Britain’s newly elected FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has urged English soccer executives to “move on” from the disappointment of missing out on hosting the 2018 World Cup after he replaced Englishman Geoff Thompson at the recent June 1 Congress.

England’s Football Association (FA) led a late attempt to postpone Blatter’s re-coronation, but the move gained little support and was criticised by vociferous supporters of the incumbent chief.

Boyce told The Telegraph: “Some people think there is an element of arrogance among the English footballing family. I was disappointed when England was not awarded the World Cup but it’s time to get over it.

“I will obviously try to help them in any way I can (in the new role) but they need to move on from their disappointment at the World Cup bid. There seems to be an attitude that English football is owed something ever since ’66. That started to wear thin 20 years ago.”

He added: “We need to rebuild bridges and strengthen existing relations. I will be doing everything I can to help achieve that and will represent all four British nations.”

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has renewed its exclusive advisory contract with RCS Sport to handle the sponsorship rights of all Italian national football teams for the next four years

FIGC sponsorship projects, including “Casa Azzurri” 2008 and 2010, turned over more than 60 million Euros over the previous four year agreement – the most significant sum from sponsorship in the history of the Italian Football Federation.

“Having at our side for another four years a prestigious and experienced company such as RCS Sport is a guarantee that reassures us and will give further impetus and new enthusiasm to Club Italia, to our teams on the field, and to the FIGC ethical and social commitment,” said FIGC General Manager Antonello Valentini

Giacomo Catano, chief executive of RCS Sport, said, “The trust that FIGC decided to give us for another four years represents for us a source of pride and sense of responsibility. Thanks to consolidated synergies and the strong bond over the years with FIGC partner companies, we are counting on our commitment in order to deliver an important contribution to the world of football and the success of the Italian national teams in the next four years.”

RCS Sport is a company under the RCS MediaGroup umbrella and is best–known as the organiser of the most important cycling events in Italy, including the Giro d’Italia and some of the most prestigious ‘Classics’. Since 2008, it has also been a partner of the Italy national rugby league team.

The Centennial Edition of the Copa America will be played in the United States in 2016, health the Confederation of North, sale Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).

The Centennial Cup America will mark the first time the historic South American championship has been played outside of that region, asthma and represents the most important sporting event to come to North American shores in decades – rivaling the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1996 Olympic Games in grandeur and relevance to the world of sport.

“I congratulate CONMEBOL for inspiring players and fans throughout a century of fantastic football, and thank them for extending the legacy of this hugely successful event to CONCACAF territory,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “The American continent may have been discovered in 1492, but I can’t imagine a better way to unite this continent than with football and an exceptional celebration of talent in 2016.”

“We are proud to play a leading role in the celebration of the centennial of a tournament born to unite all America. Year after year the Cup has gained prestige, which has allowed the opening of doors to the football of an entire continent. Now, CONCACAF and the United States will play host to the world’s oldest national team competition,” said Eugenio Figueredo, CONMEBOL President.

The Centennial Cup America will be held in cities across the United States in the summer of 2016, kicking off on June 3 and culminating with the Final on Sunday, June 26.

In a sixteen team field, CONMEBOL’s ten Member Associations – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela – will be joined by six competitors from CONCACAF, including host and 2013 Gold Cup champion United States, and six-time Gold Cup champion Mexico.

The Centennial Cup America falls between the 2015 and 2017 editions of the biannual CONCACAF Gold Cup, which decides the regional champion of North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The previous edition of Copa America was celebrated in Argentina in 2011, with Uruguay claiming a record fifteenth title. The next edition of the tournament is set to be played in Chile in 2015.

The University of Canberra Brumbies, also known as the Brumbies, have revealed their chief executive Andrew Fagan has resigned less than six months after renewing his contract with the Super Rugby franchise.

Fagan’s departure follows South African World Cup winner Jake White quitting as coach with two seasons remaining on his contract.

Fagan has been CEO of Australia’s most successful Super Rugby franchise – and 2013 runners-up – for the past eight years, but said it was fitting to move on after overseeing the club’s impending multi-million-dollar move to a new headquarters in Canberra next season.

“It’s time,” he said on Friday.

“Earlier this year, I extended my contract for a final one-year term and agreed to work with the board on a succession plan to help with a smooth transition to a new chief executive.

“But with the sale of the Griffith site complete, construction of our new facility at UC (University of Canberra) taking shape, the new coaching framework settled and a healthy sponsorship program in place, it became clear that now is the best time for a successful transition.

“Leaving now will allow a new chief executive time to settle in and apply new thinking where needed for 2014 but, most importantly, he or she will be here to lead the strategic planning for season 2015 and beyond.

“That wouldn’t have been possible if I stayed on until the end of next season.

“It’s a sad day to walk away from an organisation I love but it’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the Brumbies.”

Fagan joined the Brumbies in 2002 as general manager and was promoted to the top job three years later.

A referendum on whether Davos-St. Moritz should bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games was narrowly rejected Sunday, no rx according to Reuters.

52.66 per cent of voters voting no while 47.34 per cent were in favour of bidding. The turnout was 59.14 per cent.

Bid organizers had said that the estimated investment of 4.3 billion Swiss francs ($4.55 billion) would have been repaid by a boost in tourism, adding that the bid was sustainable and environmentally friendly, and the entire country stood to benefit.

Opponents were concerned about the impact of new buildings, stadiums, ski lifts and other infrastructure on the Alpine environment. They were also concerned that the initial budget would have spiralled out of control, as invariably happens with major sporting events, reports Reuters.

