The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) proposal for greater decision-making powers to be given to three boards have been met with criticism by former cricket chiefs.

The trio concerned are India’s BCCI, Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board, who represent the game’s three wealthiest nations.

The ICC is due to discuss the controversial plan – which has been drafted because of an apparent threat by India to withdraw from major global events unless there is radical reform of the ICC – in Dubai on Tuesday and Wednesday.

However, a growing number of former cricket chiefs have expressed their alarm at the proposals which would also include a two-tier Test league with Australia, India and England being protected from relegation owing to their financial weight.

Pakistan’s former ICC president Ehsan Mani has written a letter to the ICC – co-signed by Australian duo Malcolm Speed and Malcolm Gray who are both former senior administrators with the ICC – saying the paper should be withdrawn.

Mani and the other signatories, who also include former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, believe the ICC needs to re-examine the conclusions of the 2012 Woolf Report into ICC governance, which recommended, among other things, an improvement in governance standards, the appointment of independent board directors and greater transparency.

“The biggest gainers are BCCI, ECB and CA,” Mani wrote.

“In addition, ICC events for the period 2015-2023 will be held only in India, England and Australia.

“These Boards will receive hosting fees for the events in addition to the ICC Distributions they propose.

“A point that also needs to be addressed is; why does BCCI need more money at the expense of other countries?

“The domestic and international media fees that BCCI receives from playing with other members are massive and underpin BCCI’s financial position. It is the richest cricket board in the world.

“If cricket is to grow and develop around the world more investment is required in the Associate & Affiliate countries, not less.

“The Associate & Affiliate countries represent some of the biggest economies in the world.

“If cricket could be established properly in the United States of America and China and become an Olympic sport, the ICC could double its revenues in real terms over the next 10-15 years.

“This requires vision and a less parochial approach.”

Federico Iguzzini has become Official Team Timekeeper of ChinaSpirit, the Chinese team that will compete in the America’s Cup Youth 2013.

ChinaSpirit CEO, Noëlle Smulders, said centuries ago China ruled the seas and that ChinaSpirit is about China retaking its position on the world’s oceans.

She said the deal with China’s oldest watch company, Federico Iguzzini, which also challenges the world’s greatest watch brands is a good fit.

Federico Iguzzini Watches, CEO Stephane Michel said the company has vast progress in know-how from China over the course of the past few years in so many areas and that sailing is bound to be a field that China will succeed in.

“It is extremely motivating for us to be representing China in the luxury watch sector and we are honoured and proud to be partnered with ChinaSpirit in what we believe to be one of the greatest and most passionate sports in the world,” Michel said.{jcomments on}

Work has officially started on The Ageas Bowl’s Hilton-branded hotel following a “breaking ground” ceremony held at the home of Hampshire Cricket this morning Friday 21 September 2012. 

Chairman, herbal Rod Bransgrove was on hand, doctor along with Eastleigh Borough Council Leader, symptoms Keith House and principle contractor, Denizen’s Howard Pearson (Area Manager SW) and David Wharton (Project Manager) to oversee the initial stages of work.

When built, the 175-bedroom hotel will be based at the Northern End of the ground and complete an ambitious development programme which has also seen the Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie and Shane Warne stands erected, increasing the venue’s total capacity to 25,000. Hoped to be fully open in time for England’s Test match against India in 2014, the new-look Ageas Bowl will be Britain’s only Model Test Match venue as defined by the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB].

Rod Bransgrove said; “Today is a landmark day for all involved with The Ageas Bowl. The construction of this hotel represents fantastic opportunities for local people, staff, Hampshire and England Cricket fans and businesses across the South. In building the hotel, the Club, together with our partners at Eastleigh Borough Council, will bring not only top-level cricket to Hampshire, but also a great venue for leisure and business and the socio-economic benefits that come with increased tourism to the area and improved facilities. We hope this hotel will create a legacy, the benefits of which all across the South will see for years to come.”

Keith House said; “After many years of discussions it’s great to see work get under way not just on the hotel but on the massive groundworks for the new 18-hole golf course. The Council is firmly committed to this project not least for the hundreds of extra jobs and the sporting and commercial opportunities that have been brought to our area.”

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “We are delighted to be opening our second property in Southampton, complementing the existing Hilton Southampton with a new landmark hotel at The Ageas Bowl. English cricket has experienced a period of great success; and we are excited to become a part of that in a year where Hilton Worldwide has contributed to developing a lasting legacy for sports tourism in the UK.”

Fehr characterized some of the initiatives in the proposal during a 12-minute press conference Tuesday in the lobby of the Union’s office.

Fehr said the Union’s proposal calls for the players to take a reduced share of hockey-related revenue for the next three seasons, after which the players would have the option to revert back to the terms of the current CBA for one season. If they chose not to take that option, the new CBA — under the Union’s proposal — would be terminated after three seasons.

“Regardless of how you view the industry as a whole it may be that there are some individual franchises in cities which need some attention,” Fehr said. “The owners certainly have indicated to us that they believe that is true, and so what we wanted to do is try, as you should in bargaining, to address the concerns that are given to you if you believe you can do so consistent with your obligations to your own constituents and negotiating a fair deal.”

Fehr said the Union’s proposal includes “significantly expanded, more aggressive, and more targeted revenue sharing.”

