European Champions, Spain have banned their players from using social media sites, Twitter and Facebook.

This follows Denmark’s decision to do the same.

Barcelona player Cesc Fabregas tweeted in English on June 1: ‘From today we are not allowed to use social networks, I wish that the next picture I post will be with the Euro Cup. See you soon!’

English players will be allowed to continue Tweeting during the Euros but the FA will give them guidelines to follow to ensure they do not cause any trouble during the tournament.

England captain Steven Gerrard told a news conference on Friday: “We’ve been told not to be tweeting anything unnecessary.”

Austin’s City Council may jeopardise plans to use US$25m of Texas tax dollars to bring a Formula One race to the state’s capital.

Former Travis County tax collector Bill Aleshire, sick who sued to block the subsidy, sale said: “If the City Council decides not to endorse this, there’s no way the comptroller can move the funds because the city is required to be a partner.”

Local approval is needed for the project to proceed.

Texas investors including Clear Channel Communications Inc. co-founder B.J. “Red” McCombs are building a 3.4 mile (5.5km) track to bring Formula One racing back to the U.S. Critics, including Senator Dan Patrick, a Houston Republican, have questioned the subsidy as the state cut costs to close a two-year deficit estimated to be at least US$15bn.

The Austin council last week delayed voting on the plan that commits state funds to the car races each year for a decade.

With 20 million Texans within 250 miles of Austin and a growing Formula One fan base in Mexico, supporters of the bid feel the race would be successful. Formula One’s last U.S. race was run in Indianapolis in 2007.

Construction of the $242 million track, which has begun, is projected to add 1,300 temporary jobs and pump $400 million into the economy. The venue will seat 120,000 fans.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) chief executive Andy Hunt believes the body is closer than ever before to establishing ground-rules paving the way for non-English soccer stars such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to represent Britain at London 2012.

Hunt stated: “I have been at this for over two years. I am incredibly positive that we will get to an outcome where we will field a men’s and a women’s football team.

“We have got some final things to resolve…but I am incredibly positive. More positive than I have ever been before when asked that question.”

The appearance of genuinely British soccer teams at the London Olympics is dependent on the four Home Nations allowing their players to take part, if selected and if they wish to do so.

The Football Associations of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have all opposed the idea in the past, fearing that their future independence to enter national teams for competitions such as the European Championships and the World Cup would be jeopardised.

Pressure has mounted from the Association’s own stars to change tack, with Wales captain Ramsey last month joining international team-mate Bale in stating publicly that he wants to represent Britain in next year’s Olympic tournament.

If ground-rules on selection cannot be agreed, it could lead to the embarrassment of a 2012 Olympic tournament without British teams – a scenario likely to be a severe disappointment to many fans.

However, Hunt added: “Any policy that is discriminatory would be in breach of the Olympic Charter, it’s as simple as that.

“That’s why it was never acceptable to us to have a selection policy that may have only been for English players.”

Alan Zucker has been promoted to senior vice president of clients and managing director of talent marketing for leading sports and media firm IMG.

In reporting to Sandy Montag, senior corporate vice president of IMG Sports and Entertainment, Zucker will now assist him in all areas of IMG’s Clients business unit, including broadcasting, coaching and speakers.

Zucker has been with the company for 15 years and on a day-to-day basis, handles the management, marketing and sales of Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Matthew Stafford, Joe Montana, Jim Nantz, Danica Patrick, and Joe Mauer. Zucker negotiates their marketing endorsements, manages connections to the NFLPA, creates revenue for their foundations and charities and drives all other revenue producing income off of the field. 

Zucker also works hand in hand with IMG’s individual talent agents across all divisions to assist them in developing corporate relationships. Some of that talent has included Maria Sharapova, Arnold Palmer, Venus Williams, Alex Ovechkin, Peggy Fleming, Gisele, Dick Vitale, Billie Jean King, Lindsey Vonn, Kristi Yamaguchi and John Madden.

FIFA have postponed the final test event in Sao Paulo further dampening preparations for the World Cup in Brazil.

Following concerns from local authorities, football’s international governing body revealed on Wednesday that the match scheduled for May 29 has been moved to the following Sunday to avoid disrupting the city’s “operational routine” on a working day.

FIFA said it also decided to stage the game on a weekend to ensure it attracts more than 50,000 fans needed to properly test the venue.

Less than 40,000 people attended the first test match at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo last weekend, when the 20,000 temporary seats being added for the opening game of the tournament couldn’t be used.

The new test event will be staged less than two weeks before the high-profile opener between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, when 70,000 fans and guests are expected.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said on Twitter: “It is vital for us that all facilities will be tested under full match conditions – including the temporary seats and associated facilities.”

The change in date comes amid a bus strike in Sao Paulo that has created chaos for people trying to get to work in the South American metropolis already known for its challenging rush-hour traffic.

FIFA said in a statement that it was a “request from local authorities” to have the match on a weekend to “reduce the impact on the city’s operational routine”.

FIFA said it was important to have another test match at the Itaquerao “given the attention drawn from the opening match.”

Only one test event had been initially scheduled for the Itaquerao because it was among the most delayed stadiums for the World Cup. The venue was expected to be completed by the end of last year, but two construction accidents that killed a total of three workers caused significant delays.

Among the problems last weekend were a leaking roof and faulty communications for fans and journalists.

English League Two team Dagenham & Redbridge have announced David Andrews’ has stepped down as chairman with David Bennett replacing him as chairman.

