International Paralympic Committee confirms four candidates in the running to succeed Sir Philip Craven as president

The International Paralympic Committee has confirmed that four candidates have been shortlisted to succeed Sir Philip Craven as president.

Craven, only the second president of the organisation since its inception in 1989, will end his 16-year tenure in September at the IPC general assembly in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The quartet bidding to become the third president of the IPC are Patrick Jarvis (Canada), Andrew Parsons (Brazil), John Petersson (Denmark) and Haidi Zhang (China).

Petersson is also standing for vice president, along with Duane Kale and Majid Rashed.

Craven assumed office in 2001 and has overseen a significant period of growth within the Paralympic movement, with London 2012 and Rio 2016 the most attended Paralympic Games ever.

There have also been more troubling times and Craven was widely praised for his leadership in enacting a total ban of Russian athletes from Rio 2016 due to the widespread doping scandal in the country.

This was in stark contrast to International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach’s more relaxed approach to allow the international federations to rule on Russian participation.

The IPC said last month that Russia’s ban would continue following a taskforce’s recommendation that key criteria still needed to be met before reinstatement of membership could happen.

Brazil’s nominee Parsons already got a jump on his rivals by releasing a statement shortly after the candidate confirmation, saying: “I am delighted that my candidacy to become the next IPC President has been confirmed and I would like to thank the Brazilian Paralympic Committee for the trust and support they have placed in me by nominating me as a candidate.”

His official campaign launch will take place in London this week. As of yet there has been no news of when the other candidates will be launching their campaigns.

On 6 September each candidate will have the opportunity to make a presentation on their candidature to the IPC membership attending the IPC General Assembly in Abu Dhabi.

By Christian Radnedge

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho accused of tax evasion by Spanish authorities

Jose Mourinho has been accused of evading tax by Spanish prosecutors, who are investigating his time spent as Real Madrid manager.

Spanish prosecutors said in a statement this week that they had filed the claim against Mourinho on two counts of tax fraud from 2011 and 2012.

The statement added that the Portuguese is alleged to owe tax authorities €3.3m (£2.9m).

Mourinho, currently manager of Manchester United, spent three years in Madrid from 2010 to 2013.

It follows the news that Cristiano Ronaldo is to testify in his own tax fraud case next month.

The Champions League winner is accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of €14.7m (£12.9m) between 2011 and 2014, something the player strenuously denies and has led to reports of him wanting to leave Real Madrid as soon as possible.

Ronaldo is due to testify on July 31, where he will defend his tax activities in Spain.

The Portugal star is currently in Russia with the national team at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said he would talk to Ronaldo about his future upon his return from the tournament which finishes on July 2.

Lappartient announces he will challenge Cookson for UCI presidency in September

European Cycling Union president David Lappartient has announced that he will challenge Brian Cookson for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI).

The Frenchman confirmed the news on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the deadline for candidates to put themselves forward for the election in September.

Cookson himself was elected as UCI president in September 2013, taking over from the troubled era of Pat McQuaid.

However, the Briton has not found himself resistant to criticism as he has attempted to revive cycling’s reputation amid continuing doping scandals and allegations.

Lappartient said in a statement on his website that he wished to restore cycling’s “influence in the Olympic movement”.

“I have great passion for cycling and have clearly demonstrated it through my vision, my achievements, my leadership capabilities, and my commitment to make cycling a sport of the 21st century,” Lappartient said.

“I want to make UCI a strong and well-respected federation by improving its governance and regain its capacity of influence in the Olympic movement,” Lappartient added.

“We must be unshakable when dealing with technological fraud, doping or the potential manipulation of results related to sports betting.”

The election will take place on September 21 during the UCI road world championships in Bergen, Norway.

By Christian Radnedge

NBA and Gatorade announce new NBA Development League name

The NBA and Gatorade announced that beginning today the NBA Development League (NBA D-League), the NBA’s minor league, will officially become the NBA G League.

The NBA G League will collaborate with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) on programs to enhance player sports performance and recovery. Gatorade will begin to incubate its latest product and equipment innovations into NBA G League locker rooms, and teams will have the opportunity to collaborate with Gatorade to help players maximise their athletic potential and on-court performance.

Beginning with the 2017-18 season, the NBA G League will feature 26 teams, an expansion of four teams since last season, 22 of which are owned and operated by NBA franchises.

For the first time this coming fall, NBA teams can sign up to two “two-way” players to NBA contracts. These contracts allow “two-way” players to be with their NBA parent team for up to 45 days, spending most of the season in the NBA G League.

“This is a pivotal moment for the NBA G League,” said NBA G League President Malcolm Turner. “The league is experiencing unprecedented success both on and off the court, and our partnership with Gatorade is helping to drive momentum and create exciting opportunities for innovation, sports performance and player development.”

