A surge in demand for London 2012 merchandise has been fuelled by huge public interest in the Games.

Sales at London 2012 shops have increased by 115% since the start of the Games and 750,000 visitors are expected to visit the London 2012 Megastore in the Olympic Park during the Games.

A great selection of Games mementos are still on sale to suit all budgets and tastes, from 50p coins to sports specific merchandise such as pictogram t-shirts, caps and keyrings. Items that are no longer available, include the Opening Ceremony pin badges, which sold out almost immediately, and tennis ducks from Wimbledon, which sold out in three days.

London 2012 is also offering merchandise that can only be bought within Olympic venues. The ‘Olympic Venue Collection’ includes the gold Wenlock soft toys that have been seen with athletes after their events, as well as sport-specific clothing and other items marked with dates and event names to commemorate visitors attendance at the events. Other mascot toys, including Union Flag Wenlock and Mandeville and Team GB mascot Pride the Lion are available to buy online

Barcelona has extended its contract to host MotoGP until 2016, buy promoters Dorna has revealed.

The Circuit de Catalunya track has been on the MotoGP calendar since 1992, with nearly 150,000 spectators attending the three days of the racing weekend earlier this month, which was won by Australian Casey Stoner on June 5.

CEO of rights holders Dorna, Carmelo Ezpeleta, said: “I am pleased the Circuit de Catalunya remains part of the history and the future of MotoGP. It provides a modern facility that has for 20 years had a presence in the highest discipline of motorcycle racing.

“This circuit has hosted a non-stop schedule of racing since Dorna has been organising the World Championship, providing a very professional team that has won several awards for its work.”

Circuit general director Salvador Servia added: “It is a pleasure to approve an agreement that allows an annual race that generates an economic impact of 30 million euros for the entire area surrounding the circuit.”

The previous agreement was due to come to an end this year.

Despite admitting that it was struggling to find enough money to fund Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics earleir in the year, The British Olympic Association (BOA) managed to stay in the black last year, in spite of significant increases in both its cost of sales and administrative expenses.

The body managed to make a pre-tax profit for the year ended December 31, 2010 of exactly US$379,664, less than half the 2009 figure of just over $885,287.

The significant fact, however, was that the most recent profit was achieved without important exceptional items and it can therefore be said that the BOA succeeded in living within its means in 2010, in spite of the cost of sending a team to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

In 2009, the accounts were dominated by more than $2.6m of exceptional income after the BOA booked a $3.4m profit on the disposal of property in Wandsworth, South-West London, as a result of moving its head office to Charlotte Street in October 2009.

Revenue in 2010 rose substantially from $13.37m to $18.62, while cost of sales climbed from $6.5m in 2009 to $7.36m and administrative expenses from $8.69m to $10.95m.

Meanwhile, media reports have suggested that the average salary of BOA staff has risen by more than 20% in the last year, despite claiming in March that the total cost of its responsibilities is thought to be more than £5m (US$8.1m), a figure that the BOA were, at the time, well short of.

However, the latest figures suggest that the average pay of a member of staff at the BOA has risen by more than £13,000 ($21,000) in the last 12 months and the average salary at the organisation is now more than £75,000 ($121,270). The number of staff employed fell during 2010, from 57 to 52, yet the wage bill rose by around £400,000 ($646.758). 

A statement from the BOA said: “Those 52 people were instrumental in helping the organisation deliver a year-end profit of £236,000 and increase its reserves to £2.2m for 2010. This is the second consecutive year in which the BOA has produced a profit and expanded its reserves.

“The unprecedented opportunities and challenges associated with preparing to support Team GB in a home games environment require the BOA to attract the best-possible talent. Clearly, having delivered a year-end profit for 2010, the organisation is living within its means.”

Pete Bevacqua will continue to be the Cheif Executive Officer of the PGA of America after the golf organisation’s Board of Directors granted him an extension until 2018.

His original contract was a three-year-deal.

Bevacqua, 42, completed his first year with The PGA of America having overseen two landmarks in Association and golf industry history – an unprecedented NBC broadcasting multi-platform agreement through 2030 for the Ryder Cup and Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid; and teaming with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to bring the 2019 PGA Championship and 2024 Ryder Cup to one of the country’s renowned public courses, the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y.

