Unter Einbeziehung der Rückmeldungen der Clubs sowie verschiedenster Fan-Organisationen innerhalb der AG Fanbelange hat sich der Ligavorstand auf die weiteren Schritte beim Thema Sicherheit verständigt. Einstimmig beschloss das Gremium, viagra usa einen weiterentwickelten Maßnahmen-Katalog erneut den Mitgliedern des Ligaverbandes zur Stellungnahme vorzulegen. Die Clubs haben bis zum 22. November Gelegenheit, sich mit ihren Gremien und Strukturen vor Ort zu beraten und der DFL gegebenenfalls Änderungsvorschläge zukommen zu lassen. Dabei sind insbesondere Klarstellungen und Anpassungen in drei Punkten hervorzuheben:

1. Das gerade in den vergangenen Wochen immer wieder geforderte Bemühen um einen wechselseitigen Dialog zwischen Clubs und Fangruppen soll künftig auch statuarisch verankert werden. Der Dialog soll darauf gerichtet sein, Grundregeln für die Ausübung der positiven Fankultur im Stadion gemeinsam zu entwickeln und einvernehmlich zu vereinbaren. Folgende Grundsätze stehen dabei aus Sicht des Vorstandes nicht zur Disposition: der Verzicht auf Gewalt, Rassismus bzw. Diskriminierung, politischen Extremismus sowie Pyro-Technik. Ein Automatismus, wonach Fan-Gruppierungen in ihrer Gesamtheit bei Fehlverhalten einzelner bestraft werden, war und ist nicht vorgesehen. Stattdessen soll die täterorientierte Aufklärung intensiviert werden.

2. Nur dort, wo objektiv Mängel vorliegen, soll und muss es zu Verbesserungen kommen. Zusätzliche infrastrukturelle Maßnahmen sollen in diesem Sinne individuell auf Club-Ebene bei entsprechenden Missständen verwirklicht werden. Es wird keine statuarischen Vorgaben bezüglich sog. “Vollkontrollen” geben. Diese waren im Übrigen auch im Konzeptpapier nicht vorgesehen, sondern lediglich die Verbesserung der infrastrukturellen Einrichtungen bei etwaigen, individuell vor Ort zu beschließenden Kontrollen, in der Regel bei Risikospielen.

3. Die zu beschließenden Maßnahmen sollen nach drei Jahren evaluiert werden. Dabei gilt es dann festzustellen, wie sich die Umsetzung bewährt hat und welche Punkte möglicherweise einer weiteren Veränderung bedürfen.

Als nächster Schritt ist außerdem ein erneutes kurzfristiges Treffen der Kommission “Stadionerlebnis” mit der AG Fanbelange geplant, in der u.a. zwei Sprecher der Fan-Beauftragten, die Koordinationsstelle Fanprojekte (KOS), die Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Fan-Projekte sowie Initiativen wie “Unsere Kurve”, “Pro Fans” und andere vertreten sind. Desweiteren wird mit den Sicherheits- und Fanbeauftragten der Clubs über die jetzt vorliegende Weiterentwicklung gesprochen. Es ist weiterhin vorgesehen, bei der ordentlichen Mitgliederversammlung des Ligaverbandes am 12. Dezember 2012 entsprechende Anträge vorzulegen.

London-listed online sportsbook and gaming operator Sportingbet has rejected the initial joint takeover offer lodged last month by UK bookmaking giant William Hill in partnership with GVC Holdings.

The combined offer reportedly valued Sportingbet at around £350 million and would have seen William Hill acquire its Australian and ‘certain other locally licensed businesses’ while GVC would have taken control of the remainder of its operation.

“Sportingbet notes the recent press speculation regarding the approach by William Hill and GVC, bronchi ” read a statement Sportingbet issued yesterday.

“The board of Sportingbet confirms that it has received an indicative offer from William Hill and GVC of 52.5 pence comprising of 45 pence in cash from William Hill and 7.5 pence in shares in GVC. The board of Sportingbet has responded that this indicative offer significantly undervalues the business and its future prospects.

