Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila, who was accused of spot-fixing during this year’s Indian Premier League, has been granted bailed by a New Delhi court

Chandila, who was arrested on May 16 with teammates Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan, is the main suspect accused in the scandal. Test fast bowler Sreesanth and Chavan were granted bail on June 10.

The court said that there was ‘no credible evidence’ against Chandila.

The three players were alleged to have conceded more than a specified number of runs per over in return for money from illegal bookmakers.

Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan was also arrested before being granted bail, while Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra conceded to betting on matches but was not arrested.

Ruffneck Scarves have agreed a partnership with Seattle Reign FC as they begin their first season in the newly established National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

The Reign will be looking to start a supportive fan base, bronchi and the team scarves will help to advertise the club while also being an item for fans to cherish and generate a positive atmosphere around the Starfire Sports Stadium where games are to be held. 

The NWSL is the latest edition of professional women’s soccer in America. Since the WPS folded roughly one year ago, America’s best players need a new organized league, and the NWSL will provide a great home for talented American female soccer players to play consistently. This should only serve to keep women’s American soccer at the top level worldwide.

For its inaugural season, the NWSL will consist of 8 teams spread across the country. Several former WPS clubs have entered the new league like the Boston Breakers, the Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, and the Western New York Flash. But there will also be a host of new clubs including the Seattle Reign FC.

Several players set to play with the Seattle Reign FC include star goalkeeper Hope Solo and midfielder Megan Rapinoe, two key American players. With members of the national team spread throughout the NWSL, it will be interesting to see how the players play in different uniforms and against one another. Having a goalie as commanding as Solo should help the Reign be competitive in the upstart league. Also, the team will be an exciting addition to the city that already generates massive support for Seattle Sounders, a men’s soccer team in the MLS. With a women’s team in the fold as well, soccer support should improve in the city.

The Seattle Reign FC is the creation of Bill Predmore, the owner of POP, a digital marketing agency based in Seattle. Recalling the historic women’s basketball team of the same name, the Reign soccer club will be a testament to professional women’s sports in Seattle. 

Ruffneck Scarves has worked with countless soccer clubs since 2007 and provides custom team scarves for organizations like the MLS, Adidas, and the US Soccer Supporters Club. Additionally, Ruffneck makes custom scarves for countless youth clubs, school teams, and professional soccer leagues like the USL, NASL and the NWSL.

Ruffneck Scarves president, Jeff McIntyre says of the new opportunity to work with Seattle Reign FC: “We are excited about the opportunity to work with Seattle Reign FC, and the potential this club has for growth in professional women’s soccer. They are in a soccer-crazy region and are sure to get lots of love from local supporters for years to come.”

Baseball’s 2014 European Championship will be played in the Czech Republic.

The Technical Commission of the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) announced this decision and the new pools in a press release. The pools for the next European Championship were made based on the recent results from the 2012 tournament in the Netherlands and a CEB ranking spanning the last ten years. The CEB Executive had approved the new system in March this year.

The top ten teams of the 2012 European Championship will be qualified automatically for the next edition. 12 teams will have the chance to play a B-Level Qualifier from July 22 to 27, 2013. Another 15 teams will play a C-Level European Championship in the summer of 2014. Interested federations to host these events can submit their applications until November 1st, 2012 (B-Level) and November 1st, 2013 (C-Level). The rankings won’t be needed in the future, as promotion and relegation will determine the pools.

Italy won its second straight European Championship in September, defeating the Netherlands in the championship game. Spain finished in third place, while Germany, the Czech Republic and Sweden completed the top six.

Thistledown racetrack in Cleveland, anabolics Ohio, unhealthy is to undergo a US$88 million rejuvenation that will include 1, patient 150 video lottery terminals installed.

The Ohio Racing Commission gave permission to casino operator, Rock Ohio Caesars, to secure racing permits.

The permits will allow the casino to apply for video terminal licenses from the Ohio Lottery Commission.

If these permits are obtained, the racetrack will be transformed into a ‘racino,’ similar to recent changes at Scioto Downs in Columbus.

