The Australian government have handed a funding boost to the nation’s top sailors of around US$250,000 ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

The extra cash support will be used to enhance the team’s chances of success, providing greater access to support services, quality training and high level competition.

Australia’s Minister for Sport Senator Mark Arbib said the experience of sailing with the women’s national team gave him the chance to see first-hand how their preparations are going.

Arbib stated: “The Australian Government recently committed an extra $250,000.

“This funding is part of our ‘Green and Gold’ project that has injected an extra $2.5m into Australia’s top Olympic sports and athletes, including our sailors.”

Coming on top of the extra $2m in high performance funding committed to Australia’s sailing program in 2010/11, Australian sailing team high performance director Peter Conde welcomed the Government’s commitment.

“This new Government funding will allow us to better support our athletes and coaches with the facilities, equipment and support services they need to be at their best in 2012,” he said.

“It was great to have Senator Arbib on the water with our athletes and to also have the chance to tour the site of our new National Training Centre which is currently under construction here at Middle Harbour Yacht Club.”

Arbib added that this month’s launch of the European Training Centre was further evidence of the Government’s commitment to achieving sustained success on the international stage.

“The Australian Government is committed to giving Australian athletes every opportunity to achieve sustained international success, turning a potential fourth, fifth and sixth placing into a medal at the London Games.”

Football legend George Best’s European Cup winner’s medal has sold for £156,000 (US $250,000) at auction reports BBC Sport.

The 1968 medal was among 13 items belonging to the Manchester United and Northern Ireland star to be sold at Bonhams in Chester on Wednesday.

It was expected to fetch up to £120,000 and the auction house described the final price as “staggering”.

Proceeds of the sale, which totalled about £200,000, will go to the late footballer’s sister, Barbara McNally. George Best died in November 2005, aged 59. The Belfast-born forward made 470 appearances for United between 1963 and 1974, scoring 179 goals.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has apologised for using the Victoria Cross in their design for the new England shirts.

The governing body has been criticised for using the image of the medal on the recently-released home and away shirts.

The Victoria Cross, the British and Commonwealth armed forces’ most prestigious medal, has only been awarded 1,354 times during its 158-year existence, most recently in 2012.

In a statement, the RFU said: “We would like to apologise to those who may have taken offence with our new kit. It was certainly never our intention to cause this.

“We are huge supporters of our service personnel and respect and value their support for England.

“We have a longstanding relationship with the Royal British Legion, supporting their poppy appeal at the relevant Twickenham international every year and have helped raise over £2 million for them and for other service charities such as Help for Heroes.

“We will be contacting the Victoria Cross Trust and the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association to see how we can also support their worthwhile work going forwards.”

Gary Stapleton, chairman of the Victoria Cross Trust, hit out at the decision to use the medal as part of the shirt’s design.

“It’s very frustrating when you see the image being used for marketing purposes,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“I think about how much work we put in and the volunteers put in and the work we do restoring the VC graves, and here’s an organisation that’s probably going to make quite a large amount of money from sales of said shirts.

“It would’ve been a bit more appropriate if they’d said they’d like to do this because they believe what the Victoria Cross represents and would like to benefit a charity that does actually care about the history of the VC.”

The new shirt will debut when England take on New Zealand in the opening autumn Test on November 8.

British Overseas Territory Gibraltar have revealed plans for their new national stadium, pharmacy which they hope could open in 2016.

Gibraltar currently plays games at Victoria Stadium – which does not meet criteria to host full internationals, although some friendlies can and will be played there.

Last May the small nation became the 54th member of UEFA and granted full member status.

Looking to the future Gibraltar, who are also aiming for FIFA membership in time to play in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, are looking to build a venue of just over 8,000 capacity at Europa Point.

The Gibraltar Football Association hope to get the green light for the project later this year.

“The Europa Point is progressing well, it is smoothly and we are just waiting for the government to give us the approval,” Gibraltar coach Allen Bula told Sky Sports.

GFA spokesman Steven Rodriguez added: “Like in the UK these things take time.

“What is set in stone is that we need to have a stadium for 2016 for potential World Cup qualifiers. but we have to wait like you do in the UK.”

Gibraltar, who made their international debut against Slovakia late last year, will play their first ever match on home soil when they host the Faroe Islands on Saturday in a friendly.

The OneAsia Championship, which was set to make its debut this year, has been cut from this year’s tour schedule after failing to attract enough star golfers, organisers say.

The $US2 million tournament scheduled for southern China’s Mission Hills this week was intended to be the climax of the stroke-play events on the OneAsia calendar.

It is one of a number of Asian tournaments to be hit in what OneAsia called a “year of consolidation”, which follows a long period of expansion.

