Georgia’s proposal to move the 2014 Winter Olympic Games from Sochi is unacceptable and represents meddling in the affairs of the Olympic movement, Alexander Zhukov, Russia’s top Olympics official, said Friday.

“It is completely unacceptable for politicians or governments to interfere with the business of the Olympic movement,” Zhukov, a deputy prime minister and head of Russia’s Olympic Committee, said on the sidelines of a meeting of the European Olympic Committees in Belgrade.

Russia fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008 that resulted in the rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia breaking way from Georgia. Russia has recognized their independence, but the international community regards them as Georgian territory.

Tension between Russia and Georgia has run high since the war. Earlier this month, Georgia asked the International Olympic Committee to reconsider holding the Winter Olympics in Sochi, near the border with Abkhazia.

Zhukov said the move “goes against the spirit of the Olympic charter, which is above politics” and that Sochi was democratically chosen as the venue.

“Russia has good sporting relations with Georgia, and we will support their bid to host the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival, a decision which is due to be announced tomorrow,” he said. “We do not support the statement of the [Georgian] government, but we support the Olympic Committee of Georgia.”

The Northern Caucasus is a flashpoint where Islamic insurgents want to carve out a separate state, and earlier this month a bomb exploded on a rail line in the Sochi area.

In May, President Dmitry Medvedev ordered tighter security at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Zhukov said the security remained the organizers’ top priority.

“The investigation of this case is under way and … the safety of all visitors is of vital importance for our security services,” he said.

Zhukov also said Russia’s Olympic Committee wanted to improve on its poor performance at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, when the country’s athletes earned three gold medals, the worst-ever result after the breakup of the Soviet Union. “We are going to win in Sochi,” he said.

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, adiposity wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, allergist Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, viagra sale was re-elected as President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body of equestrian sports.

Princess Haya defeated two other candidates, Sven Holmberg (Sweden) and Henk Rottinghuis (Netherlands), to win a second four-year term in voting at the FEI General Assembly in Chinese Taipei. In a vote of 124 National Federations (out of 133 who were eligible), Princess Haya won the support of 90 National Federations from around the world, compared to 23 for Holmberg and 11 for Rottinghuis.

Princess Haya announced Her decision to seek a second term in March after several FEI nation groups and Federations urged her to do so. Princess Haya was first elected as President of the FEI in May 2006, on a commitment to modernize the organization. She was the first FEI President to win a contested election. More than 80% of the deliverables outlined in her original manifesto were implemented in her first term, including significant improvements in communications, marketing, animal welfare, FEI finances, grassroots development and liaison with national federations. In Her first act in office, She initiated a reform that established a two-term of four-year limit for the Presidency.

“Thank you so much for your confidence and trust. I promise that I won’t let you down”, an emotional HRH Princess Haya commented. “I promise to unify this Federation. I promise to work for you, the National Federations, and constantly appreciate your needs and do everything I can to serve this sport we all love. I never really realised how many wonderful friends and supporters I have. This has been a really extraordinary year for me and I am truly humbled by what you have done for me. Thank you very much.”

Looking ahead, in addition to plans to build on and consolidate Her first term accomplishments, Princess Haya has presented numerous new ideas among Her second-term pledges in Her Programme, which was published on the October 23, 2010. Her vision for the future of the sport entails the development of equestrian sport in unison with the National Federations and Athletes, while respecting good governance and strong values that celebrate the horse and horsemanship.

The daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, Princess Haya has been riding internationally since the age of 13 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. She became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2007 and also serves as a UN Messenger of Peace, with a focus on combating hunger and poverty. Sharing Her love of horses and horse sport is Her husband, HH Sheikh Mohammed, who successfully led the UAE endurance riders to take the team gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, USA last September.

The BNP Paribas Open, sale at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, will become the first tennis tournament in the history of the game to feature Hawkeye replay technology and video displays on more than three courts when all match courts are outfitted for next year’s event, announced Steve Simon, tournament director.

While most tournaments feature Hawkeye replay technology and video displays on one, two or three courts, none have made it available on eight match courts. The tournament will also be upgrading their video displays throughout the grounds—the Stadium Plaza video display will showcase feeds from three match courts, the Village Court and the Garden Club displays will feature feeds from two match courts, and information towers will be located at all three entrances and next to the practice courts, making it possible for fans to stay in touch with the action even when they are away from the courts.

“This is a great addition to the BNP Paribas Open, and one that I am sure all players on the ATP World Tour will be excited about,” said top-ranked American Andy Roddick. “Hawkeye is one of the best advancements in the game in recent years, so making it available on all courts will create consistency, and is something we hope more tournaments embrace in the future.”