“The PGA of America is in the midst of an exciting new chapter of growing the game of golf, and Pete’s leadership this past year has elevated the process,” said PGA of America President Ted Bishop. “It’s with great pride that our Board of Directors extend our agreement with Pete as we go forward to carry a strategic plan that enhances our member Professionals and their standing within the golf industry.”

Bevacqua is a native of Bedford, N.Y., a 1993 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, with a law degree from Georgetown University.  He began his professional career working for the New York firm of Davis Polk before joining the United States Golf Association, serving as in-house counsel, managing director of the U.S. Open Championship, and first-ever chief business officer. In 2011, Bevacqua left the USGA to join CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency.

“This has been the most memorable and enjoyable year of my professional career, and I am honored to have the continued endorsement and the support of PGA members to advance our Association,” said Bevacqua. “PGA Professionals represent the best of our sport, bringing unbridled passion and talent to growing the game on many levels. To have their confidence as we continue the countdown to our centennial in 2016 and beyond is truly gratifying.”

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, head of the Association of the National Olympic Committees (ANOC), has shown his unwavering support of wrestling to be in the 2020 Olympics by revealing the unanimous support of his executive council.

The ANOC executive met in Sydney on Tuesday, the first gathering since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a surprise recommendation to dump wrestling from its program after the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.

ANOC agreed on Olympic Solidarity scholarship measures and also a new constitution during Sydney’s meet, which is expected to be approved when its general assembly meets in Lausanne in June.

Each ANOC assembly is followed by a joint meeting with the IOC executive board, the organ that recommended wrestling be cut.

“(There was) unanimous support for wrestling … and we will meet the IOC to discuss,” IOC member Al-Fahad Al-Sabah told AAP.

“We are very keen to maintain wrestling in the sport program.

“Like everybody we’re surprised wrestling is out of the program … I think there’s surprise not only in this house, but outside. Even in the house of the IOC when the result was announced. Surprise was everywhere.

“We will work very closely with the wrestling IF (international federation) and the NOCs and the continent organisations to give us support for wrestling to maintain its place in the sports program.”

Wrestling’s Olympic fate is set to be decided at an IOC session in September, which will be held in Buenos Aires.

“We respect the mechanism and the resolution of the IOC, but also I have confidence that the session will vote in favour of maintaining wrestling,” Kuwaiti Al-Fahad Al-Sabah added.

ANOC’s support comes after wrestling leaders from political foes Iran and the United States united as part of a coalition of nations aiming to keep the sport in the Olympics.

During a recent World Cup in Tehran, the US team shook hands and posed for photographs with Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The host of the 2020 Olympics – down to a race between Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul – will also be broached at ANOC’s next general assembly.

English Basketball team, anesthetist Milton Keynes Lions are set to move into the Copperbox, anabolics currently hosting Olympic Handball for the 2013/14 season.

Through this juncture MK Lions will re-brand to be known as the London Lions and be based at Crystal Palace for the 2012/13 season with the intention of permanently moving to the Olympic handball arena (the Copper Box) for the 2013/14 season.

Lions chief executive Vince Macaulay said he was devastated by having to leave Milton Keynes after 15 years because he could not find a place for the club to play.

However, with a move to the stunning 6,000 capacity Copper Box – which has been the home of the Olympic handball competition – now confirmed, Lions can finally look forward to an optimistic future.

With the Olympics still ongoing and the new BBL season just over six weeks away, Lions will not be able to move into the Copper Box until next year.

That move will come in time for the start of the 2013/14 BBL season, so in the meantime Lions will play their home games – the first against league champions Newcastle Eagles on September 23 – at the Crystal Palace National Indoor Arena in south London.”

England’s friendly against Belgium at Wembley next month will be used to test the Hawk-Eye goalline technology system, world governing body FIFA said on Thursday.

Independent testers from EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and representatives from FIFA will monitor the system although it will not be available for use by the match officials on June 2.

The Hawk-Eye system was also tested in a English minor league cup final between Eastleigh and AFC Totton in April.An alternative system, GoalRef, has undergone trials at two Danish league matches this month.

