Lance Armstrong has announced he will drop his fight against drug charges bought on him by the US anti-doping agency (USADA).

As a result, Armstrong, 40, will be banned from cycling for life and will see his seven Tour de France titles stripped from him.

The American achieved the record run between 1999 and 2005, but after becoming “weary” of the “nonsense,” from the USADA, he is set to end his fight, despite maintaining his innocence.

In a statement, Armstrong said: “There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough’. For me, that time is now.

“I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart’s unconstitutional witch hunt.

“The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today – finished with this nonsense.”

“The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-team-mate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It’s an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It’s just not right.”

Armstrong continued: “USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours, my team-mates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.

“We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins.”

The USADA claim Armstrong used blood booster, erythropoietin (EPO), steroid and blood transfusions, as far back as 1996.

Travis Tygart, head of the USADA commented: “This is a heartbreaking example of how the win-at-all-costs culture of sport, if left unchecked, will overtake fair, safe and honest competition, but for clean athletes, it is a reassuring reminder that there is hope for future generations to compete on a level playing field without the use of performance-enhancing drugs.”

Mervyn Westfield, ed the first county cricketer in England convicted for spot-fixing has launched his appeal against the conviction on Thursday.

Former Essex player Westfield was sentenced to four months in prison at the Old Bailey in February.

Westfield, link 23, from Chelmsford, was jailed after pleading guilty to one count of accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.

He was accused of being paid £6,000 to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009.

Passing sentence, Judge Anthony Morris told Westfield: “I am satisfied that you would have known from the outset that what was being offered was a corrupt payment and that you could and should have refused it.

“I am also satisfied that, if you had any concerns about the approaches being made to you, you had an opportunity to mention them to the team captain or management, or if you were nervous of doing so, at least to your friends within the team. You chose not to do so.”

As well as the jail sentence a confiscation order was made for £6,000.

His case will be heard by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Openshaw and Mr Justice Irwin at the Court of Appeal in London.

Volvo Ocean Race has selected a record number of candidates to go through to the final stage of the bid process to become host cities for the 12th and 13th editions of the Volvo Ocean Race, drugs scheduled for 2014-15 and 2017-18.

Of more than 60 applications received, ed a record number of 33 will progress through to the Candidate phase.

The bid process, cialis managed by London-based sports agency The Sports Consultancy and launched earlier this year, received over 60 Expressions of Interest.

The successful host cities will be announced at the end of 2012 and the race route for the 12th and 13th editions of the race confirmed.

Commenting on the bid process, The Sports Consultancy Managing Director Angus Buchanan said: “We have been very impressed with the number, quality and geographic spread of bid applications received, which in turn has enabled us to select the best possible Candidates with whom we will progress discussions.

“The desire to host this spectacular event is stronger than ever which is testament not only to the appeal of the event to spectators but also a recognition of the significant economic benefits that the Volvo Ocean Race brings to its host cities.”

Knut Frostad, Chief Executive of Volvo Ocean Race, added: “When selecting a route for the Volvo Ocean Race it is important that we consider a range of factors including sporting, commercial, heritage and legacy.

“This formal host city bid process allows us to choose the best possible route by identifying the strongest host city partnerships that will benefit the race, its hosts and the event’s growing global audience.”

Babies will not be charged an admission ticket for the Olympics, London 2012 organisers have claimed as long as they are firmly fastened to an adult.

This comes after organisers ruled in January that Babies and young infants would need a ticket

It was in March last year that tickets for the Games first went on sale, since when some of those who secured seats in the ballots have given birth.

The mumsnet.com website was inundated by outraged mothers earlier this year as they discovered they could not take their babies to the Olympic events unless they bought a separate ticket. Most venues were sold out by that time.

Following complaints and suggestions that the policy might be in breach of sexual equality laws, organisers agreed to review the situation.

LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton said: “Anyone who purchased a ticket… and did become pregnant, had a baby and wants to take the baby to the Games will be able to do so.

“The baby of course will be under 12 months old and then will be let in if securely strapped to the parent or carer by way of a baby carrier, papoose or sling.”