Bennett told the club’s official website: “I am immensely honoured to be given the role and I hope I can bring some fresh ideas to the role but the main aim, as ever, is to be as competitive as possible.”

Andrews, a former player/manager of the club, became chairman in 1976 when they were known as Leytonstone.

With London 2012 in the final lap new research has revealed athletes with the biggest sponsorship gains during the Olympics with Usain Bolt topping the table.

Sponsorship Today created the list which includes only those athletes whose endorsements are derived mainly from their activities as Olympians. It does not, therefore, include the big name basketball or tennis stars or even cyclist Bradley Wiggins, whose endorsements now come from his status as the winner of the Tour de France.

The list is, unsurprisingly, topped by Usain Bolt, who earns at least $20m per year, including a $9m deal from PUMA to be its global brand ambassador. Interesting Bolt is the only ‘Olympic’ athlete to make Forbes’ top 100 earners among sports stars – a list dominated by NFL, MBL, NBA and soccer stars with the odd tennis player and golfer included.

The other three ‘big earners’ on the Olympic list are Michael Phelps, whose record breaking feats put him over the $7m annual mark, Winter Olympian, Kim Yuna from South Korea and China’s Liu Xiang. The latter two demonstrate the growth of sponsorship in Asia in the past decade. Indeed Xiang was reported to earn $15m in 2008 when he was ‘poster boy’ for the Beijing Games.

Here’s the list:

1. Usain Bolt. Sprinter, Jamaica, $20m. Sponsors: Puma ($9m p.a), Visa, Gatorade, Nissan, Hublot, Virgin Media.

2. Kim Yuna. Ice skater, South Korea, $9m. Sponsors: Kookmin Bank, Nike, Korean Air, Hyundai.

3. Michael Phelps. Swimmer, USA, $7m. Sponsors: Speedo, Visa, Omega, and Under Armour.

4. Liu Xiang. Sprint hurdler, China, $4m (estimate). Sponsors: Nike, Visa, Chevrolet, Yili milk, China Mobile, Coca-Cola.

5. Yelena Isinbayeva. Pole vaulter, $2.7m (estimate) Russia. Sponsors: Li Ning ($1.5m), P&G, Visa.

6. Lolo Jones. Sprint hurdler, USA, $2.7m (estimate). Sponsors:  BP, Asics, Oakley, P&G, Red Bull.

7. Ryan Lochte. Swimmer, USA, $2.3m. Sponsors: Speedo, Mutual of Omaha, Gillette, Gatorade, P&G, Ralph Lauren, Nissan, AT&T.

8. Sanya Richards-Ross. Sprinter, USA, $2m. Sponsors: Nike, Inc, BP, BMW, Citibank, Amway.

9. Oscar Pistorius. Sprinter, South Africa, $2m. Sponsors: Nike, Thierry Mugler, Oakley, BT.

10. Jessica Ennis. Heptathlete, UK, $1.7m. Sponsors: Adidas BP, British Airways, Aviva, Powerade, Olay.

11. Sir Chris Hoy. Cyclist, UK, $1.5m. Sponsors: Kellogg’s, Harrods, Highland Spring water, Adidas, Scottish Power.

Panasonic Corporation, a sponsor of the Olympic Games, announced today that it will deliver the largest supply of its audio visual equipment for any Olympic Games in the company’s history to support the London 2012 Olympic Games to be held in July and August.

With its full line-up of high-definition (HD) equipment, Panasonic will provide strong support for the operation of the world’s largest sporting event, at sporting venues, broadcasting sites and homes, in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Broadcasting Services London (OBSL). Panasonic will also bring the first-ever 3D Olympic Games to homes, based on the 3D technical partnership with the IOC and the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS).

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, the video signals distributed by the International Broadcasting Center (IBC) to the broadcasters of each country will be distributed in the HD format. Additionally, the opening and closing ceremonies and events displayed on the large screens in the venue will also be distributed in HD video. Panasonic will support the first-ever 3D Olympic Games by providing its cutting-edge equipment and technology, such as its latest integrated twin-lens 3D camera recorders (AG-3DP1).

In addition to the company’s DVCPRO HD standards that have already been adopted as the video recording format, the adoption of the file-based work flow using the high quality AVC-Intra standards has been decided. Panasonic will offer a wide range of broadcasting equipment and devices to the IOC, including the solid-state memory ENG (Electronic News Gathering) product P2HD series. Since the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, the London 2012 Olympic Games is the tenth Olympic Games where Panasonic’s broadcasting equipment is adopted as the recording format.

For the opening ceremony that will be held at the Olympic Park, the world’s smallest and lightest 20,000 lumens projectors (PT-DZ21K and PT-DS20K) with a high brightness and high quality yet compact form will be installed. Panasonic will boost the mood of the opening and closing ceremonies by delivering vivid and impressive HD footage to the audience.

Panasonic will provide LED Large Screen Display Systems, offering the largest number of screens and the largest area ever at the competition venues. At the indoor event sites, 103-inch PDP displays will be adopted for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games.

Under the concept of “Sharing the Passion,” and through providing such cutting-edge equipment and sponsor activities, Panasonic will deliver the thrills brought about by world’s top athletes along with their passion, tension and dynamic performance. The company is aiming to provide an exciting experience not only for spectators at each event site, but also for the viewers at each home across the globe through its wonderful broadcasting technology.