“Such tests, along with those being conducted for the GoalRef system in Denmark, could lead to the International Football Association Board approving the introduction of goalline technology at its special meeting at the beginning of July,” a statement said.

FIFA stressed that the officials at the England versus Belgium match, the last for the hosts before the start of Euro 2012, would not be able to use Hawk-Eye in the event of a close decision on the goalline.

“Should a goalline incident occur at this or any of the ‘test’ matches, the system will not be utilised by the match officials,” FIFA said.”It means the GLT system will have no influence on the outcome of the matches in which the system is being tested.”

The English FA has long campaigned for the introduction of goalline technology with the debate surfacing every time there is a controversial incident such as Frank Lampard’s shot against Germany in the 2010 World Cup that clearly bounced down over the line but was not awarded as a goal.

English Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur and English League One side Leyton Orient have both had their bids for a judicial review of the Olympic Stadium decision rejected.

The two London clubs objected to the Olympic Park Legacy Company’s verdict that English Championship club West Ham United and Newham Council should be the future occupants of the venue.

However, Judge Mr Justice Davis told them there are no grounds for a review.

A Spurs statement said they would consider their options over the next few days, with a renewal of their application at an oral hearing in the High Court possible.

The statement, posted on the club’s website, added: “The club continues to hold discussions with both local and national government bodies in order to seek to determine a feasible stadium solution.”

The Olympic Park Legacy Company responded to the news: “We are pleased with the ruling and continue to make good progress in our negotiations with the preferred bidder in order to be in a position to agree the final terms for the stadium’s lease.”

Newham Council, who have arranged a US$64m loan to finance West Ham’s move to the stadium, said: “We are continuing to focus on securing a lasting legacy for the stadium and, together with West Ham United, are progressing well with the Olympic Park Legacy Company on bringing the matter to a commercial and financial close.”

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady said: “We welcome today’s news as a further endorsement of our strong and viable legacy vision.

“We hope we can now focus all our energy and passion on delivering a fantastic multi-use Olympic Stadium for the whole nation.

“We were honoured to be unanimously chosen as preferred bidder by the OPLC. Their decision, after a robust and diligent process, was subsequently backed by the Mayor of London and government.

“Our vision – in partnership with the London Borough of Newham – remains for a globally-recognised destination for all, with community at its core, capable of hosting world-class sporting events, including top-level football and athletics.”

East London club West Ham, who were relegated from the English Premier League last season, were unanimously chosen as the preferred occupant. Their proposals for the Olympic stadium include a reduction of the stadium’s capacity from 80,000 to 60,000 seats after the Olympics, and to use it as a multipurpose venue, retaining the running track.

Chuck Blazer, the American general secretary of CONCACAF, has been questioned by FIFA’s ethics committee after complaints were made against him by Caribbean associations.

Blazer sent in the report which sparked the investigation that led to the suspension of fellow FIFA members Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam on bribery charges.

The complaint against the American is related to remarks Blazer is alleged to have made in a meeting in Zurich in May, though Blazer stated: “I am confident of a positive resolution.”

The official complaint was made in a letter to the committee signed by 11 heads of Caribbean federations relating to Blazer’s behaviour at a CONCACAF meeting before last month’s FIFA Congress and does not refer in any way to the bribery issues currently under investigation by world football’s governing body.

The letter said Blazer made “statements of contempt and slander that served to impugn the integrity, discriminate against and infringe upon the personal rights” of CONCACAF members.

A Caribbean football source told Reuters the meeting spilled over into a row over who should take over as acting president after Warner was suspended, during which Blazer told some Caribbean officials they faced investigation.

The letter of complaint continues: “The statement of Mr Blazer flouts the principle of a person being innocent before being proven guilty.”

It says Blazer “violated the personal rights” of Captain Horace Burrell, the president of the Jamaican Football Federation – Blazer blocked him becoming active vice-president of CONCACAF.

It also alleges Blazer “discriminated against Capt Burrell and certain members of the CONCACAFthrough his contemptuous and denigratory words since all the persons who were singled out were of a specific race”.