The soccer tournament staged as part of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games will be staged between five other cities, it was announced yesterday, February 22, by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Salvador have all been chosen to share the matches with Rio, spreading the tournament across Brazil. The names of the specific sites have not been announced, but they are expected to be the same as those awarded FIFA World Cup matches in 2014.

The decision was announced during a seminar for host cities in Brasilia attended by Brazil’s Sports Orlando Silva and CBP President Ricardo Teixeira.

This means that Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao stadium, Belo Horizonte’s Mineirao, the Fonte Nova in Salvador and the Mane Garrincha in Brasilia will all play host to games in the early stages of the men and women’s tournament, as well as the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. 

The famous stadium, which is currently being rebuilt for the World Cup and the Olympics, will also be the site for the finals of both competitions, as well as hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Financial report, decisions on competition hosts and 2014 World Cup slots are all on the agenda for soccer’s world governing body, FIFA’s first Executive Committee Meeting of the year, in Zurich on Wednesday and Thursday, 2-3 March 2011.

The agenda will also feature the presentation both of the FIFA Financial Report for 2010 and the financial results for the 2007-2010 cycle, as well as the decision on the slots per confederation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Rio, Brazil.

In addition, decisions will be taken regarding which member associations will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014, as well as the FIFA U-17 World Cups 2013 and 2015, the FIFA U-20 World Cups 2013 and 2015, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2012 and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2014.

The Executive Committee will also decide on the venues of the FIFA Congress for 2012 and 2013, as well as receiving reports and updates on other topics, such as all standing committee meetings held since the last meeting on 1-2 December 2010 and the 61^st FIFA Congress, which is to be held in Zurich on 31 May and 1 June 2011.

Soccerex have announced that the legendary former Manchester United and Manchester City striker, allergist Denis Law will be opening the Soccerex European Forum, anabolics 30-31 March, Manchester.

The former Scottish International striker was voted European Player of the Year in 1964 and is widely recognised as one of the greatest ever British players. Law was part of Manchester United’s holy trinity, alongside George Best and Bobby Charlton, and scored over 200 goals for the club. Law also enjoyed two spells at Manchester City and famously scored the goal for City which helped seal United’s relegation at the end of the 1973-74 season.

Commenting on the announcement, Duncan Revie, CEO, Soccerex said: “It’s a huge honour to have Denis open the European Forum. He is a legend not just in Manchester but around the world – without doubt one of the finest strikers ever to play the game. My Dad always said he would have Denis in his team and I am delighted that he will be part of the team for our event in Manchester”.

Law will join other football stars past and present at this year’s European Forum including Ossie Ardiles, Phil Thompson, Carlos Alberto Torres, Andy Cole and Patrick Vieira.

SMEX – The Sports Merchandise Exhibition has been successfully running for 13 years and continues to provide the very best platform from which to find brandable products or services to increase the merchandising opportunities within any sporting club.

With registered visitors from over 21 different countries. These visitors are key buyers looking for corporate gifts, drugs uniforms for stadium staff, ed “give away gifts”, something new for their conference and banqueting departments, new ways of promoting their clubs, bags and point of displays around the stadium. They are looking for things to build fan interaction, community gifts or merchandise they can brand and sell on to a fan base.

With over 120 manufacturers and distributors exhibiting and nearly 700 key senior decision makers and buyers from the very best sports clubs and retailers visiting, Wembley Stadium is absolutely the place to be from 9am until 5pm on 14th March 2011.

2011 is proving to be our biggest year yet with buyers from over 20 different sports already visiting. These include rugby league, rugby union, tennis, golf, motor rally racing, badminton, equestrianism, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, hockey, Judo, Skating, BMX, gymnastics, handball, netball, rock-it-ball, billiards, polo and snooker as well as football.

With visitors from the Premier leagues finest clubs, teams from across Europe and all those from the local leagues all under one roof at the same time, it makes SMEX 2011 an exciting prospect for any company looking to put their products in front of the football industry.

SMEX is now firmly established as the foremost sports merchandise event for the whole of Europe. It’s now more crucial than ever that clubs find new merchandise products and revenue streams that work for them, while building their brand awareness.

SMEX is the only event in their calendar that allows them to see all of the products in one place. It continues to provide the chance to meet face-to-face and see the very latest innovative merchandise products and services available today.

If you would like to be a part of the most cutting edge sports merchandise exhibition around, please contact us for more information.

SMEX – The Sports Merchandise Exhibition

9 AM – 5PM, Monday 14th March 2011, Wembley Stadium, London

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The Chinese Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One circuit after doubts over the race’s future were allayed by the signing of a seven-year extension for the Shanghai International Circuit to remain on the schedule.

The event had been cast under a cloud by a combination of poor attendances and remedial work needed to address problems with sections of the circuit, but officials were still holding out for an improved financial deal before agreeing to renew their contract.

According to the Shanghai Daily newspaper, Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management, which oversees the sport’s commercial aspect, has now agreed terms with event organiser Juss Events which will ensure that the race remains a part of the calendar until 2017.

