The organising committee for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, rx England Rugby 2015, has appointed Unspun Creative and Kim Gavin to deliver the opening ceremony of the tournament.

Prior to the opening match of the World Cup on 18th September, when England take on Fiji, Gavin, who also delivered the London 2012 ceremonies, will produce an opening show.

“We are pleased to confirm the appointment of Unspun Creative as the creative producers of our opening ceremony,” said Debbie Jevans, the chief executive of England Rugby 2015.

“Unspun has  a great track record of designing creative and inspiring shows and ceremonies and they will deliver a unique and engaging Opening Ceremony for Rugby World Cup 2015.

“We look forward to announcing further details on the content and format of the opening ceremony next year.”

The International Cycling Union (UCI) is joining forces with key partners ahead of this month’s historic La Course by Le Tour de France, to launch the Women’s Cycling Week (WCW).

WCW will take place from 20 July – 27 July with the aim of growing the profile of women’s cycling at every level through a series of events that will take place throughout July to get more girls and women riding.

Among other events the WCW will include a ‘Ride to Paris’, where a group of 25 amateur women cyclists from around the world will ride from Utrecht in Holland to Paris in just four days, arriving on 26 July the day before La Course by le Tour de France.

UCI President Brian Cookson, who will be presenting medals to La Course by le Tour de France podium finishers, said: ‘‘We are entering an historic moment for women’s cycling with La Course by Le Tour de France on 27 July which will attract a level of media focus and attention on women’s cycling never before seen in the history of the sport.

‘‘It is critically important that as a sport we embrace this unique opportunity to further shine the light on women’s cycling and get more girls and women riding bikes. This is exactly what the WCW is seeking to achieve.’’

UCI Vice-President Tracey Gaudry stated: ‘‘The UCI is determined to maximise recognition of women in cycling as a sport and for participation.

‘‘This outstanding event will showcase the strength, thrill and drama of women’s cycling to millions of viewers worldwide.’’

Dutch champions Marianne Vos said: ‘‘The sport has grown in the last few years and it is great to celebrate the achievement of women’s cycling.

‘‘My dream is to make cycling more accessible to women. I want to take the best from both men’s and women’s cycling and use this to create a stage from which the dreams of every aspiring cyclist can be launched, whether they are young, old, fellow professionals or future talents.’’

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Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool have announced plans for the redevelopment of Anfield, which could see the legendary stadium rise to a 59,000 capacity.

The club announced in 2012 that they would prefer to redevelop their home of 112 years than move to a new ground and have been working with Liverpool City Council to make it happen.

Exhibitions and a public consultation session this week will show details of an expansion to the Main Stand and the Anfield Road Stand.

The Main Stand will include a new public concourse and a cloister which will be the new home for the Hillsborough Memorial.

The Main Stand could see its capacity increased by 8,500 seats, whilst the Anfield Road Stand is likely to increase of around 4,800.

Ian Ayre, managing director of Liverpool Football Club, said: “As part of our proposed Stadium redevelopment project, we have unveiled the detail of our ambitious plans for an expanded Main Stand and Anfield Road stand and are embarking on a consultation process which will shape and inform our planning application.

“In order to move forward with our expansion plans we need to have certainty that we can navigate the complex planning process and secure the support of the community, local home owners, businesses and other key stakeholders. This consultation exercise is an important part of this process.

“We started this journey just over 18 months ago and a lot of work has already been done, there is still an incredible amount to do, but good progress has been made so far and we are proud to be able to unveil our plans.”

Ready for 2016/17

The council confirmed that negotiations with property owners were continuing and progressing well. Once an agreement and planning consent is reached, construction on the Main Stand is likely to be completed in time for the 2016-17 season.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “This is another important step in our ambitions to transform the Anfield area, bringing new jobs, investment and housing.

“The overall regeneration of Anfield will see £260m invested in the local community and will deliver hundreds of jobs – Liverpool Football Club’s proposals for the stadium are a key part of this.

“We are all committed to delivering a brighter future for Anfield and the Club’s exhibition is a clear signal that real progress is being made with all our plans.”

Brian Cronin, chief executive of Your Housing Group, said: “This is another significant step in the process for the Anfield Project and we welcome the headway which is being made by all parts of the partnership.

