China’s most successful football club, Dalian Shide FC is in limbo after sporting authorities blocked a merger with their city rivals, Dalian Aerbin FC.

Dalian Shide, winner of eight Chinese league titles, is struggling for cash despite and been due to merge with wealthy neighbouring Dalian Aerbin.

But the Chinese Football Association (CFA) reportedly “negated” the deal, and Shide  had to reapply on Tuesday for its place in the Chinese Super League (CSL).

“Shide may meet the requirements but it’s most likely that the club cannot hold it to the end of next season due to insufficient money,” said state news agency Xinhua.

Shide won the Jia A League, China’s first professional league, in its inaugural season in 1994, and gained six more Jia A titles before winning the rebranded CSL in 2005.

Shide is one of only two Chinese clubs to reach the final of Asia’s top club championship, currently known as the AFC Champions League.

Clubs in China are often controlled by wealthy businessmen and Shide were bankrolled by Xu Ming, one of China’s richest men and the owner of Shide Group.

Xu was a close associate of disgraced former politician Bo Xilai.

Xu was linked to the scandal that brought down Bo, and was reportedly detained last March, on the same day Bo was sacked as party chief of the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing. He is believed to still be in detention.

Dalian Aerbin was founded in 2009 and backed by one of China’s largest construction companies, the Aerbin Group. The wealth of the owners recently allowed the club to sign former Paris Saint-Germain player Hoarau on a three-year deal, reportedly doubling his salary.{jcomments on}

English League Two club, Swindon Town have announced their chairman Jeremy Wray is to be replaced after 18 months in charge at the County Ground.

Wray, who ochestrated the appointment of manager Paolo Di Canio, has overseen a resurgence during his reign – from relegation in 2011 to the League Two title the following year.

The club’s board of directors are set to name Sir William Patey, former British ambassador to Afghanistan, as his successor.

Di Canio recently hit out at the club’s current transfer embargo imposed by the Football League after exceeding their set wage and fee limit, but the Italian remains full of praise for the departing Wray.

“The chairman is the best chairman a manager can have,” he told BBC Sport. “We have achieved what we have achieved thanks to the way he supported me in the beginning when there was some friction with the players.

“The way he handled the situation showed he is the best chairman you can have. The result is thanks to him and then Paolo Di Canio, the technical staff and then the main actors, the players.”

Kerrith Brown has been elected as the new Chairman of the British Judo Association by the British Judo membership and will assume the role from the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 10 November.

Brown was a former elite judoka and claimed bronze for Great Britain at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, symptoms as well as being a former World bronze and European Silver medallist.

Since his retirement from competitive judo, medstore he has led a career in business, owning, managing and providing consultancy to a range of organisations.

Brown’s manifesto included pledges to improve coach education and resources, competition structure for children and communications throughout the association as well giving greater ‘grass root’ involvement and a focus on securing sponsorship for the association.

Following the results, Kerrith Brown said: “I’m elated to have been elected as Chairman of the British Judo Association.

“It marks a full journey for me in the sport from the age of 12 right through to the highest level as a player and now as Chair. I’ve been campaigning for 12 months and it’s been hard work as there were some very strong candidates for the role.

“I’d like to say my congratulations to those who have been elected onto the board – this represents a new era for British Judo.

Elections also took place for positions on British Judo’s Board of Directors. Dave Clark has been re-elected to the Board, while Andrew Haffner and Peter Blewett have also been elected. Reuben Davison and Brian Davies will leave the Board.

Dave Clark said: “I am especially pleased and proud that our members again trusted me to assist the Board of the BJA, and the new Chair, to deliver the ambitions of “our” association.

“The members will be at the heart of every decision I take as a Board member and I look forward to supporting them throughout my term.”

Andrew Haffner commented: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted for all the candidates. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done and I will try my best to achieve everything I set out in my manifesto.

“I’d welcome any views from anyone who is interested in judo in Britain.”

Peter Blewett said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be elected and I have to thank everyone who voted.

“To be elected is a very exciting opportunity to take our distinguished Association forward. I feel proud and privileged and look forward to making a difference.”

USA Triathlon has announced Universal Sports Network will broadcast the two remaining USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series events.

Also designated as the USA Triathlon Elite Sprint National Championships, viagra the Sept. 19 race in Las Vegas will air on Monday, ailment Oct. 7. The event, also known as the Super Sprint Triathlon Grand Prix, will be held under the lights outside the Las Vegas Convention Center and feature a portable pool. Steve Schlanger and 2008 Olympic triathlete Julie Ertel, who formed NBC’s triathlon broadcast team during the 2012 Olympic Games in London, will call the action.

Universal Sports Network will also broadcast the final event of the USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series – scheduled to be held Oct. 26 in San Diego – on Monday, Nov. 11

The USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series opener was also held in San Diego on April 24, following the 2013 Omegawave World Triathlon San Diego..

The Pompey Supporters Trust (PST), a fans group trying to buy Portsmouth, are pleased that the latest court hearing has moved back until January 31.

The bid hinges on administrators PKF gaining permission to sell Fratton Park, which is controlled by former Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai.

PKF and Chainrai’s company Portpin were due in the High Court on Tuesday but the saga is now set to rumble on at least until the end of the month.

An initial hearing was also postponed last month to allow further discussions to take place.

But the PST say the latest delay will enable them to purchase Fratton Park as soon as they complete their proposed takeover.

PST chairman Ashley Brown said: “Our original wish was to buy Fratton Park ourselves and we are optimistic that we will be able to achieve this, which of course is what the fans want.

“However, the single most important thing our supporters can do to help achieve this objective is to convert their pledges or buy a share if they have not yet done so, either as individuals or in syndicates.

“All money is held in an escrow account and will only be used should the bid proceed, as we all hope it will. The more cash we can raise before the final court hearing, the better our chances of success. It is as simple as that.”