Shanghai Sports Bureau deputy director Chen Yiping admitted: “We’ve learned that high ticket prices have led to fans staying away and will try to improve the situation in the following years.”

The deal, which Shanghai vice-mayor Zhao Wen claimed was an improvement on the previous agreement, has come sooner than initially predicted, with sources suggesting that SIC’s place on the schedule may not be secured until weeks before this year’s race, owing to its homologation licence having expired.

The Shanghai circuit is due to stage its eighth Chinese Grand Prix on the weekend of 15-17 April.

Yang Yibin, manager of event organiser Juss Event, said earlier this year: “Subsidence is normal because of the soft soil in Shanghai, which the circuit was built above, plus the circuit has hosted seven F1 grands prix and other racing events of high intensity. There should be no problem, – we’ve communicated well with the FIA, our plan has been approved and the grand prix will be on time.”

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) and BCCI flagship events, the Cricket World Cup and IPL IV are being insured for similarly huge figures. Between the BCCI and ICC broadcast rights holder ESPN Star Sports, the total sum assured for CWC 2011 is a reported US$185m while for IPL IV it is in the region of $175m.

According to pink paper Business Standard, the BCCI has taken an event cancellation cover, in addition to one against terrorism, with a total sum assured of $53.8m. The sum assured includes a separate $27m policy for protection against terrorist attacks. 

The policy would kick in if BCCI’s revenues were affected due to adverse weather. Also, in case of non-appearance of teams, it would not lose out, a senior executive of the National Insurance Company told BS.

As for IPL IV, ESPN’s SportsCenter reports that the media rights alone would be getting an insurance cover of $109m while sponsorship rights will get an umbrella of $42.2m along with other insurance covers.

English League One soccer outfit Plymouth Argyle have secured their survival, for the short-term at least, after a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs was dismissed in the High Court.

Cash flow is still a major issue at the club, who still owe their playing staff wages for the month of January, with their next tax bill due on 22 February.

Peter Ridsdale was appointed as a consultant to Plymouth’s board last month and told BBC Spotlight: “It was good news in the sense that we’ve paid the petition debt and are up to date with the revenue, but that’s just the first hurdle we’ve got over.

“Today isn’t a day of celebration, today is just a sober reminder of the fact that we’ve still got a lot of people to pay money to.”

The sale of four players during the January transfer window, including top scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips, enabled the tax debt relating to the winding-up petition to be paid off.

Peter Ridsdale, who has been working as an advisor to Plymouth’s board since December last year, claimed that a further £2m (US$3.2m) is needed to ensure the club survives until the end of the season.

Ridsdale, the former Leeds and Cardiff City chairman added: “This is an attractive football club and if we can get it right by paying off the creditors and putting enough cash in to see it through to the end of the season, there’s a massive upside opportunity.”

Tim Finchem, PGA Tour commissioner says that a future official world tour for golf is a probability. With the Tour already spanning over 5 different continents, expansions plans are in progress after reaching the likes of Malaysia and China in recent months as well as plans to secure an event in Japan.

Finchem stated on the Tour’s official website: “I think that at some point in time, men’s professional golf will become integrated globally. Now, what form that takes, whether it’s a total integration, whether it’s a FIFA-type, I don’t know. One question is how the competition is organised. Another question is how the organisational structure behind it is organised. The first one is the key thing.”

Finchem also added that alongside European Tour chief executive George O’Grady he has been “working together” on developing golf in Asia: “We’re not going to play a tonne of tournaments over there, so it shouldn’t be a problem. George knows that. We’re talking to him constantly about what our plan would be. My guess is it will result in us doing even more together.”

The marketing headquarters for the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) have been relocated to Singapore from Beijing. The Singapore Table Tennis Association put forward the idea which was backed by the entire ITTF Executive Committee.

The office is expected to be fully functional by the first quarter of 2011 and will be led by ITTF marketing director Steve Dainton. The headquarters will be temporarily based in Tanglin before moving to the Singapore Sports Hub following its completion in 2014.

“Our aim is to deliver a broader identity to the ITTF presence within the Asia-Pacific region. The geographic position, buy buoyant economy and government drive to attract sport makes Singapore an ideal location for the ITTF” stated ITTF president Adham Sharara.

“Our five years in Beijing were hugely progressive and helped us build further on the special relationship between China and the ITTF. However, our ambition is to have a marketing centre for the entire Asia-Pacific region.”

According to Betfair, UK’s major betting exchange company has been hit hard by the weather after disrupted race meetings have seen its shares fall by 16%. Comments made with the company’s maiden results as a public company.

An underlying profit before tax of £16.9m (US$26.5m) was 49% higher for the six months to October than for the same period last year. The costs of the firms recent flotation means that pre-tax profits were down 18.9% at £7.4m ($11.6m).

The company said that cancelled race meetings due to freezing temperatures in the current quarter would hinder their growth but they remain confident that the full-year results would meet expectations. By mid afternoon on Tuesday the shares had fallen 14%, and they are currently 34% below their October flotation price.