“It’s doubtless that many of our residents are very keen to see the plans and see how the new stadium might look and we are committed to making this happen.”

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The legal issues surrounding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took a new turn today as the interim chairman was suspended by a court order, before being reinstated just two hours later.

Najam Sethi, the interim chairman, was suspended by an Islamabad High Court judge for not obeying a legal order to elect a permanent PCB chairman by October 18.

However, only two hours later, an appeals branch at the same court granted a stay order on the judge’s ruling until November 4 after the PCB legal team had appealed.

After suspending Sethi, the court said: “Sethi, by not holding elections, has disobeyed the court’s order and he is suspended and all the matters relating to the board will be handled by PCB secretary.”

The court will now look at the matter again on Monday 4th November.

After the stay order, Sethi tweeted: “Isbd High Court Two Member Bench has granted STAY against Single Bench Orders. I remain Chairman PCB.”

The PCB has been in chaos since May, when former chairman Zaka Ashraf was thrown out by the high Court over the “dubious” process which saw him elected.

The issues began after the International Cricket Council (ICC) demanded that political interference ceased in Pakistani cricket. The PCB chairman has traditionally been appointed in the gift of the President, the patron of the board.

Ashraf, who had been appointed by then-President Ali Zardari, successfully stood for election, but was removed after a legal challenge claimed the process was flawed.

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Sporting Kansas City announced on Tuesday the extension of Peter Vermes’ contract as manager and technical director of the club through the 2019 MLS season.

“I have been extremely fortunate and I am incredibly appreciative for not only being a part of the vision of this ownership group and organization over the last 10-plus years, but also for the opportunity to continue to be a steward for the club,” Vermes said. “I have been involved with this project from ground zero and am exceptionally proud to be able to build on the foundation that has been created here.

“We have a tremendous staff, an amazing fan base with a fantastic stadium environment, and players who are committed and dedicated to our club culture. All of these factors made the process extremely easy. I personally want to thank the ownership group so we can continue to do what we have done for this great organisation. In particular, I appreciate the effort from Mike Illig, with whom I spent significant time finalizing this deal. I look forward to the job ahead and preparing for the 2017 season.”

Vermes has served as Sporting Kansas City’s manager since 2009, becoming the team’s all-time winningest coach and the eighth winningest coach in MLS regular season history. Over the last eight years, he has amassed 103 regular season wins (103-82-61) and 128 victories in all competitions (128-96-70). He has also hoisted three major trophies – the 2013 MLS Cup and the 2012 and 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups.

Vermes, 50, has led Sporting Kansas City to a club-record six straight playoff appearances since 2011. During this time period, he has become the third coach in league history to win at least 13 games in six consecutive regular seasons.

“Peter has consistently proven to be one of the most successful managers in Major League Soccer, and extending his contract was an important initiative for us this offseason,” said Cliff Illig, principal owner of Sporting KC along with fellow Cerner co-founder Neal Patterson. “We are very proud of the work that Peter has done for the organization, as well as turning Sporting KC into a perennial contender with six straight playoff appearances and three trophies in the past five years. The energy, focus and emphasis on detail as a manager and technical director that he puts into the first team, the Swope Park Rangers and our academy are second-to-none in our league, and we look forward to continuing our pursuit of championships with him.”

Currently the longest tenured manager in MLS, Vermes took his position in August 2009 and helped Sporting Kansas City finish atop the Eastern Conference regular season standings in 2011 and 2012. Under his guidance, Sporting Kansas City won the 2012 U.S. Open Cup title and the 2013 MLS Cup championship, making Vermes the only person to win MLS Cup as a player and coach with the same team. He previously captained Kansas City to its first league title in 2000 as a central defender.

After leading his team to another playoff berth in 2014, Vermes won the 2015 Open Cup title as Sporting Kansas City collected its third major trophy over a four-year span. He is the third-winningest active MLS coach heading into the 2017 campaign.

“As an organisation, we are ecstatic that we were able to extend Peter’s contract through the 2019 season,” Sporting KC President Jake Reid said. “Peter Vermes is synonymous with Sporting Kansas City and has been integral to this club’s accomplishments for the past decade. I’m confident that he will continue to bring success to our team and to this city, and we appreciate his contributions to all facets of our soccer operations on and off the field.”

