The Munich bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics has received a boost ahead of the arrival of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission after signing up Metro Group as its latest corporate partner.

The IOC delegation will begin its four-day inspection of the Bavarian city’s plans for the 2018 Winter Olympics later today, March 1, having arrived in Germany on Sunday. With officials having already visited rival bidders from Annecy in France and PyeongChang in South Korea, Munich is the final stop on the IOC’s inspection tour.

International retail network Metro Group has been recruited as Munich 2018’s 11th national sponsor, and Munich 2018 CEO Bernhard Schwank said: “It is great to be able to unveil this latest asset for Munich 2018 on the eve of the Evaluation Commission visit. Metro Group’s show of commitment at this crucial time confirms that German business has faith in Munich’s chances of winning this bid.”

Meanwhile the second instalment of the ‘Living Bid Book’ series has illustrated the bid committee’s vision for CO2 compensation and the first ever climate-neutral Winter Games in Olympic history, with environmental expert to the bid, Boris Schwartz stating: “We would like to take this opportunity to set new standards in sustainability. It is very important that we make the most of Bavaria’s outstanding natural treasures whilst putting the least possible strain on the environment.”

Meanwhile Munich Olympic bid officials have indicated they will resume talks with a land owner unwilling to cede his property for the 2018 Winter Games, according to the Associated Press. Some farmers in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the planned site of the Alpine skiing events, have refused to give up their landed needed for the sports facilities.

ONE World Sports has secured the broadcast rights for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

The high-definition coverage starts with four regular-season games in February, abortion immediately following the Olympic Winter Games, and continues in April with live or same-day coverage of the league’s two conference finals and championship series. KHL content will be distributed across all the network’s platforms, spanning the linear channel and broadband and mobile via the network’s “Watch ONE World Sports” app.

“The addition of the KHL provides some of the best hockey the world has to offer to the ONE World Sports’ line-up” said Alexander “Sandy” Brown, president and CEO of ONE World Sports. “With a significant number of NHL alumni in the KHL, we anticipate that our coverage will attract hockey fans across North America. Additionally, our multiplatform rights give those fans the opportunity to watch the games and highlights on the screen of their choice.”

The Sri Lankan city of Hambantota, bidding to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, claimed yesterday, February 27, that all the facilities needed to host the event, including the venues and infrastructure, would be built and finished nearly two years ahead of schedule if their bid is successful.

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the co-chairman of Hambantota 2018 and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, made the bold claim, stating: “We are making 2016 a byword for our Hambantota 2018 bid.

“Our commitment to all CGAs (Commonwealth Games Associations) is that all of the venues and the entire infrastructure for the Games will be completed by December 2016.

“This means that we can use 2017 for all the test events throughout the venues, including the Games Village.”

Cabraal’s pledge was made in an attempt to allay fears that if the the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) choose Hambantota, ahead of only rivals Gold Coast, they face the prospect of similar problems that overshadowed the build-up to last year’s event in New Delhi.

The promise to create a compact “Sports City” has been made by Sri Lankan Officials. They revealed that the construction will be developed alongside existing major infrastructure developments, including the new sea port and second international airport, with work already underway, as well as a high-capacity public transport system and new road network.

The Sri Lankan Government are convinced that the promise can be a vote winner when the CGF meets at its annual meeting in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11 to choose the host city.

Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister and the co-chairman of Hambantota 2018, stated: “Sports City will be instrumental for Hambantota in winning the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

“All the athletes participating in the Games will find it tailor-made to suit their specific sporting requirements.

“They will relish the opportunity to compete in venues full to capacity with spectators, with a great atmosphere and in facilities that exceed their expectations and enable them to strive for personal best performances and medals.”

British Eurosport have announced they will televise the 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship after extending their agreement with promoter, clinic IMG Motorsport.

British Eurosport, who televised the FIA European Rallycross Championship last year, will broadcast all rounds bar Finland, Sweden, Canada and France.

Highlights and repeats will also form part of the comprehensive package, with a season preview and review similarly in the pipeline. The commentary team will continue to be led by respected ‘Voice of Rallycross’, Andrew Coley.

“British Eurosport’s commitment to televising the entire FIA World RX Championship this year – the vast majority of it live – is a tremendous boost to our rapidly growing series,” said Martin Anayi, Managing Director of the FIA World Rallycross Championship for IMG Motorsport, a division of IMG, the global sport, fashion and media company.