A statement on the Swiss Olympic Committee website said: “The rejection of the Olympic candidacy has stopped the Graubuenden 2022 project. The Graubuenden 2022 movement regrets this decision, which ends the only pioneering large-scale project for tourism, business and sports in Graubuenden. For the Graubuenden 2022 union, the vote is a big disappointment. The debate about the project has been very intense in all the valleys and linguistic regions and across all age groups and levels of society”.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said in an interview last month that the region would be a favourite to win the bid if voters decide to back it.

According to Visa Inc. international travelers spent an additional $716.7 million on their Visa accounts while in the United Kingdom during the second week of the London 2012 Olympic Games (July 30 – August 5), mind bringing the total spend on Visa accounts in the United Kingdom to more than $1.4 billion.

While the biggest Visa spenders still hail from the United States, case Visa account holders from Russia – one of the top 15 contributors to the London 2012 Olympic Games – have increased travel spend on their Visa accounts by more than 30 percent for the second week in a row.

“The Olympics are a showcase for athletics and innovation, therapy and the same goes for tourism,” said Kevin Burke, CMO of Core Products, Visa Inc. “It is easier than ever for international travelers safely to pay for goods and services with payment cards, contactless smart cards or mobile technology. Visa’s spend data shows that more countries are able to take advantage of these payment innovations. Tourism is a vital component of economic growth for any nation, and it is exciting that Visa payment technology is making it possible for countries and regions around the world to have a bigger impact on the global economy.”

The top 10 contributing countries accounted for 57 percent of the total amount spent on Visa accounts in the United Kingdom during this time period.

The top three spending categories remained the same as the first week of the Olympic Games – “Services” ($139.1 million), including items such as shoe and jewelry repair and spas; “Entertainment” ($106.6 million), including theater tickets and other attractions; and “Airlines” ($82.4 million). The “Clothing” category moved up to be the fourth highest spending category with $67.9 million, surpassing “Other Retail” ($66.3 million), which includes bike shops, bookstores, antique stores, and drug stores.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has suggested goal-line technology may be introduced halfway through next season.

Goal-line technology will be used for the first time in an English football match on Wednesday night during the Hampshire Senior Cup Final between Eastleigh FC and AFC Totton.

FIFA will rule in July whether the technology will be allowed across the world and the Premier League are keen to implement one of two systems after a controversial season for referees.

It had been anticipated that the technology would be introduced at the start of the 2013/14 season, ailment but Scudamore now thinks the system could be in place by the middle of next season, pills providing FIFA give it the green light this summer.

He said: “The original position was that we would only introduce it at the beginning of a season, but having thought it all through there is some possibility of introducing it mid-season if we get it right.”

The expected was confirmed yesterday, June 16, when European soccer’s governing body UEFA announced that the Champions League final will return to Wembley Stadium in 2013, just two years after the London venue staged this year’s showpiece in which Barcelona overcame Manchester United to lift the most prestigious trophy in club soccer.

UEFA also confirmed that the 2013 UEFA Congress would take place in London, marking the 150th anniversary of the Football Association (FA).

In other news, at its meeting in Nyon, the UEFA Executive Committee also selected the Amsterdam ArenA in the Netherlands as the host stadium of the 2013 Europa League final and Eden Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic, as the venue of the 2013 Super Cup – the annual game staged between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.

Munich will host next season’s Champions League final on May 19, 2012, 10 days after the Europa League final is staged at the National Stadium in Bucharest, Romania.

Platini explained that there were exceptional circumstances behind bringing the Champions League final back to North London in 2013, stating: “Founded in 1863 the Football Association (FA) is the oldest of all the national football associations and in 2013 it will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Given the exceptional nature of this historic moment in our beautiful game, and the fact that we will also celebrate 150 years of the Laws of the Game, we felt it was our duty at UEFA to help the FA celebrate in some special way.

“For this reason we have decided to return to England and specifically to Wembley Stadium – the home of the English FA – for the 2013 UEFA Champions League final. I think it is important to respect 150 years of the FA. We are gathered here because 150 years ago there were people in England who put football’s rules in place. I believe it is a real moment of respect – if we forget the past, we do not have a future.”

The decision to move the Super Cup final from its traditional home at the Stade Louis II in Monaco to Prague was to the delight of Rudolf Řepka, general secretary of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (ČMFS). The curtain-raiser to the European season has been held in Monaco every year since becoming a one-off match in 1998.

ČMFS president Ivan Hašek said: “Prague and our fans can enjoy a meeting between two top European sides – the UEFA Super Cup is a very attractive sporting event.”

General secretary Řepka added: “I’m glad we were at the birth of the new idea to play the UEFA Super Cup in various destinations. The fact Prague is such a nice city in the middle of Europe surely helped us.”

The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) has been plunged into more controversy after the president of the Surinam Football Association (SFA) claimed the body received US$40, abortion 000 in cash at a meeting arranged by Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner on May 10.

Both men were suspended from FIFA on a provisional basis at the end of lat month and the latest revelation has seen SFA chief Louis Giskus claim that the body received the cash in $100 bills in a brown envelope on arrival in Trinidad for the meeting with Bin Hammam, physician who was then in the running for the presidency of world soccer’s governing body.

Giskus told Reuters: “We have told FIFA about the gifts. The money is in our bank account”, adding he was told that the money came from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and not Bin Hammam. Giskus also told the Press Association: “We went up to a room and were given $40,000 in a brown envelope with the name of Surinam on it. We were surprised, and asked who the gift was from.

“Mr Jason Sylvester (one of two CFU officials who have since been suspended by FIFA along with Bin Hammam and Warner) told us that it was a gift from the CFU for developing football in Surinam. We asked once more and were told it was for developing football in our country and that’s why we accepted it. I asked if we would get problems with Customs leaving Port of Spain with that amount of money and he (Sylvester) told us there would be no problems. I wrote his mobile number on the envelope so that if there were any problems at the airport we could call it.”