“Hawkeye is an important officiating tool and greatly enhances the tennis experience for fans and players,” said Adam Helfant, ATP executive chairman and president. “We think it’s fantastic that the BNP Paribas Open has made this commitment to bring Hawkeye to all eight match courts and look forward to seeing it in March.”

NBA Commissioner David Stern said Friday he thinks eliminating teams will be on the table during collective bargaining as a way to solve the league’s financial woes.

“It’s a sensitive subject for me because I’ve spent 27 years in this job working very hard not only to maintain all of our teams, but along the way add a few,” Stern said during his preseason conference call.

“But I think that’s a subject that will be on the table with the players as we look to see what’s the optimum way to present our game, and are there cities and teams that cannot make it in the current economic environment. I’m not spending a lot of time on it.”

CBSSports.com first reported Thursday that the league would “continue to be open to contraction,” after Stern said he wanted player costs reduced by $700-800 million.

That set off predictable panic in some small-market cities whose teams have struggled on the court and at the gate. Asked if contraction should be a chilling word in Memphis, Stern said: “No, it shouldn’t be. It’s a good word to use, especially in collective bargaining.”

The players likely would fight contraction because of the loss of jobs it would entail.

“That would be more for them in their decision-making process than ours,” union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said. “We have a responsibility to protect as many jobs as we possibly can, so that would be more for the commissioner and the league and the owners to make a decision on contraction and numbers of teams and those things.”

For now, Stern is more interested in making teams in smaller markets competitive and profitable than he is in taking them away.

“I would say that we’re committed to small market teams,” Stern said. “We are going to have a new CBA eventually and we’re going to have a more robust revenue sharing.”

The labor deal between the league and players is set to expire June 30, and Stern revealed Thursday the league wants salary costs slashed by one-third in the next agreement. The union released a statement later Thursday in which executive director Billy Hunter said the owners’ stance could lead to a lockout and loss of part or all the 2011-12 season.

“I don’t believe that Billy wrote that, because he wouldn’t threaten me with a lockout,” Stern said. “And all I can say is that’s what negotiations are for and we’re looking forward to our next negotiating session.”

Stern disclosed other aspects that could be part of a new deal. Though the owners are seeking a hard salary cap, Stern thinks any system will continue to give teams a financial edge when re-signing their own players, which they currently enjoy through the use of the Bird exception.

The commissioner also said the idea of a “franchise player” is an interesting concept that he believes will come up in bargaining. NFL teams have a franchise tag designation they can use on their own player, something NBA owners may want after a summer in which LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire left their clubs, and Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul reportedly decided they want to do the same.

Deputy commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday the league is projecting losses of $340-$350 million this season, and Stern reiterated Friday that major economic changes are needed.

“I would say the league is viable as long as you have owners who want to continue funding losses. But it’s not on the long term a sustainable business model that we’re happy to be supporting,” Stern said. “It needs to be reset.”

Stern also provided contrasting updates on the NBA’s two Northern California teams, saying he still expects the sale of the Golden State Warriors to close next week. However, his optimism for a new arena in Sacramento has “faded completely.”

Otherwise, it was largely labor talk for the second straight day. And despite the large gap between the sides, Stern maintained he is still optimistic about reaching a deal.

“We know we’re going to get an agreement done, and we think that the enthusiasm of the season and the prospective growth that it will ultimately represent will enable us to sit down with the players and negotiate in good faith, and we both seem intent on doing all that we can to reach a deal,” he said.

World Snooker will break new ground next September when it stages a £130,000 ( US $204,000) invitational tournament in the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo.

The Brazilian Masters, the first world event to be staged in South America, is set to feature the top 12 ranked players and four wildcards.

Steve Davis is guaranteed an invitation, with Brazilian Snooker Association chairman Marcilio Cavalcanti describing him as the Zico or Rivelino of the baize.

Brazil’s top player Igor Figueiredo will also be invited and World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn expects the tournament to be a pre-cursor to staging a full ranking event in 2012.

“This is samba time for snooker,” said Hearn, who made clear that all the world’s leading players will be obliged to participate.

“Football is like a religion in Brazil. Our job is to make snooker their second religion.

“I believe this is the dawn of a new era. This is bigger than a 200,000-dollar tournament.

“We are working on the globalisation of our sport and this opens up a continent for snooker. Breaking into South America is a huge step towards our ambition of making snooker a truly global sport.”

The Brazilian Masters is one of 16 new tournaments World Snooker have added to the programme since last season, including a new full ranking event in Germany and 12 minor ranking events spread across six European countries.

Snooker enjoyed a brief period of popularity in Brazil during the early 1980s, when Davis took on local cult hero Rui Chapeu and won.

