FIFA has launched a global TV advertising campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to highlight global football development and highlight the fight against discrimination and match manipulation.

The animated TV campaign, called Elements, features 30-second and 15-second spots and will be beamed to audiences across the world by FIFA’s Media Rights Licensees during the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

FIFA’s Media Rights Licensees allow FIFA to show institutional and social campaign spots as part of their agreements to broadcast matches from the FIFA World Cup, and to support FIFA’s development work and football across the globe. This gives FIFA access to a potential viewing audience of billions of football fans during our flagship competition.

“This huge platform gives FIFA an amazing opportunity to speak to a global audience,” said FIFA Director of Communications & Public Affairs Walter De Gregorio. “And we wanted to use this platform in the right way – to tell the world there can be no place for discrimination of any kind in football, or in society, and to raise awareness around the threat of match manipulation.”

“We also felt it was crucial to let more people know about our work in football development, which is where so much of the proceeds from the FIFA World Cup go to. Few people know that FIFA invests more than half a million dollars every day in developing football everywhere, from the grassroots up.”

London-based agency Klein & Sons produced the Elements campaign, working with specialist Dutch animator Rogier Wieland.

European football governing body UEFA has appointed VERO Communications to help develop and support its international communications activities.

Working closely with UEFA President’s Chief of Press, herbal  Pedro Pinto, VERO will provide strategic communications support on a range of key issues and the promotion of major milestones in the European football calendar.

Pedro Pinto, UEFA President’s Chief of Press, said: “On behalf of European football UEFA is implementing important new initiatives such as Financial Fair Play and is further promoting our national team and club competitions. We therefore welcome the support of VERO to help us strengthen our communications in these areas.”

Mike Lee, VERO Chairman, said: “With an evolving European football landscape, UEFA is playing a key role in shaping the future and we are delighted to be joining the team to help develop and deliver effective communications to stakeholders and the international media.”

Bristol City have become the first English club to install ‘safe standing’ rail seats at Ashton Gate.

The League One club is aiming to redevelop its historic home, starting this summer, and wants to include the rail seating in two stands, subject to the relevant legal hurdles being passed.

Initially, the safe standing areas will only be able to be used when Bristol Rugby are holding games at the stadium as current regulations prohibit their use for football matches – the Football League has agreed to lobby the Government for a change in rules.

Standing areas in stadiums in the top two football divisions in England were outlawed after the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

The first block of rail seats was unveiled on Wednesday in front of dignitaries from the Football Association and Football League.

The club’s chief executive Doug Harman said: “If we are given the relevant permissions, this could be a great opportunity for Bristol City FC to become the first club in the Football League to install rail seating, as well as becoming a showcase for other teams up and down the country.

“At last week’s Football League meeting there was clear strong support from clubs for the League to approach the authorities for a relaxation and change in the regulations.

“We’ve received feedback from our supporters who are keen for the option of safe standing and with the proposed redevelopment of Ashton Gate and Bristol Rugby’s move to the stadium this summer, this seems to be the right time to explore this further.”

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, added: “What we were often told for many years is that none of the football authorities were in favour of it.

“But that is clearly no longer the case as the Football League, after a very thorough consultation, have shown that a large majority are in favour.

“We hope that the Premier League now, at the appropriate time, will consider this – there are a number of Premier League clubs who are openly in favour – and then we can take the debate forward again.”

Royal Portrush has been revealed as a potential candidate to host the US PGA Championship if plans to stage the tournament overseas are approved.

The PGA of America has commissioned a committee to look into the possibility of holding the final major championship of the season outside of the United States.

The tournament will remain in the US until at least 2019, but PGA of America president Ted Bishop has admitted the search is already underway for an overseas venue.

Asia was rumoured to be preferred destination, but Bishop has declared his interest in taking the tournament to Portrush, which hosted its one and only Open Championship in 1951.

“Royal Portrush would be a great first international major,” Bishop told Golf Channel’s ‘Morning Drive’ programme.

“I think given the powerful effect that Irish golfers have on the professional game today, that might be a good place to start.”

Former US Open champion and Portrush native Graeme McDowell admitted the possibility of staging a major was “very bizarre,” adding: “It’s always been a dream of mine to play the Open there but the US PGA would do nicely.