“This announcement is made without the consent of the potential offerors. There can be no certainty that an offer will be made nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made. A further announcement will be made in due course.”

Sports stars will have to follow a new tax rule in France taking 75% tax on those earning more than €1 million ($1.3m) a year

Francois Hollande, the president of France, has said there will be no exceptions to his 75% tax rule.

After reports had suggested that high-earning athletes and artists could be exempted from the tax, Hollande told French television channel TF1 it would be applied to everyone of a certain level of wealth.

He said: “It’s very important that those who are paid more than €1 million are also aware that it should be an example to be a patriot. We have to call on patriotism at this time.”

It is believed that around 25 people at Paris St Germain – whose star summer signing, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is reported to be on around €14 million a year – would be affected.

Others in French football reported to be liable for the new tax include Thiago Silva, Yoann Gourcuff, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Michel Bastos, Lisandro Lopez, Diego Lugano, Thiago Motta and Joey Barton.

“This law has been known about for several months, and we respect the laws of the French government,” Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the PSG president, said. “We love France, we respect the regulations, we have no problem with that. We can’t change anything.”

A government spokesman predicted that up to 3,000 people in France would be paying the 74% tax, which is part of measures intended to raise €20 million ($25.6m) in new revenues.

Canon USA, cialis the photography and digital imaging specialist, search  has been announced as a global sponsor of the upcoming Copa America international soccer tournament in Argentina this July.

Under the terms of the agreement, physician Canon will be the official camera, lens, binocular, video camera, broadcast lens, printer, calculator, digital radiography system and office equipment supplier for the competition.

Additionally, Canon will also secure exposure through two on-field advertisement boards per match, a logo on all press conference backdrops as well as branding on all official promotional materials and souvenir programs.

Taro Maruyama, president of Canon Latin America, stated: “As a premier provider of digital imaging equipment, Canon continuously seeks to leverage strategic avenues or high-profile events to help raise brand awareness and Copa America Argentina 2011 presents a unique opportunity to reach the fast-growing Latin American markets.

“Copa America is one of the longest-running and most prestigious tournaments in the world and we are excited to be a part of this important event and look forward to capturing all of the exhilarating moments through the imaging eye of Canon,” added Maruyama.

Exclusive broadcast rights for the London 2012 Olympic Games have been secured by CVM Group in Jamaica after being sold on by International Media Content Ltd.

As part of its pan-Caribbean broadcast package, bought from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2009, International Media Content Ltd. has exercised its right to sell packages on to broadcasters in individual territories.

The deal, signed in Kingston on Tuesday, 22 February, confirms that Usain Bolt’s efforts to retain his Olympic 100 and 200 metre titles in London will be available free-to-air in his homeland.

Michael Lee-Chin, the chief shareholder in CVM Group, stated: “The board, management and staff at CVM know the enormous responsibility of carrying the Olympics exclusively. This is a departure from the past where the rights were shared. It was only last year that the Fifa World Cup was also carried exclusively by CVM TV, with tremendous success, and we know what it takes to aggregate and deliver big events.”

IMC’s chairman, Pat Rousseau, added: “We were successful in the transmission of the 2006 and 2010 Fifa World Cups, to approximately 40 million households in the Caribbean in three languages and so this time around, IMC is the best positioned to bring high quality coverage of the 2012 summer Olympics to regional broadcasters and by extension the regional sports fans.”

According to the IOC, the pan-Caribbean rights to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing were sold for US$500,000. Though no financial details of the deals for 2012 are available, it is likely there will have been an uplift in the rights fees.

The group stages of the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand for the next edition of the biennial competition.

AFF made their decision and announcement yesterday, ed sale February 21, pills though the exact dates of the tournament have yet to be released for the event whihc usually takes place in December.

A 4-2 aggregate victory over Indonesia in the two-legged final gave Malaysia their first ever AFF SUzuki Cup title at the end of last year and last staged the AFF’s showpiece tournament alongside Vietnam in 2004. Thailand co-hosted the 2008 event with Indonesia.

Football Association of Thailand president Worawi Makudi told the Bangkok Post: “We have been the host many times and the preparations for the tournament will not be any concern. However, the most important thing is that we prepare the Thai team so they can win the trophy again.”