“With its exhilarating blend of flat-out, wheel-to-wheel rallying and circuit racing, rallycross’ popularity is very much in the ascendancy, and the fact that UK-based fans will be able to follow all of the breathtaking action on TV is excellent news. Rallycross is well-acknowledged to be one of the most thrilling sports to witness trackside, but it is also one that lends itself perfectly to the small screen.

“All of us at FIA World RX are immensely enthusiastic about the prospect of working closely alongside British Eurosport again this season, and we are looking forward to seeing the increased coverage and promotion that will accompany it – as, I’m sure, are all of the championship’s fans.”

“Rallycross was a popular fixture on British Eurosport’s scheduling in 2013, and the advent of the new FIA World Championship this year is another great fillip for the sport,” added British Eurosport Managing Director, David Kerr.

“We are looking forward to collaborating with FIA World RX promoter, IMG, to further spread the reach of this exciting sporting discipline.”

Rome’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics will be led by former Italian Sports Minister Mario Pescante, after Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has turned down the opportunity to lead the bid.

Pescante, 72, is the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and according to officials, is set to be formally confirmed as President of Rome 2020 on Wednesday, February 23.

Ferrari chief Montezemolo, who organised Italy’s 1990 FIFA World Cup and has been chairman of Fiat, was proposed as a bid head last week but said he would only take the job if there was enough financial and Government support.

Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno stated: “I’m sorry that Luca di Montezemolo has decided there are not the conditions to accept the role. He was a very good candidate. 

“We are now working together with the Government and Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) to find a chairman with a profile different from someone with an entrepreneurial background, which will be presented officially on Wednesday at the States General of the city of Rome.”

Pescante, a member of the IOC since 1994, is a professor who was Italy’s Sports Minister between 2001 and 2006 and was closely involved in the organisation of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin as the Italian Government Supervisor.

The Ferrari boss is not the first to have turned down the opportunity after Nerio Alessandri, the founder of London 2012 sponsor Technogym, had also turned down the job, meaning Pescante will be the third choice to head Rome’s campaign to bring the Olympics back to the Italian capital for the first time since 1960.

Gianni Petrucci, President of CONI, claimed that Pescante was the right person to lead the bid: “He is a good choice because he has a high-profile in sports and has followed the ideals of the Olympic Movement all his life,” he said.

Gunilla Lindberg, chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluation commission has praised the bid of South Korea’s PyeongChang’s to host the 2018 Winter Games after the 14-strong team of inspectors concluded a trip to the city.

Lindberg told a press conference on Saturday that PyeongChang had made “great progress” after having previously failed with bids for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. The IOC team has already visited Annecy in France and is now visiting the final bidding city of Munich before publishing an evaluation report in May.

Lindberg stated: “We have seen great progress in the bid from previous two bids. It has been wonderful to see so many people showing their support to bring the Olympic Winter Games here to Korea.”

IOC inspectors also saw “very strong governmental support” for the bid and “passionate support” from residents, said Lindberg. PyeongChang bid committee chief Cho Yang-Ho added: “I think we have explained our preparations in detail.”

At a final round of presentations on Saturday, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-Sik proposed a special Olympic law to help PyeongChang speed up construction projects for the event. The IOC will announce the winning bid on July 6.

American sports broadcaster CBS Sports Network has announced it will televise at least three live events from the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards this year.

CBS Sports Network’s coverage, part of its CBS Sports Spectacular programming, begins with the Akona 250 on Saturday, June 21 from Elko Speedway in Minnesota. In addition, CBS Sports Network will televise races from Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on Sunday, July 6 and Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisc. on Sunday, Aug. 24.

“We are pleased to provide additional exposure of the ARCA Racing Series on CBS Sports Network,” said Mark Gundrum, ARCA Vice President for Business Development and Corporate Partnerships. “This opportunity is great for the teams, sponsors and fans of the series.”

CBS Sports Network’s coverage will include some of the series’ best short track races, designed to showcase ARCA’s exciting action from the tour’s “bullrings,” including historic Winchester Speedway in Indiana.

“The ARCA short track race events are some of the best each year, and we’re excited to bring the side-by-side action to CBS Sports Network’s viewers,” Gundrum concluded.