St Louis Rams have opted out of their contract to play National Football League regular season games in London in 2013 and 2014. 

The Rams will honour their arrangement to compete against New England Patriots in October this year but it is unclear if another team will agree to a multiple game deal.

“In an effort to focus on the Edward Jones Dome First Tier Process with the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, the St. Louis Rams are withdrawing their commitment to play a home game in London in each of the 2013 and 2014 seasons,” the team said in a statement to www.nfl.com.

“The St. Louis Rams will play the New England Patriots on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at London’s historic Wembley Stadium as previously announced.”

“We are looking forward to playing in London this season as the NFL’s International Series offers a unique opportunity to grow the American football audience, expand the Rams’ brand to international fans and enhance St. Louis on the global stage,” said Kevin Demoff, Rams Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “However, moving forward, we believe at this time our attention needs to be on the ongoing First Tier process. We have worked closely with the NFL in coming to this decision and remain key supporters of the International Series and its objectives.”

Chris Parsons, NFL Vice-President of International, said: “We appreciate the Rams’ support for our international growth strategy. We are currently working to add a second game in the UK, potentially for the 2013 season, in response to the growth in popularity of our sport. We hope to finalize these plans in the months ahead.”

Manchester United has launched a dedicated website for their conference and events division, United Events, aimed at further positioning the club as a first class venue for corporate events.

The new website has been created to offer much more information of the facilities of the venue, with images of each of the superb suites as well as a detailed layout and seating plans ensuring they get the best possible location for their event. Themicrosite is multi-browser compatible and has also been built to suit tablet devices such as the iPad.

Old Trafford is not only the home of the Premier League’s 19-times champions, but also offers a wide range of event facilities to suit any occasion, from rooms big enough to host a thousand guests to intimate meeting rooms for two.

The conference venue has 24 suites, 155 syndicate rooms and boasts over 5,000 car parking spaces making it popular with organisers and many events returning year after year.

Director of Venue, Karl Evans said: “The launch of our own dedicated website is part of our strategy to further cement Old Trafford’s reputation as a world class venue. Everyone knows Manchester United’s success on the field and now we want to show that its conference and events space is just as spectacular. We hope that our new website makes organising an event with us as convenient and simple as possible.”

The highest court in sports has overturned a disputed International Olympic Committee (IOC) doping rule, clearing the way for reigning Olympic 400-meter champion LaShawn Merritt to defend his crown at next year’s London Games.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) invalidated the IOC rule that bars any athlete who has received a doping suspension of more than six months from competing in the next summer or winter games.

The case centered on Merritt, the American 400-meter gold medalist in Beijing who had been ineligible under the IOC rule to compete in London even though he completed his doping ban earlier this year.

The Unites States Olympic Committee (USOC) challenged the rule, contending it amounts to a second penalty for a single offense and violates global anti-doping guidelines. The IOC maintained it was a question of eligibility, not a sanction, and the Olympic body had the right to decide who takes part in its events.

The USOC and IOC went to CAS to seek a ruling well ahead of the London Games to avoid last-minute confusion before the Olympics start on July 27, 2012. They were told the rule in place was effective and wouldnt be overturned but obviously this is not the case.

“The rule was in our view an efficient means to advance the fight against doping, and we were somewhat surprised by the judgment since we had taken an advisory opinion from CAS on the rule and been given a positive response,” the IOC said in a statement.

The verdict against the IOC also opens the door for athletes in Britain to challenge a British Olympic Association rule that bans drug offenders for life from the games.

Among those affected by the British ban are sprinter Dwain Chambers, a former European 100-meter champion who served a two-year ban in the BALCO scandal, and cyclist David Millar, who also was suspended for two years for use of EPO.

The IOC’s reaction was of “surprise” and “dissapointment” of the decision but they maintained they would abide by the decision.

The IOC said in a statement: “The IOC has a zero tolerance against doping and has shown and continues to show its determination to catch cheats. We are therefore naturally disappointed since the measure was originally adopted to support the values that underpin the Olympic Movement and to protect the huge majority of athletes who compete fairly.”

The IOC pledged to review Rule 45, also known as the “Osaka Rule”, in the future.

“When the moment comes for the revision of the World Anti-Doping Code we will ensure that tougher sanctions, including such a rule, will be seriously considered,” added the statement.

2.3 million tickets for the London 2012 Olympic games were put on sale this morning to applicants who received no tickets in the previous ballot system. The tickets, discount available for 310 sessions including archery, allergist fencing, pills hockey and football, were being sold on a first-come-first serve basis.

Many visitors attempting to buy tickets on the website have received a message during their transaction which states: “We are experiencing high demand.

“You will be automatically directed to the page requested as soon as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience.”

A London 2012 spokeswoman said: “The system is working, it has not crashed. Due to high demand some people are being held outside the system.

“For those in the system it is working and transactions are going through, but we are having to hold some people back from going through the site due to high demand.”

The system started to slow down just 10 minutes after tickets went on sale.