This ‘babes in arms’ policy will apply to all venues with the exception of Manchester’s Old Trafford, Wembley Stadium, Newcastle’s St James’ Park and the North Greenwich Arena.

There are existing licensing agreements at these venues, meaning that all spectators would require tickets regardless of age.

The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) have retained the services of IMG as the PGA Tour’s world wide licensing representative until 2015.

IMG will work with the Tour to expand and manage the PGA Tour’s international retail licensing program in all regions except Japan, where the PGA Tour separately retains Bonmax Co. Ltd. as its Master Licensee.

Tim Hawes, Senior Vice President, PGA Tour Retail Licensing, said: “We are very excited to announce this new global partnership with IMG. IMG’s ability to provide worldwide licensing services will allow the PGA Tour brand to expand into regions where we have not been before. Also, the expertise that IMG’s team will provide our current licensee base will increase the PGA Tour brand presence internationally.”

IMG will represent all Tour brands in the licensing space – PGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour, FedExCup and Tournament Collection. A sampling of branded products includes apparel, headwear, accessories, sporting goods, luggage, collectibles, toys, jewelry, health, beauty products and home goods.

Bruno Maglione, Executive Vice President, IMG Worldwide, said: “We are honored by this expanded role and the trust placed in us by the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour is truly a global brand, and we are excited by the growth prospects of its licensing program. Given IMG’s existing relationship with the PGA Tour on so many fronts, we are thrilled to get started growing the brand globally.”

IMG Licensing Senior Vice President Wesley Haynes, added: “We are very excited to be expanding our approximate eight-year relationship with the PGA TOUR. We have had great success growing the TOUR’s consumer products business within the U.S. marketplace, even through the most recent economic turmoil. The PGA TOUR brand continues to be growing with our licensees, consumers and with our retail partners, so we are excited by this new role.”

Major League Baseball (MLB) have asked a judge to dismiss the request by the Los Angeles Dodgers for documents asked a judge to dismiss the team’s request for documents and to put league officials under oath about a proposed loan.

The league, clinic | continuing its fight over how to finance the bankrupt Dodgers, accused Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt of using the team’s bankruptcy “as a forum for the vetting of his purported personal disputes and issues with Major League Baseball.”

Last week, the Dodgers said it needed to interview league officials and examine documents to show that Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig was treating the team differently from others in the league. The team is trying to win approval of a US$150m loan to keep operating over opposition from the league, which proposed an alternative financing arrangement.

The Dodgers filed for bankruptcy on June 27 after Selig rejected a proposed television-rights deal McCourt negotiated with News Corp. (NWSA)’s Fox Sports.

Selling future cable television rights to Fox Sports would have generated enough money for the Dodgers operations and would have helped resolve an ownership fight McCourt is having with his ex-wife Jamie McCourt in divorce court in Los Angeles.

The team rejected financing from the league because of “abusive conduct by the commissioner,” the Dodgers said in court papers. The team claimed that Selig “starved the Dodgers of cash,” which led to the bankruptcy.

Lyndsey Estin, a Dodgers spokeswoman, said in an statement that the documents the club is seeking “will reveal the commissioner’s real agenda in his mistreatment of the Dodgers and demonstrate why the Dodgers should not borrow money from MLB.”

The league responded, stating: “Mr. McCourt’s allegations make no sense”. The league actions were motivated by a need to “investigate mismanagement” of the team.

The Dodgers have asked to question under oath seven current or former baseball executives, including Selig. The league is seeking to question McCourt.

The proposed sale of National Hockey League (NHL) franchise Atlanta Thrashers to True North Sports and Entertainment has been approved by the league’s board of governors, paving the way for the team to be relocated to Winnipeg in Canada for the start of next season.