Scioto Downs has nearly 2,200 video terminal machines since the renovation programme which began in June.

Thistledown is home of the Ohio Derby, which is the only graded horse race in the state.

Den überzeugenden Sieg von Schwergewichtsweltmeister Wladimir Klitschko gegen den Amerikaner Tony Thompson haben am späten Samstagabend bis zu 8, abortion 89 Millionen TV-Zuschauer bei RTL verfolgt. Der Spitzenwert der Live-Übertragung aus dem Berner Stade de Suisse wurde am Ende des WM-Kampfes erzielt, allergist den der Titelverteidiger nach 2.56 Minuten in der 6. Runde durch K.O. gewann. Im Durchschnitt sahen 8,36 Millionen Zuschauer den 51. K.O.-Sieg des IBF-, WBO-, und WBA-Champions, der damit den 58. seiner insgesamt 61 Profikämpfe gewinnen konnte. Der Marktanteil der RTL-Übertragung lag bei herausragenden 41,5 Prozent, in der Zielgruppe der jungen Zuschauer (14 bis 49 Jahre) bei 38,8 Prozent.

“Ich bin zufrieden, wollte es aber noch besser machen”, bilanzierte Klitschko seinen Auftritt bei der anschließenden Pressekonferenz. RTL-Experte Luan Krasniqi, der zuletzt häufiger den zurückhaltenden Stil des Weltmeisters kritisiert hatte, war da viel überzeugter: “Er hat von Anfang an bravourös den Kampf gesucht und hat permanent Druck ausgeübt. Es hat sich gezeigt, dass er noch viel dominanter ist, wenn er von Beginn an auch seine starke Rechte einsetzt.” Enttäuscht war Krasniqi dagegen von der Leistung des Pflichtherausforderers aus Washington D.C., den Wladimir Klitschko zuvor schon 2008 in Hamburg nach harter Gegenwehr in der 11. Runde ausgeknockt hatte: “Im ersten Aufeinandertreffen war er mutiger. Schon die erste Rechte hat ihm unheimlichen Respekt eingeflößt. Ich dachte, er sei fitter. Thompson hat den Kampf absolut verschlafen.”

Im Rahmen der RTL-Übertragung kam es auch zur ersten Begegnung zwischen WBC-Weltmeister Vitali Klitschko und dem in Köln lebenden Manuel Charr, Nummer 7 der WBC-Weltrangliste. Am 8. September werden die beiden in Moskau gegeneinander kämpfen. “The Diamond Boy” Charr sprach den WBC-Champion respektvoll mit “Herr Klitschko” an und bezeichnete ihn als sein großes Vorbild. “Der Wille versetzt Berge”, rief er dem 40-Jährigen zu, als der die Favoritenrolle für sich beanspruchte und dabei auf seine Erfahrung verwies. Der 27-jährige Charr versprach, er werde den Titel holen und ihn seiner Familie widmen. Charr, in Beirut geboren und im Libanon aufgewachsen, war 1990 mit seiner Mutter und seinen Geschwistern nach Deutschland geflüchtet, nachdem sein Vater im libanesischen Bürgerkrieg getötet worden war.

Auch Wladimir Klitschko wird nach seiner erfolgreichen Titelverteidigung in diesem Jahr noch einmal in den Ring steigen. KMG-Geschäftsführer Bernd Bönte nannte als mögliche Termine den November oder Dezember. 

Sochi 2014 president and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko believes the legacy of the Winter Olympics is already being shown with sports participation levels soaring in Russia as a result of the Games.

Speaking at the International Sports Event Management conference in London Thursday, he said: “We already can witness the legacy of Sochi – last year sport participation in the country increased by 17 percent and by 35 percent in the region where the Games will be held.”

“Everything we are doing is about legacy. It would be unforgivable to invest such a huge amount of money and effort just for two weeks of fun. It’s about a long-lasting legacy for the generations to come, a social and environmental legacy. I’m confident our legacy with be unprecedented.”

Chernyshenko’s comments came in a conference session focusing on the social and environmental legacy of Russia’s first Winter Olympics Games.