He also said the Union’s proposal “has facets in it which are designed to give the clubs, in particular the general managers and club presidents, more flexibility in putting teams together.” Fehr added that the Union’s proposal keeps the salary-cap system in place — with “a couple of small exceptions to it.”

Commissioner Bettman and Fehr both said the goal remains to have a new CBA in place so no time in the 2012-13 season is missed.

“Our hope is that we can take care of business in the next month,” Commissioner Bettman said. “That’s our goal.”

The Paynter Law Firm filed a lawsuit in federal court against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”), health alleging that the NCAA’s restrictions on athletic scholarships violate federal antitrust laws.

Rock v. NCAA seeks damages for students who lost scholarships because of the NCAA’s recently abandoned ban on multiyear athletic scholarships, help and challenges the NCAA’s caps on total scholarships across all Division I, ed II and III sports. The complaint alleges that these rules constitute an unlawful conspiracy among the NCAA member institutions to reduce the amount of money spent on athletic scholarships.

The complaint alleges that while the NCAA claims its restrictions are necessary to preserve amateurism and competitive balance among teams, in reality, the rules are designed to divert money from scholarships so it can be used to line the pockets of NCAA officials and fill the coffers of NCAA member institutions. “Given the billions of dollars that student-athletes generate for the NCAA and its members,” said Stuart Paynter, an attorney whose firm is co-counsel on the case with the law firm of Hagens, Berman, Sobol & Shapiro, “it is outrageous that the NCAA and its members try to limit the number of available scholarships while simultaneously claiming to be concerned about student-athlete welfare and academic achievement.”

The lawsuit was brought by John Rock, a former starting quarterback at Gardner-Webb University. The suit alleges that Rock’s coach promised to maintain Rock’s spot on the team while Rock completed a mandatory academic internship. After the university replaced the coach, Rock returned from his internship only to learn that his locker had been cleaned out and his scholarship taken away. As a result, Rock had to pay out-of-pocket for tuition, room and board—costs he had not expected given his athletic scholarship.

Rock seeks to represent a nationwide class of student-athletes who, like him, had their athletic scholarships reduced or not renewed. “In a competitive market,” said attorney Paynter, “athletes like Rock would have been offered multiyear scholarships, meaning that even if they were cut from their teams, they could continue to pursue their educations.”

Texas-based company, buy order | Panini America, viagra announced on Monday that it has signed an exclusive multi-year deal to be the official card manufacturer for USA Baseball beginning later this year.

Topps had held the license since taking it over from Upper Deck in 2010.

“Some of the greatest players of all time made their marks with USA Baseball long before they made their marks as professional players, drugs ” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “This new agreement gives us the exclusive opportunity to introduce fans and collectors to tomorrow’s stars.”

Panini will showcase the Collegiate National Team, 18U and 15U teams on their first cards beginning this fall. The 2012 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will be in 2012 Prime Cuts in October and it will include members of the 18U and 15U National Teams in 2012 Donruss Elite Extra Edition in December. The products will include autographs as well as memorabilia cards. Meanwhile, the 2012 USA Baseball box set will arrive in November with all 62 members of the 2012 USA Baseball squads as a hobby-only product. In 2013, the company said, it will arrive via a packed product.

USA Baseball COO David Perkins, said: “Panini America has already shown they are as passionate about the USA Baseball brand as we are, and we know its passion will show in the products it manufactures with USA Baseball’s National Team players. We are thrilled to be working with Panini America to bring our pastime’s future to collectors and fans.”

Panini’s baseball portfolio already includes licenses with the Major League Baseball Players Association and the National Baseball Hall of Fame – both acquired since September.

by Ismail Uddin

The owners of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets have received a $40 million loan from a major bank, most likely the Bank of America, according to the New York Times.

The team described the transaction as a “bridge loan” aimed at helping the club as it tries to raise money through the sale of minority stakes in the franchise, the report said.

According to the newspaper, a spokesman for the Mets’ owners said the loan had been approved by Major League Baseball and the other banks to which they are already indebted.

In September, the Mets ended talks to secure a $200 million investment from hedge fund manager David Einhorn, clouding the team’s future as its losses and legal bills mounted.

The team has been losing tens of millions of dollars a year, and its problems were compounded by a $1 billion lawsuit by Irving Picard, the trustee seeking money for victims of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.

The announcement that Pernilla Wiberg has joined the Annecy 2018 bid committee to help promote the project around the world was made global at the bid’s official presentation at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Assembly in Acapulco, search Mexico.

A member of the IOC from 2002 to 2010, view the Swedish skier boasts an exceptional career record, having taken Olympic golds in the giant slalom at Albertville in 1992 and the combined at Lillehammer in 1994, and a downhill silver at the Nagano Games in 1998; and World Championship titles in the giant slalom in 1991, slalom in 1996, and in the combined in 1996 and 1999, silver in the slalom in 1999 and a downhill bronze in 1997. Wiberg was overall winner of the World Cup in 1997 and has 24 World Cup victories in the five events and 61 podium finishes to her name.

“I found the Annecy plans very appealing,” said Wiberg. “I had never come across a bid that gave such serious consideration to the opinions of sportsmen and sportswomen. I like the proposed tightly-knit network of sites, and I love this wonderful, perfectly-sized town. This is what the Olympic Winter Games needs.”