“It’s very bizarre and an amazing statement. I couldn’t believe it and read it three times. I had heard the US PGA was looking at going global, which is a very positive step forward, but I was expecting Asia, not the north coast of Ireland.

“Even if it never comes to fruition it’s a great boost to be mentioned in that breath. My brother Gary is on the greenkeeping staff there and he will have a spring in his step.

“Having three majors in America with the way the game is growing is a little too weighted. It’s the fourth major of four so taking it somewhere else would really boost the interest. Asia, Australia or Europe would really embrace it.”

McDowell’s compatriot Rory McIlroy revealed the PGA of America had sought his views on the subject a few months ago, adding: “I spoke to Ted about it. He did not mention Portrush, just Ireland, but he has always liked Ireland as a venue.

“It’s a long way down the road, maybe 10 years or so, but I would love to play a major championship at home.

“They (the PGA of America) are very forward-thinking and want to think outside the box. It’s something the other majors have not done, they can’t really go elsewhere. I think it’s a good thing. It would be great to see.

“It would be huge. The Irish Open had a huge impact and everyone saw how well it was supported.”

Match-fixing of soccer matches are set to be discussed by the top European leagues at the International Centre for Sport Security summit in Doha on Thursday.

Government officials, police chiefs and around 400 delegates are attending a two-day meeting in Doha where the issue of match-fixing is high on the agenda.

Football’s governing bodies have been keen to crack down on corruption since Europol’s recent claims that around 680 matches worldwide could have been fixed by Asian crime syndicates.

Four days ago the Football Association said there was suspicious betting activity in the Conference South.

In the wake of the claims an unnamed non-league player said he was approached about fixing a game while bookmakers refused to take bets on Chelmsford, Billericay and AFC Hornchurch.

The FA contacted all 22 teams in the Blue Square South and reminded players and officials of the rules surrounding gambling and match-fixing.

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens, who is in Qatar attending the International Centre for Sport Security summit, warned of the risk of corruption in the lower leagues.

“If you look lower down in other areas of sport and football is one of them,” said Lord Stephens.

“There is and will be an opportunity there to fix matches and fix matches in a way that brings lots of money for those people who are in other parts of the world and remember that’s where most of the betting goes on.”

The controversial British Olympic Association’s (BOA) doping bylaw has been overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today.

Former drug cheats, including sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar will be allowed to compete for a place in the British team following the decision by CAS.

The Lausanne-based panel have, as expected, ruled that the BOA bylaw which stops athletes convicted of serious drugs offences representing Britain at the Olympics is against the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and must be scrapped.

“The CAS Panel has ruled that the BOA bye-law [sic] related to the selection of British athletes for the Olympic Games was not in compliance with the World Anti-doping Code,” a statement on their website said.

“Such decision confirms the jurisprudence established last year in the case between the US Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.”

WADA had challenged the ban at a hearing in London last month claiming its controversial anti-doping bylaw non-compliant with its code, which the BOA are signatories too.

It followed a CAS decision last October that the International Olympic Committee’s controversial Rule 45 – or “Osaka Rule” – banning convicted drugs cheats from future Games was illegal.

The decision will leave the way clear for Chambers, banned for two years in 2003 after testing positive for a cocktail of anabolic steroids, to compete in the 100 metres at London 2012 and also join the 4x100m relay team.

It also opens the door for cyclist David Millar, banned for two years in 2004 after admitting taking the banned blood-boosting drug Erythropoietin, to compete.

The CAS ruled that the bylaw was against the World Anti-Doping Code.

“The Bye-Law is a doping sanction and is therefore not in compliance with the WADA Code,” the judgement said.

“The CAS confirms the view of the WADA Foundation Board as indicated in its Decision.

“Therefore, the appeal of BOA is rejected, and the decision of the WADA Foundation Board is confirmed.”

UK Athletics response was “UK Athletics has always supported the BOA byelaw but welcomes the clarity the CAS decision brings to this issue. Athletes affected by the ruling are now eligible for the team, in both individual and relay events, and will be subject to the same selection criteria and process as every other British athlete.”

by Ismail Uddin