He also spoke about the massive building effort to develop venues and infrastructure for the Games on a fast-track timetable.

“Our disadvantage was having had nothing in Sochi when we started from scratch but that was also a competitive advantage because we were able to create a state-of-the-art infrastructure. Russia had to invest more resources and overcome more red-tape barriers than ever before to implement this huge project and pass through a huge gap to reach the appropriate level of environment to bring out the spirit of the new Russia through positive sustainable change. The investment to Sochi is so impressive, it is comparable to construction of a new city.” he told delegates.

Reinforcing this the Black Sea resort is now the biggest construction site in Europe if not the world, he added: “We are working 24/7 to deliver more than 800 different venues because we are using this opportunity to develop the entire region. It’s a very ambitious project.

“We are well on track, on budget and on time… and we are already enjoying the legacy now because the preparations are already bringing about some social improvements.”

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) have produced an online training course to help police officers and the emergency services prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The first of three parts of the course will focus on safety and security, discount plus information about venues, cheap the torch relay and cultural celebrations. The second, launched in September, will look at command and control structures, while the third, launched in March 2012, provides police operational briefings.

The NPIA said the aim was to increase understanding of the Games among the 250,000 police officers and staff plus 50,000 fire and ambulance personnel across Britain and police officers due to take part in policing the games will need to complete all three sections of the course. Fire and and ambulance staff will only have to finish the first section of the course.

NPIA chief executive Nick Gargan said: “It is crucial that all emergency staff work together to ensure safety and security at the London Games and events linked to them around the country.”

Bookmaker Betfred it has made an offer to buy state-owned bookmaker the Tote in a deal worth close to £200m (US$325m) in cash.

Betfred claimed it supported the government’s pledge that 50 per cent of the net proceeds from the sale would be put back into the racing industry and also said it would make a contribution to the racing industry of £11m ($17.9m) in 2012 and would make a contribution of at least £9m ($14.6m) to the industry each year after that.

Betfred released a statement, saying: “Betfred’s proposal ensures the government has a complete exit from the Tote, secures value for the taxpayer, delivers support to the racing industry and provides enhanced opportunities and security for the Tote’s employees and other stakeholders.”

Betfred revealed that a decision by the government in relation to the sale was imminent after the coalition government said last year it would sell the Tote, which takes bets on horse racing, soccer and other sports.

A consortium led by ex-British Airways and Liverpool FC chairman Sir Martin Broughton is also reported to be in the running to takeover the business.

The Indian Government’s warning that they are prepared to intervene to ensure that Suresh Kalmadi is removed as the head of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) could see the nation miss out on participation at London 2012.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have repeatedly urged the Government not to get involved in the administration of sport in the country by trying to influence the election of senior officials.

However, new Sports Minister Ajay Maken has told the IOA that if they do not elect a new President to replace Kalmadi following his arrest yesterday, April 25, on corruption charges linked to the Commonwealth Games, then they will take legal action.

Maken said: “What we have decided here in the Sports Ministry is that as soon as the official arrest of Suresh Kalmadi is announced by the CBI, we are going to write to the IOA that they should elect a new President.

“The person who is in jail or who has been charge-sheeted, it would not be in the national interest that he should represent the country anymore. 

“As soon as official confirmation of his arrest comes, we are going to request the IOA to elect someone.”

Kalmadi has been President of the IOA since 1996 and appeared in court in Delhi this morning on charges related to the awarding of Games contracts, including a US$743,000 deal with a London firm over the staging of the Queens Baton relay and a contract with Swiss Timing.

The IOC warned India in January that they faced being banned from London following its failure to adopt proposals agreed following a meeting in Lausanne last June, including the Government respecting the autonomy of the IOA.

Despite this, Maken appears determined to remove Kalmadi, who was the chairman of the Organising Committee for last year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, adding: “We would also be writing to the Attorney general seeking his legal advice.

“The Government can also take action on its own if the IOA fails to take any action against him. 

“If required, we will take action on our own.

“We will first write to the IOA to remove him, elect a President and simultaneously we would also write to the AG to give us some advice on the matter.”