“The tournament promoters set a high bar for the inaugural championship, but unfortunately several of the targeted players already had commitments, so the first edition has been postponed,” a statement said.

OneAsia, one of Asia’s two rival golf circuits, now has the December 12-15 Dongfeng Nissan Cup team tournament as the final event on its 2013 schedule.

“It has been a year of consolidation both for OneAsia and the industry in general, but we expect to shortly announce an outline of our expanded 2014 schedule,” OneAsia said.

Asia’s congested golf calendar has lost several tournaments including the Avantha Masters, which was India’s only European-sanctioned event.

The Charity High1 Resort Open dropped off the OneAsia schedule and the flagship Singapore Open, once dubbed “Asia’s major”, took a year’s break after being unable to find a title sponsor.

OneAsia’s rival, the Asian Tour, postponed the inaugural Vietnam Masters to an as yet unconfirmed date, and this week’s Hong Kong Open remains without a title sponsor and was downgraded on the European Tour schedule.

The European and PGA tours have already started their new-look, ‘wrap-around’ 2013-2014 schedules, making it harder for Asian events to attract top players.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) are set to look into adding a tenth franchise to the Cricket tournament, chairman Rajiv Shukla announced.

“The issue of tenth team in the IPL would be discussed after the end of the current edition,” Shukla was quoted as saying by PTI.

The IPL originally had eight franchises, before Pune Warriors and Kochi Tuskers Kerala were added in the fourth edition, in 2011. However, Kochi Tuskers were dissolved after just one season, and the IPL has consisted of nine franchises since.

Deccan Chargers, the tournament’s original Hyderabad franchise was also dissolved ahead of the 2013 season, but was immediately replaced by Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The current edition consists of: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors India.

The World Yacht Racing Forum (WYRF) will return to Gothenburg, sales Sweden on the 10-11 December 2013. 

Supported by host partners, Brandspot, the World Yacht Racing Forum will address the major challenges in the yacht racing world and will gather the key players from yacht racing event organisers, teams, sponsors, agencies and sailors to help shape the future of the yacht racing industry. Once again the event will be co-located with the Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium which will take place concurrently with the WYRF on December 10th.

Knut Frostad, CEO Volvo Ocean Race said: “The Volvo Ocean Race is delighted to partner with the WYRF 2013. The event is a must for anyone that genuinely cares about the yacht racing industry. We look forward to seeing you in Gothenburg this December.”

Orhan Gorbon CEO The Bosphorus Cup  commented; ” We are really pleased to be returning as Official Race Partners again in 2013. We really enjoyed and benefitted from our participation in 2012 and look forward to meeting  again with so many passionate and influential people across the industry.”

Marc Blees, MD GAASTRA Pro Gear,” GAASTRA is happy to once again confirm our successful partnership with the WYRF. We have been Official Partners of the event for 5 years now and it provides us with an excellent platform and opportunity to meet the key players within yacht racing.

The WYRF is the leading yacht racing industry conference, and is the only occasion in the year where the leaders of the industry gather, away from the wáter, to discuss their mutual challenges and opportunities. 2012’s event saw over 250 attendees including key note speakers such as Ben Ainslie and Juan Kouyoumdjian and participating companies including; Volvo, SCA, Stena, Volvo Ocean Race, OC Sport, Vendee Globe, Alpari World Match Racing Tour, America’s Cup Event Authority, Mirabaud, Virtual Regatta, GAASTRA, Capitalize, Farr Design, Oracle Racing, Atlant Ocean Racing, Multiplast and more.

“We are delighted to be returning to Gothenburg and to have Brandspot, Volvo Ocean Race and The Bosphorus Cup  supporting the WYRF this year. Gothenburg is hosting some fantastic sailing events over the next few months and years and it is wonderful to be holding the Forum in a city with such passion for yacht racing.” Commented James Gradwell,Event Director for the World Yacht Racing Forum. “With such a busy year for the industry, including the America’s Cup taking place in September, it  will be a fantastic 2 days of learning and networking and we look forward to working closely with our partners.”

The conference will include high level, engaging and motivating speakers presenting within the programme, as well as interactive sessions and new networking formats to ensure participants get the best value across the two days. Speakers include: Peter Bayer, current CEO of Open Sports Management and former CEO Innsbruck Youth Olympic Games; Knut Frostad, CEO Volvo Ocean Race; Mark Turner, Executive Chairman OC Sport; Guillaume Verdier, Designer; Guillaume Henry, Director General Vendee Globe and many more.  This year the YRDTS will run over 1 day giving delegates the opportunity to join the WYRF on day 2 and discuss the challenges that face the sport as a whole from design to race.