Australia Rugby Union have announced chief executive, John O’Neil will step down from the role at the end of the month earlier than expected.

O’Neill had been expected to leave in 2013 when his contract ended but has decided to call time on his second spell in charge a year early.

“I’ve just reached the point, and age has a little bit to do with it – I’ve turned 61 this year – where being a full-time chief executive is not really for me,” O’Neill said.

“I am honoured during my second term at the ARU to have played a role in shaping the transformation of the game and I look forward to seeing Australian rugby go from strength to strength.

During his initial tenure from 1995 to 2004, the Wallabies won the 1999 World Cup, captured two Tri-Nations titles and defeated the British and Irish Lions in 2001.

On his return in 2007 following a stint with the Football Federation Australia, O’Neill lured New Zealander Robbie Deans as the side’s first foreign coach.

But as the Wallabies have stumbled through the international season, Deans’ future has come under intense media scrutiny that is sure to intensify with O’Neill’s departure.

Deputy chief executive Matt Carroll will take over from O’Neill on an interim basis from 1 November.

The New York Yankees have reached a multi-year agreement with WFAN-AM.

The deal, made with CBS Radio, which owns WFAN, calls for the games to be simulcast on WFAN-FM beginning next season, with both stations carrying all Yanks regular-season and postseason games, as well as pregame and postgame shows and select Spring Training games. CBS Radio also acquired rights to the Spanish-language broadcasts on a multiyear basis.

“We are extremely excited to have reached an agreement with CBS Radio,” Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said. “The paramount consideration was how our fans would best be able to hear our games. Having the Yankees on WFAN-AM/FM provides listeners in the New York metropolitan area and beyond with superior broadcast quality and vast territorial signal strength.”

The agreement ends the Yankees’ run on WCBS-AM, a 24-hour news station, that began in 2002. WFAN, which is also the flagship station for the NFL’s New York Giants, NHL’s New Jersey Devils and NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, had aired Mets games since its inception in 1987. Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon confirmed on Tuesday that his team would be seeking a new radio home.

“We are privileged to welcome the New York Yankees to WFAN,” said Dan Mason, CBS Radio’s president and chief executive officer. “There is no bigger name in baseball than the Yankees, nor an organization so steeped in tradition. As the nation’s premier sports radio station, we look forward to capturing all the excitement surrounding the team, and bringing it to millions of fans for many years to come.”

The Football Association (FA) launched a year of celebrations to mark its 150^th anniversary today with a ceremony at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden, where the Laws of the Game were first drafted in 1863.

Every living former England manager was invited to the event, whilst leading football figures from around the world, including Lothar Matthäus, Alan Shearer and Patrick Vieira, were in attendance. A special mosaic logo, made up of iconic images from throughout the FA’s history, has also been unveiled to commemorate the occasion.

David Bernstein, FA Chairman, said: “The coming year will be a terrific opportunity for us to showcase our work to the whole country and the wider world. It is a wonderful achievement for any organisation and I certainly hope it will capture the imagination in the way it has mine. From humble beginnings to today’s global spectacle, we can be proud of this country’s contribution to football.”

The FA will be celebrating the landmark throughout 2013 and scheduled events include: England friendly matches against Brazil, Scotland and Republic of Ireland, Hosting the 2013 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium and National Football Day on 10 August.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter paid tribute to the organisation ahead of today’s ceremony, he said: “It is a great honour and pleasure to congratulate the FA in this special year 2013 when they are in the festive mood for their 150th anniversary of its foundation.

“If you look back on the 26 October 1863 in the Freemasons Tavern in Great Queen Street, they were the pioneers. They called it the Football Association of England, but now it is called the FA, because it is the number one in FIFA.”

UEFA President Michel Platini also spoke of his admiration for the FA.  “It is a milestone that is worthy of celebration by the entire worldwide football family. Also, UEFA has only existed for a fraction of this time. We were honoured to play our part in celebrating the anniversary of the oldest football association in the world,” he said.

“To my mind, it is logical that this season’s UEFA Champions League final will be played at the new Wembley – the new home of the Football Association. We thank the Football Association for its contribution to creating, fostering and building our sport and on behalf of UEFA and its member associations, we wish you another 150 years of success in helping to further strengthen and develop football worldwide.”

The FA governs football in England from the lowest amateur leagues to the upper echelons of the Barclays Premier League. Their work at the grass roots level allows people all over the country to enjoy participating in the game.

Former Finance Director and Acting CEO of The FA, Michael Cunnah, told iSportconnect: “Football is still the most popular sport and provides more opportunities for sporting participation and keeping fit than anything else. This doesn’t happen by accident. In the last 15 years the FA has overseen an impressive increase in the number of coaches and manages to maintain enough referees to keep the game in good health at grass roots level.”

“In creating and then funding the Football Foundation, The FA has made massive contributions through new playing facilities to so many communities up and down the land. The Football Foundation has funded more than £600m of new facilities – a magnificent achievement.”

Monisha Kaltenborn has become Formula One’s first female team principal on Thursday after taking the helm at Sauber from founder Peter Sauber with immediate effect.

The Swiss-based team said in a statement at the Korean Grand Prix that 41-year-old Kaltenborn, who was previously chief executive, would take over Sauber’s duties at race weekends. 

Sauber, who turns 69 on Saturday, will continue as president of the board of all Sauber group companies and retain responsibility for strategic direction.

Apart from being the first woman in the role, Kaltenborn, who is an Austrian citizen, is the second India-born principal in the 12-team sport after Force India’s Vijay Mallya.

“We decided a long time ago that Monisha would take over from me but we left the timing open. Now is a good time for both of us, so this is the right moment to pass on the baton,” said Sauber in a statement.

“There have been a number of races I’ve been unable to attend, most recently the Japanese Grand Prix, where the team put in an excellent performance.

“I’m in no doubt that Monisha has all the necessary skills to be an outstanding team principal, and I’m equally certain she will ensure that the values underpinning the company live on. That is very important to me.”

Sauber, who made their Formula One debut in 1993, have had four podium finishes in 15 races so far this season with Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi third at his home Suzuka circuit last Sunday.

The team are currently sixth overall. Their other driver, Mexican Sergio Perez, has had three podium finishes and is joining McLaren at the end of the season.

Kaltenborn joined Sauber in 2000 to run the legal department and took over as CEO in 2010. Sauber transferred a third of the company shares to her last year.

“We are the fourth-oldest team in Formula One. To build up a project like this and keep it alivein a difficult environment is a tremendous achievement,” she said.

“I have set my sights high and am committed to taking the team forward as Peter Sauber would want and leading it on to success.”