The chairman of English Premier League soccer club Birmingham City, Peter Pannu has admitted that concerns over the club’s attendances may lead to a redevelopment of their current home stadium, St Andrew’s, rather than a move to a new stadium.

The club’s parent company, Birmingham International Holdings, has unveiled initial plans for a £20m (US$32.4m) revamp of the Garrison Lane stand at the 30,000-seat St Andrew’s.

Having held talks with Birmingham City Council about the possibility of moving to a new ground since Carson Yeung became the club’s owner in 2009, Pannu has now acknowledged that an average attendance of less than 25,000 does not justify moving to a significantly larger venue.

According to the Press Association, Pannu was quoted as saying: “We haven’t categorically ruled out moving stadia completely but my prime concern is attendances. Our average attendance does not justify building a stadium of 50,000 to 55,000 at this stage.”

He added: “We have ample support from the local authorities but, with current attendances, it is just not right to do that sort of investment. In any case, a lot of our fans want to stay put.”

Sports Revolution the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia advertising sign Partnership agreement with WSDE Sport Tourism Expo 2011, find “We are delighted to announce this partnership and it further emphasises the importance and relevance of the convergence of Sports and Tourism” said WSDE Director Tony Prince.

Kye Punter (Head of Trading Sports Revolution) states, “We see this partnership as a great opportunity to increase our growing portfolio for companies associated with, or in the travel industry wanting to build their brands through the power of sport”.

Sports Revolution is the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia advertising. For advertisers wanting to build their brands through the power of sport, Sports Revolution offers integrated media solutions spanning sponsorship; digital perimetre board advertising; high-definition concourse TV; jumbo screens; posters; field marketing; podcast and online. Aggregating these rights across 72 clubs in the English and Scottish leagues – including 19 in the Premier League – Sports Revolution can connect advertisers with a committed audience of three million football fans per month.

With the English Premier League being the world’s most-viewed football league – able to reach over 600 million people per week in 211 territories – international advertisers are increasingly using it to reach global television audiences. This includes travel and tourism brands. Cyprus Tourist Organisation and Thai Airways are two examples, using Sports Revolution’s rights and expertise in English Premier League to boost their international profile.

Television-facing digital perimeter advertising (LED) has become a powerful advertising medium in football, with Sports Revolution becoming one of the chief players in this fast-developing media space. Managed by a team of highly experienced media industry professionals, Sports Revolution offers top-level media intelligence. Its international audience measurement tool, DigiTar, can be used to scientifically measure and value the TV audience for a game in any given territory.

Sports Revolution’s subsidiary, Stadia Solutions, creates further opportunities for advertisers and rights holders through in-stadia communications and broadcast applications, such as HD Concourse TV and jumbo screens, coupled with bespoke content. Stadia Solutions now has the UK’s biggest HD concourse TV network, installed in 17 Premier League and Championship clubs, including Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Much of the advertising money flowing into the Premier League and La Liga is coming from Asia, with the region accounting for 40 per cent of the Premier League’s global TV audience.

To better serve this growing market, Sports Revolution recently opened an office in Bangkok. The eight-strong team signals our commitment to advertisers in the region.

Trilochan Singh, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Vice President has defended the body’s shamed chief Suresh Kalmadi, after he was relielved of his duties as chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee last month.

Singh insisted that the under-fire administrator will remain in his post despite allegations of corruption for another year at least and criticised the Clean Sports India (CSI) Foundation for demanding Kalmadi’s resignation due to corruption allegations.

The IOA’s vice-president stated: “He (Kalmadi) is our President till 2012. And the IOA fully backs him. What is CSIs contribution to the sports? Why don’t they do some good work elsewhere?”

CSI is a newly-floated forum by former internationals like hockey Olympian Pargat Singh and former athletics stars Ashwini Nachappa and Vandana Rao. Kalmadi had yesterday said that the IOA had plans of including former sports persons in sports organisations.

The Annual General Body meeting of the IOA was held today, February 14, in Ranchi where the 34th National Games opened the same evening.