BDO Events, thumb the commercial partner and exclusive sales agent of the British Darts Organisation, apoplectic has announced a broadcast deal with Eurosport who will showcase five tournaments from four countries this Autumn. 

Eurosport has acquired the worldwide rights, bronchi including sub-licensing rights, and will broadcast the tournaments in its European and Asia-Pacific markets. 

Eurosport’s relationship with BDO Events was first forged with the showing of all three days of the inaugural BDO Events’ BDO World Trophy in February 2014, which was held at the iconic Tower Ballroom in Blackpool. 

The featured tournaments in the new agreement include this year’s Winmau World Masters and also The British Open, traditional season curtain-raiser, Top of Ghent, Northern Ireland Open and Romanian Open. They will be covered live and delayed on Eurosport and Eurosport 2.

Dutch Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem will have a new owner after Russian billionaire Alexander Tsjigirinski announced the takeover of the side.

Tsjigirinski bought the club from Georgian investor Merab Jordania, pills who revealed that he was happy to sell.

“When I bought the Vitesse shares I already stated that Alexander Tsjigirinski was supporting me and my plans with the club,” he said.

“Now Vitesse have made some necessary steps for a bright future I feel it was the right moment to move on the shares to him.

“I will be available for Vitesse and Alexander to advise them in the future.”

Poland’s top league Ekstraklasa has today partnered with MP & Silva for the worldwide distribution of the Polish professional league’s media rights.

MP & Silva´s international experience and local presence in Poland were fundamental to the signing of this long-term partnership. The six-year agreement covering domestic and international rights runs until 2020/2021.

Bogusław Biszof, President of Ekstraklasa S.A., said: “We tried to work out the most efficient system of media rights distribution for several months now. Partnership with renowned agency MP & Silva is the result of our efforts. We must remember, that this is just the beginning of the road to the final sale of the rights to show Ekstraklasa in 2015/2016 season and further. In coming weeks, with the agency’s help, we will start direct negotiations with the broadcasters.”

Roberto Dalmiglio, MP & Silva Group Commercial Director, commented: “We feel very privileged for the commercial opportunity offered by Ekstraklasa and very excited to support the marketing plans of this renowned sporting competition. The Polish football league has deep roots and a very strong local fan base. We will definitely work on its expansion, both domestically and worldwide, with the view to enhance this historical brand. We look forward to working together with Ekstraklasa on this exciting challenge.“

Christopher Rodrigues CBE has been appointed as the new Chairman for the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association Ltd. (BBSA), capsule the governing body which oversees the two Olympic sports of Bobsleigh and Skeleton.

Former rower and businessman Rodrigues, symptoms who has been the Chairman of VisitBritain since 2007, was the outstanding candidate from an open recruitment process to find a new leader who can guide the organisation during an important phase of transformation.

One of the top priorities for Rodrigues will be the continuation of the merger process, which, it is hoped will see both the British Bobsleigh and British Skeleton organisations operate under a single, effective National Governing Body.  In due course, this new organisation should be responsible for all aspects of both sports including elite performance, the development of Youth and Futures programmes, the development of para sport and the encouragement of wider participation.

Rodrigues is enthusiastic about the challenges ahead: “It is an exciting time to be involved in British Olympic winter sport and in particular to lead two sports with such a credible sporting history in Great Britain.  I know the two operations are in excellent shape as we head into the Sochi 2014 Olympic season and I hope I can add value off the track to ensure the sports continue to go from strength to strength.  I look forward to meeting the athletes and team members as soon as I can.”

Sports Minister The Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP welcomed the appointment: “Christopher Rodrigues is an excellent Chairman of VisitBritain who has all the necessary sports and commercial experience to be an outstanding Chairman of the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association. With six months to go until Sochi 2014 and British Olympic sport in such good health, this is an exciting time for the sports and Christopher is exactly the right man to lead it into this new era.”

In a joint statement, Chairman of British Bobsleigh Sir Andrew Ridgway and Lord Clifton Wrottesley, Chairman of British Skeleton said: “We are delighted to welcome Christopher to the team at such a pivotal and exciting time for Bobsleigh and Skeleton in the UK.  His experience and insight will be invaluable for our sports both domestically and in the international arena and we are confident he will lead us through this transition to become an even more effective and efficient governing body.”

South Africa’s Olympic prospects have been given a welcome boost on Friday when sports officials received more than 80 million rand (£6.53 million) from the government and national lotteries to help with their preparations for the London Games.

“This amount is an attempt to boost the morale and readiness of our team, adiposity ” sports minister Fikile Mbalula said after handing over a cheque for 34.2 million rand to officials from the Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

National Lotteries Board (NLB) chairman Alfred Nevhutanda said his organisation was giving 47.5 million to Sascoc, cialis up from allocations of 14 million in 2009/10 and 17 million in 2010/11.

Sascoc has previously complained of underfunding, leading to a decline in South Africa’s Olympic performance. Having won six medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, South Africa picked up a single medal – Khotso Mokoena’s long jump silver – in Beijing four years ago.

Mbalula used the presentation, in front of Sascoc executives, heads of federations, athletes and media, as an opportunity to invite corporate South Africa to support the Olympic effort.

“We believe that government cannot do this alone. We need all South Africans, especially our private sector, to come on board and contribute towards the success of our team in the Olympic Games. We hope the investment we make today will encourage the private sector to do likewise,” he said.

Sascoc first vice-president Hajera Kajee said he was optimistic about the team’s prospects in London in July and August.

“We are humbled by this support that will help achieve our athletes’ dreams of being Olympians. Minister Mbalula has been fully behind Sascoc and our Olympic effort since he came into office. I trust we will deliver and I’m confident that we can bring home 12 medals,” Kajee said.