A record seven National Federations have sent in formal Expressions of Interest to host the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018.

Signed Expression of Interest documents have been received from the National Federations of Australia, symptoms Canada, Hungary, Morocco, Russia, Sweden, and the USA..

FEI Secretary General Ingmar de Vos said: “Having a record seven Expressions of Interest in hosting the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018 is the best possible endorsement of the FEI’s flagship event. It also shows the value of the review that the FEI has commissioned of the bidding process for the FEI World Equestrian Games and FEI European Championships, which is aimed at raising the profile of these events and their associated revenues by creating a competitive, well structured and transparent bid process.”

An economic impact study of the direct and indirect economic impact generated by Kentucky’s hosting of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 showed a total economic impact of between $373 and $396 million. The Deloitte study, which was commissioned by the FEI, revealed a direct economic impact of $233 million and an indirect economic impact of between $140 and $163 million.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 generated attendance figures of 507,000, with spectator numbers exceeding 40,000 on four separate peak days. Ninety-six percent of local visitors agreed that hosting the event was beneficial to Kentucky, and 74% of international visitors stated that they would be more likely to return to Kentucky as a result of the Games.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 generated 16 days of live High Definition broadcast coverage, with 66 television channels from around the world airing 1,556 broadcasts. Approximately 474 broadcast hours were transmitted, an additional 153 hours, or a 32% increase, when compared with the FEI World Equestrian Games 2006.

The 2010 Games, the biggest equestrian event ever staged in the US and the first FEI World Equestrian Games held outside Europe, received the largest block of equestrian programming ever available for viewing in the US market. More than 38 hours of programming was aired in the US, including over 20 hours of live coverage. US Olympic network NBC broadcast 8.5 hours of coverage, which included a five-hour broadcast on Cross Country day, 3 October.

FEI TV produced 16 days of live internet broadcasts, which included 175 hours of Video on Demand, daily highlight shows and 116 features and interviews.

Full details of the bidding process, the timeline and requirements for hosting the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018, will be sent to the seven National Federations that have completed and returned the Expression of Interest form.

The New York Racing Association has signed a multi-year extension with TVG Network who will continue to televise and stream races from Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Racecourse

Under the terms of the agreement, TVG will increase the exposure for High Definition telecasts of races from the premier New York Thoroughbred races on its network – which is distributed nationally in over 36 million households and simulcast regularly on regional sports networks throughout the US including the Fox family of regional sports networks. 

“Both The New York Racing Association and TVG have made significant investments in High Definition television capabilities over the past year and this agreement allows us both to provide the highest quality coverage to the greatest number of people possible on a daily basis,” said Kip Levin, CEO of TVG and Betfair US. 

“We view this as a starting point for the two organizations to innovate in creating new and better ways for customers to enjoy this fantastic racing product.” 

Programming enhancements will include features on TVG’s television network with The New York Racing Association’s on-track television hosts as well as significantly increased on-site productions by TVG at Belmont Park and Saratoga Racecourse. 

“Today’s announcement is yet another positive step forward for The New York Racing Association; one that will further enhance the experience for the world’s greatest fans following thoroughbred action on television, online or at one of our three historic, world-class racing facilities,” said Christopher Kay, President and CEO of The New York Racing Association. “The extension of our agreement with TVG will provide featured, long-term placement through the broadest, most technologically advanced distribution network available.  This is a win for everyone.”

Our top movers this month was IAAF President Lamine Diack revealing he would step down from his role and Dr. Julio C. Maglione getting re-elected as FINA President. 

Our Full List here (in no particular order):

hospital helvetica,sans-serif;”>Yang Shu’an has responded to criticism of the fall-out from the 2008 Beijing Games and its environmental effect on the city.

The Chinese Vice Sports Minister has spoken out at a time when the Chinese Government are, once again, experiencing mounting calls to reduce the heavy pollution in Beijing.

This issue had been identified prior to the 2008 Olympics as a key concern, and, before the start of the Games, China spent more than $3 billion in an attempt to reduce pollution in the city. A number of factories were also closed in the hope of managing the issue.

At the time, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) and Chinese Government asserted that an advancement in air quality would be a key legacy of the Games.

The level of smog in recent months has led many to query this promise and the Government is now facing calls from Beijing residents to put measures in place to fully monitor the issue.

Shu’an has claimed, however, that the opportunity to host both the Olympics and Paralympics four years ago has had a positive effect on the infrastructure and the environment in the capital of China.

“The legacies of the Games for the Chinese people and those living in Beijing are multifaceted, but the first two are an improved transport infrastructure and environment”.

“Everybody living in Beijing has realised the unique opportunities created by the Olympics and can see that the overall environment has improved”.

The Vice Sports Minister, did concede that there are “challenges to sustain the Olympic legacies” and cited environmental protection as one of them.

South Korea will host their first ever golf’s President’s Cup in 2015, marking the continual growth and popularity of the sport in Asia.

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said Wednesday at this year’s event, which begins Thursday, that an as-yet undecided Korean club will host the biennial match-play tournament between the United states and rest of the world of golfers representing non-European countries.