Gatorade was a founding partner of the league, dating to the inaugural 2001-02 season.

Juventus to enter Women’s Serie A from 2017-18 season onwards

A Juventus women’s football team will compete in the Serie A Femminile from the 2017-18 season, the club officially confirmed this week.

It’s the first time Juventus have launched a senior women’s football team, in addition to their already existing female youth teams. The club made the news official via their Twitter account this week.

It is not yet known how the league will accommodate the new addition. Since its inception in 1971, the league has ranged from 10 to 16 teams competing, with 12 contesting the latest campaign which was eventually won by Fiorentina.

The top-scorer in this season’s campaign was Scottish international Lana Clelland of UPC Tavagnacco with with 23 goals.

By Christian Radnedge

Paris 2024 puts sport at the heart of World Refugee Day in Paris

To mark World Refugee Day, the Paris 2024 Bid Committee has joined forces with the City of Paris and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to organise a day of sport for refugees – highlighting how sport can be catalyst for change in society.

Every year, on 20 June, World Refugee Day celebrates the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. This year, Paris 2024 Co-Chairs, Tony Estanguet and Bernard Lapasset, have partnered with Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the UNHCR and a number of other NGOs engaged in the reception and integration of refugees in the city, to stage an inclusive event bringing together migrants and refugees living in Paris with local Parisians in the practice of sport.  A number of French sporting federations also supported the event including those for taekwondo, football, wrestling, table tennis, badminton, baseball and cricket.

As part of the day’s activities, refugee children from the Paris-Ivry Humanitarian Centre participated in workshops organised by the NGO PLAY International (SOS Group), a pioneer in education and social change through sport. In the afternoon, Tony Estanguet and Bernard Lapasset were joined by inspirational Kenyan Olympian Tegla Loroupe, an emblematic figure of refugee aid and inclusion through sport and Chef de Mission of the Refugee Olympic Team at the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, to lead sports activities for adults.

At the close of the event, Paris 2024 joined the UNHCR, City of Paris representatives and other organisations to exchange ideas and enhance opportunities for refugees living in the city as well as highlight existing projects being carried out. It was also announced that Paris2024 would co-host a ‘Hackathon’, dedicated to sport inclusion on 1-2 July, with Techfugees, a start-up that aims to mobilise the innovation community to provide solutions to the challenges faced by refugees.

Using sport as a tool towards a more inclusive society is a key pillar of the Paris 2024 bid as established by its existing partnership with the Yunus Centre, which focuses on improving the quality of life of citizens, increasing social inclusion and supporting sustainable and equitable development, as well as its work with French aid agency Secours Populaire.

Paris 2024 Co-Chair Tony Estanguet, said:

“World Refugee Day is an important day for us to stand in solidarity with people from around the world. I firmly believe that sport can make a difference to the lives of those who have been displaced and the sporting community has a responsibility to ensure that the opportunity to practice sport is accessible to all.

“I am proud of the work being carried out by Paris 2024 to ensure that our candidature has a positive and lasting impact on the lives of all people living in Paris including our migrant community. By standing together today with Tegla Loroupe – an inspirational figure within the Olympic Movement – and the UNHCR we are making sure that our message of open and welcoming Games in 2024 is heard beyond our borders.”

Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said:

“The people of Paris stand side by side with refugees and we were pleased to be able to share a day of sport with Parisians and our migrant community at the Paris-Nord and Paris-Ivry Humanitarian Centres. Sport is a formidable tool for inclusion and we will continue to use it to build bridges and promote unity in our city. Sharing this day with committed athletes, such as Tegla Loroupe, a leading voice for refugees the world over, was a truly inspiring experience.”

Los Angeles 2024 files US Internal Revenue Service Form 990

As a nonprofit organization, LA 2024 filed its annual US Internal Revenue Service Form 990 on June 15, 2017, which provides information about its finances, governance and activities for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2016.

Unlike many bids to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LA 2024 is entirely privately funded and operated, and receives no taxpayer funding.

LA 2024’s Form 990 identifies its donors and individuals who served as board members between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016. Since then, more business and community leaders, including donors, have joined LA 2024’s board. In addition to lending their talent and expertise to the bid, board members have committed more than $50 million since September 2015 to finance LA 2024’s operations to bring the Olympic Games back to Los Angeles.

Please visit https://la24.org/print/media/330-board- to see a full list of LA 2024’s Board of Directors.

LA 2024’s Form 990 is available for public download here.

IFAB radical proposals include shortening football matches from 90 minutes to 60

Football matches could be reduced to two halves of 30 minutes as part of a radical set of proposals announced by the International Football Association Board.