The takeover was ratified after a unanimous decision was made among League owner’s voting on the sale and the relocation of the side. Winnipeg lost the Jets franchise to Phoenix in 1996, but the transaction price of US$170m for the Thrashers will include a $60m relocation fee to guarantee a move to a new market.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, according to The Associated Press, stated: “Obviously, everybody is sorry and distressed and unhappy that we found ourselves in the circumstance where our franchise was leaving Atlanta. We’re particularly sorry for the fans that are there, but obviously based on the reception that we’ve received, everybody is extremely excited about the opportunities in Winnipeg for our return.”

Thrashers president Don Waddell added: “It’s a sad day for hockey fans in Atlanta, but the franchise is going to a good place and run by good people. I wish them well, because a lot of good people that are going to go with them.”

Although the Winnipeg franchise has yet to decide upon a name for the team, it is certain that they will not be called the Thrashers as the franchise tries to break with its past. The team will play in the 15,015-seat MTS Center and the cap on 13,000 season tickets was reached in a matter of minutes after they sales process started earlier this month. The Thrashers had the League’s third-worst average attendance last season, pulling in gates of less than 14,000 per game.

The France squad want to give sponsorship bonuses to charity in a bid to improve their image following a poor display at the World Cup, order according to captain Alou Diarra.

“We want to do a good deed,” Diarra told French radio RTL on Tuesday. The squad are due an estimated two million euros in bonuses, their share of sponsorship revenue which is unrelated to footballing performance.

The players will now discuss with the French Football Federation their plan to give the money to charity.

France were eliminated in the first round of the World Cup in South Africa in June when the players also went on strike to support Nicolas Anelka after the striker was kicked out of the squad for insulting then-coach Raymond Domenech.

South Korean Fifa vice president Chung Mong-joon has dismissed recent speculation that he will stand against Sepp Blatter for the organisation’s presidency next May.

Chung had hinted he could run against Blatter as competition was needed “to keep Fifa healthy”.

But Chung has now said: “The first and foremost goal for me personally and for the South Korean government is to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup. I am not thinking about running for the presidency in 2011.”

Chung also faces his own challenge for his position as Fifa vice president representing the Asian Football Confederation. Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, head of the Jordan Football Association, recently announced his intention to run against Chung for the four-year vice presidency from 2011-2015.

Learfield Sports, which handles marketing for a number of US colleges and universities, has announced an agreement with Northern Illinois University (NIU) Athletics to manage its multimedia and sponsorship opportunities for the next 10 years.

The agreement between NIU and the pre-eminent multimedia rights-holder in intercollegiate athletics extends through the 2023-24 academic year and provides Huskie Athletics with a multi-million dollar guarantee during the length of the contract. Learfield will assume the Huskies’ comprehensive multimedia rights and the on-site management team of Huskie Sports Properties, the official name of Learfield’s NIU entity, will be led by general manager Evan Hawkins.

Hawkins and his staff will manage every aspect of the Huskies’ rights including signage, sponsorships, corporate hospitality, event marketing, game programs, radio and television broadcasts, including radio coaches’ shows, and official athletics website advertising.

“Learfield Sports is a company that `gets it’ when you are talking about providing opportunities for sponsors and corporate partners to get involved with Huskie Athletics,” NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier said. “I’m confident they’re going to do a tremendous job managing our multimedia rights and helping to build our brand throughout the region. There’s no doubt this agreement will benefit NIU, Learfield and our corporate and media partners.

“I’m excited that Huskie Sports Properties will be right here in our building and in our community, and will have the ability to tie in with the many other Learfield properties in Illinois and across the Midwest. This agreement is a great step in continuing to move this program forward.

“This is the culmination of a year-long negotiation to significantly improve our multimedia rights agreement and today we have done that,” Frazier added. “Kudos to Associate Athletic Director Ryan Sedevie and our external affairs staff for all their hard word in getting this agreement done. Deals like this are about relationships and we look forward to a long and productive relationship with our partners at Learfield Sports.”

Learfield President and CEO Greg Brown said he and his staff on the corporate level and locally with Huskie Sports Properties are excited to officially announce the partnership with NIU.

“We look forward to representing the Huskies. We have known Sean for many years and are pleased for the opportunity to partner with him again at NIU,” said Brown.