Suer Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks have partnered with Verizon to announce significant enhancements to the wireless network at CenturyLink Field to provide fans with free open access to Wi-Fi.

Working with Verizon and CenturyLink, Extreme Networks, the Official Wi-Fi Analytics Provider of the NFL, installed its acclaimed high-density Wi-Fi and Purview analytics systems at CenturyLink Field prior to the 2014 NFL season in conjunction with this initiative. Now tens of thousands of Seahawks’ fans can enjoy their wireless devices, social media and pictures throughout the game as connecting to their apps and the Internet is both fast and simple.

In addition to implementing Wi-Fi and enhancing in-stadium connectivity, 12 individuals will be on site as part of the in-stadium Wi-Fi Certified Coach Program – a uniquely developed service offered by Extreme Networks to support fans at venues that have deployed high density Wi-Fi. These individuals provide technical assistance and educate fans about Wi-Fi usage and game day mobile offerings such as the Verizon NFL Mobile app and the Seahawks’ team app. 

“The Seahawks are excited to work with Verizon and Extreme Networks to bring the best Wi-Fi solution to our fans at CenturyLink Field,” said Seahawks President Peter McLoughlin. “By enhancing connectivity throughout the entire stadium, it allows us to offer new mobile app features such as live video streaming, and ‘Eye of the Hawk’. This allows fans to select live feeds from around the stadium along with coverage of live on-the-field action from multiple camera angles, replays and game highlights.” 

As part of Verizon’s relationship with the Seahawks, the south end zone restaurant has been transformed into the Verizon Lounge, a state-of-the-art sports bar and restaurant. The Verizon Lounge also serves as the location for the Seahawks’ postgame radio show. Verizon installed 36 charging stations in the lounge and throughout the stadium to provide fans with the ability to stay in touch on game day. 

“Seahawks fans deserve a championship-caliber wireless experience on game day, and now they have two WiFi options, plus XLTE network enhancements in-stadium and in-the neighborhood for greater reliability,” said Bobby Morrison, Verizon Wireless President for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. 

“An immersive and connected fan experience at games continues to be a significant goal for the NFL. We are marching into the future of stadiums and technology and through Extreme Networks and Verizon, the Seahawks will be able to provide an engaging experience for their dedicated fans,” said Michelle McKenna-Doyle, Senior Vice President and CIO of the NFL.

“At Extreme Networks, we strive to provide fans with unwavering wireless connectivity enhancing the game day experience. In today’s multi-device environment, it is imperative that fans can access, view and download the content that matters most to them, from instant replays to scores around the NFL,” said Norman Rice, senior vice president of corporate development for Extreme Networks. “Through our relationship with the Seattle Seahawks, CenturyLink and Verizon, we deliver pervasive connectivity resulting in an incredible experience.”

The Mountbatten Centre, patient Portsmouth in England will host the 2014 edition of the World Cup of Pool from 23rd to 28th September.

Following four years of the event in Manila and then a successful return to the UK in London last year, find the event will now play out on England’s south coast. 

Now in its ninth year, the World Cup of Pool features 32 two-player teams from around the world battling it out for a $250,000 prize fund. The defending champions are the Philippines who will be among the favourites to claim a record-breaking fourth World Cup. 

Packed with some of the best players in the world, there will be plenty of teams in with a great chance to lift the coveted title, including two sides from the host nation. 

Commencing on Tuesday 23rd and culminating in the final on the evening of Sunday 28th, the event will be played to a single elimination format over six days with two sessions a day. 

Barr Hearn, Chairman of promoters Matchroom Sport, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the World Cup of Pool to Portsmouth and hopefully this lively naval city will be an ideal host for one of cue sport’s most exciting events. 

“Mosconi Cup tickets went like hot cakes this year and many of the players who will be competing in Blackpool in December, will be in Portsmouth representing their nations in a high pressure environment.“This year’s World Cup will be a battle royal with some wonderful players competing for national pride and for pool fans across Europe it will be unmissable!” he added.

South Africa have revealed they alter their Super Rugby competition by cutting the promotion-relegation play-offs ensuring the bottom team in their conference this year will play in the 2015 competition.

Golden Lions were relegated last year and squeezed into the 2014 southern hemisphere championship by winning a two-leg play-off against bottom team Southern Kings.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) decision will please the Lions, a Johannesburg outfit widely expected to anchor the South African conference.

Port Elizabeth-based Kings waived the right to a 2014 play-off after winning a ‘boardroom’ promotion to the Currie Cup, the oldest domestic inter-provincial rugby competition in the world.

They, defending champions Sharks, Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions and Western Province are guaranteed top-flight status for the next two seasons.

A qualifying competition among the other eight sides in the two-tier Currie Cup will fill the remaining two top-flight places.

Kings have been a thorn in the side of SARU for several years, given that they are based in the eastern Cape, home to most African rugby players.

The Kings’ Super 15 participation lasted just one season and they have consistently failed to earn promotion from the Currie Cup second division.

SARU want Kings included in an enlarged Super championship when the format of five teams each from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand expires at the end of next season.