IFAB, the law-makers of the game, this week published their ‘Play Fair!’ strategy paper in conjunction with FIFA which aims to reduce negative aspects of the game.

“The aim of this document is to generate discussion and take a fresh look at how the Laws could make the game better”, the IFAB paper said.

The argument behind the time reduction is to try and limit time-wasting by players, by having 60-minutes of full play with time being stopped every time the ball goes out of play.

The strategy also includes proposals to let players dribble or pass to themselves from a free-kick or corner, play stopping if a penalty kick is saved or missed, and a Tennis style tie-break system for penalty shootouts where the first kicker alternates.

Any changes are years away from possible implementation, with discussions taking place over the coming year before the 2018 IFAB annual general meeting in March.

There, the body will decide which proposals should be trialled in competitive matches to see if they work.

Speaking about FIFA’s involvement in the ‘Play Fair!’ strategy, chief technical development officer Marco van Basten said the initiative aims to ensure fairness while keeping football “attractive”.

“The ‘play fair!’ initiative is a plan for football,” said Van Basten. “This strategy aims to promote fairness and integrity, ensure the game is accessible to everyone and optimise the use of technology.

“Since its approval, FIFA and The IFAB have elaborated on the first stage of discussions and trials, which focus on improving player behaviour and increasing respect, increasing playing time and increasing fairness and keeping the game attractive.”

By Christian Radnedge

SBC Betting Forum delivers specialist sports betting focus in Amsterdam

More than 15 leading industry speakers will take to the stage in the inaugural SBC Betting Forum at this year’s iGaming Super Show in Amsterdam (11-14 July).

SBC Events has joined forces with iGaming Business to create a dedicated one-day sports betting conference at the Amsterdam RAI on 12 July, while also providing a meeting place for the industry to come together to learn and network.

The SBC Betting Forum agenda has been designed for operators, suppliers, affiliates and service providers, with a focus on latest trends, strategies and opportunities in the sports betting industry, mobile user experience, in play betting, pricing, risk management and brand loyalty.

There will be refreshments available in the SBC Lounge throughout the conference, which will conclude with the Sports Betting Networking Drinks Party at The Corner Amsterdam, sponsored by Betcart, to lead into the evening’s festivities in the Dutch capital.

SBC Managing Director Andrew McCarron commented: “We’re really pleased that SBC can take greater involvement in the iGaming Super Show in the shape of the SBC Betting Forum. We think that there is plenty on offer for the sports betting sector to get their teeth into.”

Among the speakers confirmed are Guy Harding, Head of Commercial at Oddschecker, Meir Moses, VP of Business Development for Don Best Sports, Pinnacle Marketing Director Harry Lang, Sportito founder Riccardo Mittiga and Adam Kalmanson, co-founder at Bookee.

Referencing the ongoing battle between a bookmaker’s marketing and trading teams, Harding will deliver an analysis on overround erosion, margin for error and finding the pricing ‘sweet spot’.

Harding said: “Given my role at Oddschecker, I am well placed to discuss overrounds erosion (OR’s) and pricing within the sports betting industry. I am particularly looking forward to sharing insight on how this can translate into market share.”

Click here for more information about the SBC Betting Forum.

ANOC pleas with international sport community to not get involved in Qatar dispute

The Association of National Olympic Committees has urged the international sports world not to get drawn into the current political turmoil surrounding Qatar.

The Gulf state is currently in a state of diplomatic isolation, after a number of neighbouring countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others, severed economic relations with Qatar accusing it of supporting “terrorism”.

Qatar has strenuously denied the accusations.

The isolation has left the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts in a state of financial limbo, while construction continues apace for the tournament project.

But ANOC released a statement on Monday pleading with the international sport community to keep politics out of their world.

“ANOC today expressed its hope that the international sports movement in Qatar would not be endangered by the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region,” the statement said.

“The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and the neighbouring National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the Gulf region are valuable partners to the world’s Olympic Movement and have significantly developed sports in their countries in recent years.

“Sport has also played a key role in opening up the region to the world. Last year, the QOC brought together the world’s NOCs in Doha and hosted a fantastic ANOC General Assembly and ANOC Awards.

“Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar has shown itself to be a very willing and capable host of international sports events and will bring the world back to the region when it hosts the 2019 IAAF World Championships, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2023 FINA World Championships and other international sports events.

“ANOC sincerely hopes that the geopolitical situation regarding Qatar will be resolved soon and that it won’t impact on the incredible value that Qatar brings to the sports world. Sport must be separate from politics in this Gulf issue.”

ANOC is led by president and International Olympic Committee member Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who is also a senior politician in his home country of Kuwait.

Kuwait is one of the nations leading the mediation process as the Gulf region seeks to resolve the dispute.

By Christian Radnedge