dem Laufenden halten ließen, wagen gerade einmal 12 deutsche Olympioniken – darunter fünf Ruderer.

Ebenfalls traurig sieht es in Sachen Twitter aus. Radsportler und Tennisspieler haben zu 57% den Kurznachrichtendienst für sich entdeckt. Die Hockeyspieler liegen mit 32,4% zwar noch hinter den Seglern (33,3%) glänzen aber seit einigen Tagen mit erhöhter Aktivität. Sportler aus gleich sieben Disziplinen verweigern sich hier komplett: Bogenschießen, Fünfkampf, Gewichtheben, Reiten, Ringen, Schießen und Taekwondo.

“Gerade auf Twitter ist es spannend zu beobachten, wie einige Sportler den Dienst nicht nur als Marketinginstrument in Richtung Fans sehen, sondern miteinander kommunizieren – sogar über Sportarten hinweg”, meint kpunktnull-Geschäftsführer Thomas Knüwer. So informierte Radsportlerin Miriam Welte den Weitspringer Christian Reif am Mittwoch via Twitter, dass die Berichte über zu kurze Betten im Olympischen Dorf nicht der Wahrheit entsprächen: “Du wirst auch reinpassen.”

Insgesamt gibt die deutsche Olympiamannschaft damit kein gutes Bild ab, meint Knüwer: “In anderen Ländern haben Sportler längst erkannt, dass sie sich über das Social Web unabhängiger machen können von klassischen Sportmedien wie von der Yellow Press. Hier haben die deutschen Athleten einen deutlichen Nachholbedarf.” Beispiel Schwimmen: Während US-Star Michael Phelps 5,4 Millionen Fans auf Facebook zählt, erreicht sein deutscher Widersacher Paul Biedermann gerade einmal 0,1% davon.

The United States Olympic Commitee (USOC) chief Larry Probst together with the secretary general, illness Scott Blacmun and Carolina Bayon, International relations director visited Rio De Janiero to inspect the work firsthand for the Rio 2016 Games.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Rio 2016 president, showed the USOC team around the site as well as delivering a briefing about the Rio Games.

Nuzman said, “I am pleased that with five years to go to the Olympic Games we could show our friends from the USOC the progress we have already accomplished. We are looking forward to collaborating with them through our preparations and welcoming the United States athletes in 2016.”

On the first day they had meetings at the Organising Commitee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) offices and were briefed on the vision for the Games, the legacy projects as well as the Olympic village and the commercial program.

USOC chief Probst noted, “This trip was a unique opportunity for us to see all that the Rio 2016 team has accomplished in the two short years since their selection. I’d like to congratulate Carlos and his staff for the extraordinary job they’ve done and thank them for their gracious hospitality. The Games are in good hands.”

USOC put forward Chicago in the bid to host the 2016 Olympics but Rio won out and will become the first South American country to host the games. The visit in the long run will help USOC with further bids and understand the needs to host a Olympics.

Soccer’s world governing body FIFA has asked its ethics committee to probe 16 Caribbean soccer officials in connection with the bribery scandal involving Qatari ex-presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.

The 16 are suspected of accepting cash bribes in return for giving their backing to Bin Hammam in FIFA’s presidential election. They are also accused of denying the corruption attempt to investigators.

“The FIFA Ethics Committee has today opened ethics proceedings against 16 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials in regard to apparent violations of the Code of Ethics connected to the investigation of the cases related to the special meeting of the CFU held in Trinidad & Tobago on 10 and 11 May 2011,” said FIFA.

Bin Hammam, who was found guilty of bribery last month, is expected to appeal the verdict against him.

FIFA has said that suspects include Colin Klass of Guyana, a long-standing ally of former Caribbean football official Jack Warner.

Mr Klass has been provisionally suspended from all soccer-related activities by FIFA’s Ethics Committee “after consideration of specific information received on the matter”.

The other officials named are David Hinds, Mark Bob Forde (Barbados), Franka Pickering, Aubrey Liburd (British Virgin Islands), David Frederick (Cayman Islands) and Osiris Guzman, Felix Ledesma (Dominican Republic).

The list is made up of Noel Adonis (Guyana), Yves Jean-Bart (Haiti), Anthony Johnson (St. Kitts and Nevis), Patrick Mathurin (St. Lucia), Joseph Delves, Ian Hypolite (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Richard Groden (Trinidad and Tobago) and Hillaren Frederick (US Virgin Islands)

“It is important to note that the investigations are still ongoing, and that it is therefore possible that further proceedings could be opened in the future,” FIFA added.

Raptor Group has announced that Mark Pannes, erectile former director of HSBC Private Bank’s Global Sports Group, store is to control the Group’s new consulting business ‘RaptorAccelerator’ as managing director alongside Sean Barror, former senior vice president of sales for Madison Square Garden.

The new business focuses on providing specialised sales and revenue generation advisory services to companies in the sports, media, entertainment and content technology sectors.  

Pallotta said: “We are delighted to have two of the most successful and highly regarded executives in the field leading this unique advisory firm.  

“With more than 40 years of combined experience, including over US$1bn in sponsorship, rights and licensing deals, Mark and Sean have the perspective, track record and relationships necessary to unlock significant value for clients and set them on the fast track to revenue growth and commercial success.”

Pannes added: “Developing and rebuilding revenue engines for businesses – that’s what we do; what we’ve always done. 

“RaptorAccelerator is a very targeted approach to help companies within or focused on the sports, media, entertainment and early stage tech sectors achieve commercial success more rapidly, both in the US and internationally.”

At HSBC Private Bank, Pannes founded and built a global practice which managed nearly $1.5bn for over 500 athletes and institutions worldwide. 

Pannes’ notable sales and operations experience also includes a CEO position at Skilo Brand, a sports and entertainment consultancy business, and a CMO post at the New York Knicks during the 1990s. 

RaptorAccelerator will operate independently from Raptor’s investment management activities.