Finchem said the PGA Tour has “a number of options” for a host club but will not announce the specific venue until the first half of next year. Three South Korean Golfers are particpating in this years tournament at Royal Melbourne K.J. Choi, K.T. Kim and Y.E. Yang.

“I am very honored, very delighted … it is a positive step for the development of the game in Korea,” Choi said through a translator. “K.T., Y.E and I will try to keep up our ‘A’ game up to 2015.”

Yang said he was pleased to see such a “festival of golf” coming to his home country.

“I feel very proud that I picked up golf as a living,” he said. “I have no doubt this will improve the golf culture and golf market in Korea.”

Under the rotation system, the U.S. will host the 2013 Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.

South Korea becomes only the fourth non-American country to host the Presidents Cup since its inception in 1994. Royal Melbourne was also the venue in 1998, South Africa was host in 2003 and Canada’s Royal Montreal in 2007.

“The growth of the game in Asia is well documented, and the fact that we have three South Korean players on the International Presidents Cup team this year illustrates the strength of golf in that country, which is only going to get stronger in the next four years,” Finchem said.

Kim hopes the 2015 decision would boost the sport in South Korea.

“A lot of my peers, a lot of younger generation Korean golfers, are also eyeing to increase their world rankings, get better and hopefully have a few more Koreans on the International team by 2015,” Kim said.

Choi, who is 41, was asked if he might be captain of the International team in 2015.

“No, I’m just going to try and condition myself until 2015,” Choi said. “I learned a lot from playing with the Aussie players this week, how they take pride in playing in their home country. I would like to feel that, and feel that kind of feel back home, not as a captain but as a player.”

He shared his fellow South Korean players’ sentiments that the decision would enhance the sport in his country and in Asia in general.

“It was my role and I guess Y.E.’s role to sort of open up the windows for Asian players in Europe and in the U.S.,” Choi said. “I believe that we sort of trailblazed that Asian players can compete at that level as well.

“With the Presidents Cup coming into Korea and with a lot of Asian players growing up, it’s going to be another endeavor for the younger generation to build upon what we opened up.”

Universal Sports Network has extended its media rights agreement with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) until 2019.

 The deal, finalized with the IAAF’s commercial partner, Dentsu Inc., gives Universal Sports, which already has rights to the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015, multiplatform rights, including exclusive TV and Internet rights, to all IAAF World Athletic Series events in track & field, cross-country, race walking and half-marathon including the IAAF World Championships, London 2017, and the 2019 edition whose located will be decided by the IAAF in November 2014.

Encompassing international junior and senior track & field events, the agreement also includes rights to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2016 and 2018; IAAF World Junior Championships in 2016 and 2018; IAAF World Youth Championships in 2017 and 2019; IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2017 and 2019; IAAF World Race Walking Cup in 2016 and 2018; IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2016 and 2018; and IAAF Continental Cup in 2018.

“Universal Sports’ commitment to track and field has never been stronger,” said Robert James, SVP of content and communications at Universal Sports. “This new extension with the IAAF propels us intothe future of the sport, showcasing both world-class athletes and up-and-coming stars from around the globe.”

“I am delighted that our partnership with Universal Sports has been extended through to 2019,” confirmed IAAF President Lamine Diack. “American fans will continue to enjoy World Championship athletics and the full array of other IAAF World Athletics Series competitions across the mediums of terrestrial, cable and internet. We firmly believe that the consistent high level coverage of our eventsoffered by Universal Sports is the key to Athletics making a genuine impact in households across the USA.”

With tensions rising in India over Dow Chemicals association with the London Olympics, doctor the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has convened a meeting on Friday to discuss the issue following IOC chief Jacques Rogge’s suggestion that they should enter into a dialogue with the athletes.

Although the IOA has made it clear that there was no question of India boycotting the Games, the meeting of the top brass assumes importance in the light of Rogge’s statement as well as the public outrage.

IOA Vice-President Tarlochan Singh, said: “A meeting has been called on December 9 to discuss issues related to this problem. The IOA’s general body and the Executive Board will meet on December 15.”

Tarlochan said all the issues related to Dow Chemicals sponsorship and the resentment it has created will be taken into account by the members before taking a final decision.

“The matter has to be thoroughly discussed, we can’t take a decision on our own. The sentiments of the people of Bhopal are also important,” he said.

He said the IOA is aware of Rogge’s comments and would discuss his suggestion in the meeting.

Singapore has been approved to host the 2015 Southeast Asian Games, by the Southeast Asian Games Federation.

The bid was approved at a meeting in Palembang, Indonesia, on Saturday evening, local daily Straits Times said.

“Our neighbors in Asean have agreed for us to host the Games and we’re very grateful for that,” Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean was quoted as saying. “Now we have four years to plan for the games and, from now on, the planning will take place.”

Singapore first expressed interest in February to stage the event after the original host Cambodia said it did not have the resources to do it, and officially announced its bid last week. No other countries were bidding.

Teo said the main venue for the event will be upcoming Sports Hub, which will be built at a cost of 1.33 billion Singapore dollars (1.03 billion U.S. dollars) and will be ready by 2014.

“The swimming facilities will be there and many of the sports for the Southeast Asian Games in 2015 will be focused around the Sports Hub,” said Teo, who is also president of the Singapore National Olympic Council.