Hearn, who travelled with Davis to Brazil, recalled today how that 11-frame match was played in a raucous atmosphere and drew a television audience of 30million.

As part of his attempts to rejuvenate the sport, Hearn wants the Brazilian fans to turn the 1,200-seat Transamerica Expo Center into a cauldron next September.

“That passion and atmosphere is why we are there,” said Hearn.

“In recent years the crowds at snooker have been getting quieter and quieter.

“We want to encourage crowd participation because it creates the buzz of live sport. We want tough crowds.”

World number six Shaun Murphy said: “I am over the moon to be going to Brazil. I never thought it would be on the snooker map.

“The more atmosphere the better, the louder the better, the more fun the better.”

Figueiredo, who reached the final of the World Amateur Championship last year and is now playing his first season on the professional tour, said: “It’s very exciting news that there will be a tournament in Brazil. Snooker is already popular in my homeland but there is potential for it to be much bigger.

“This event will bring snooker to the Brazilian fans and I know they will respond by welcoming the top players and creating a great atmosphere.

“Hopefully I can be successful on the main tour and provide an example for more Brazilian players to follow me.”

The Brazilian Masters will be played between September 14-17 and broadcast live on Eurosport.

The tournament will be a straight knock-out on one match table. The first two rounds will be best of seven frames with the semi-finals and final the best of nine.

ECHL team Alaska Aces announced that they have reached a one-year affiliation agreement with the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League for the 2014-15 season.

“It’s an exciting day to finalize an agreement with two NHL teams who are committed with their direction to prospect development,” said Parks. “The familiarity of the Blues organization and development structure, along with the geography of Minnesota’s farm system were very attractive opportunities. We’re proud to enter this as a development partner of two esteemed NHL clubs.”

“We are excited to renew our affiliation with the Alaska Aces,” said Blues Assistant General Manager Kevin McDonald. “They are a first class organization with a long track record of success and we’re looking forward to working with Terry Parks and Rob Murray.”

“We are excited to announce a new affiliation agreement with the Alaska Aces,” said Jim Mill, Minnesota Wild Director of Minor League Operations and Iowa Wild General Manager. “The Aces have enjoyed tremendous success in the ECHL, winning three Kelly Cup Championships in the last nine seasons including this past season, and will provide the Minnesota Wild organization with another outstanding option to develop our players. Aces head coach Rob Murray has enjoyed tremendous success at every level of professional hockey and we look forward to working with him and the Alaska Aces organization.”

Alaska will serve as the ECHL affiliate for Blues and Wild prospects at the premier ‘AA’ hockey league level, a partnership which includes Minnesota’s American Hockey League affiliation with the Iowa Wild. 

The partnership renews an affiliation between the Aces and Blues that previously lasted seven seasons (2005-12) with the Aces winning two Kelly Cup championships and making three Kelly Cup Finals appearances during that span. Additionally, several players who suited up for the Aces during that time of the affiliation advanced to make their debut in the NHL, including Chris Beckford-Tseu, Chris Holt, Ryan Reaves, Zack Fitzgerald, Tomas Kana, and Anthony Peluso. Currently, Reaves has 194 games of NHL experience with St. Louis. 

“Serving as a partner of two respected NHL clubs with tremendous personnel is a terrific opportunity,” said Aces head coach Rob Murray. “We’re returning to a mutually beneficial relationship with history in the Blues, while gaining committed partners in the Minnesota and Iowa Wild. It’s our goal to provide every resource possible to maximize prospect development and we’re extremely excited, moving forward with these affiliations.”

World Archery (WA) has signed a partnership agreement with OlympAfrica for the development of archery in Africa, adiposity especially for the youth.

OlympAfrica is a foundation founded by the late HE Mr Juan Antonio SAMARANCH, former President of the International Olympic Committee. The foundation is supported by the International Olympic Committee; the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa; the International Association of Athletics Federation and Daimler Chrysler for the development of sports at a recreational and grassroots level in 46 African countries.

In collaboration with the National Olympic Committees of each of these countries, OlympAfrica has set up centres dedicated to sports activities, workshops, HIV prevention, coach education and much more. The aim of these centres is to involve the youth in sports and activities that are good for their future development once they have finished their day at school. It’s an excellent talent identification initiative, particularly with the introduction of the Youth Olympic Games in the Olympic Programme. 

World Archery Secretary General Tom DIELEN, the Director of the WA Development Department Pascal COLMAIRE and Development Coordinator Deqa NIAMKEY, met with the Director of OlympAfrica, Thierno DIACK, at the WA headquarters in Lausanne to finalise and sign the partnership agreement. It was agreed that a pilot project will be introduced in Niger for 2013, followed by other countries in agreement with the WA Member Associations.