Vermes was named Kansas City’s technical director in 2006 and oversees all soccer operations at the club, including scouting, roster management and development of the Sporting Kansas City Academy.

A native of Delran Township, New Jersey, Vermes enjoyed a highly successful playing career between 1988-2002. He earned 67 caps for the United States Men’s National Team, representing his country at the 1988 Olympics and 1990 FIFA World Cup. He was the first American to compete in the top divisions of Hungary and the Netherlands, then spent four seasons in Spain’s second division before returning to the U.S. for Major League Soccer’s inaugural 1996 season. He started 208 of 209 MLS appearances over seven seasons, recording 11 goals and 19 assists while reaching the playoffs every year.

Vermes joined Kansas City ahead of the club’s historic 2000 season, winning the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup double while landing MLS All-Star, Best XI and Defender of the Year accolades. He retired following the 2002 campaign, his third in Kansas City, and was elected to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013.

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Location: Woking, UK

Closing date: Until filled

Overview:

At McLaren Automotive’s vision is not only to become the iconic sports car manufacturer but also to deliver breathtaking, iconic and innovative new technology to the automotive industry.

We recognise that we can only achieve our vision with the dedication and collaboration of our world class employees.  It is our mission to become the employer of choice within the global automotive industry.

Purpose of the Role:

Reporting to the McLaren Automotive Academy Manager, the main focus of this role is to ensure the effective delivery of the Academy Administration (Operations) function, manage the Academy global facilities and providing effective event management.

Maintaining the McLaren Automotive Academy’s world class quality standards for training, administration, design, training delivery and event management.

Principal Accountabilities:

To efficiently manage the training administration team of McLaren Automotive Academy aiming to provide world class training support and services to both internal and external customers by:

• Effectively maximising the communication of the department to ensure every McLaren Automotive Academy’s associates learning and development needs are addressed and routed to the right channel
• Maintain the quality and standards of the Academy and Brand Principles within the Academy’s products and services
• Optimum utilisation of Academy’s resources and facilities within budget constraints ensuring the facility is maintained to high standards meeting the McLaren Brand Standards
• To ensure all Brand (MAL), Regional and Retailer reporting related to learning & development, is completed on time and is 100% accurate
• To ensure dedicated administrative support is provided for each of the Training Teams and stakeholders in line with Service level agreements to reflect a high quality, premium brand delivery
• Maintain training records systems and databases, to ensure the accurate recording of delegate progress and certification are maintained
• Ensuring all the financial transactions are processed smoothly in a timely and efficient manner.
• Train, coach and mentor the administration team to ensure they are continuously developed, cross trained and are multi skilled for business continuity
• Maximise the utilisation of Automotive Academy’s Resources/Facilities
• Identify facilities in key global locations that meet the Academy programme delivery and regional requirements. Establish an agreed rate card and agreed commercial agreements
• Manage the utilisation of the Automotive Academy’s Technical and Non-technical facilities to effectively market and ensure the maximum utilisation of the facilities and services
• Maintain world class facility standards of the Academy by effectively managing the Commercial agreements, upkeep of the assets, training aids etc
• Effectively work with the respective Regional Network Development Managers in scheduling and planning and communicating the Training Planners
• Effectively manage all the communications for the Academy in terms of email training announcements, quarterly newsletter, and intranet updates, Academy’s intranet portal
• Ensure all project trackers are maintained and all events are delivered to a high standard and on time

Specific Training Event Management Responsibilities:

• Coordinating with the respective Training Managers and Regional Network Development Managers, manage and coordinate all planned/agreed Academy events such as Brand trainings, product launches, Motorsport, Dynamic product training etc. to the high level of Academy/McLaren standards
• Identify event locations, support (asset) suppliers, agree commercial terms and manage all Academy training events
• Run all Academy events from the venues ensuring each event meets the required brand look and feel, Academy requirements and are within budget
• Liaise with the McLaren Marketing and Product Departments within McLaren Automotive to ensure event synergies and assets are fully exploited.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

An automotive background is essential with experience of event management.  Experience in understanding the needs of developing events linked to a high impact learning experience would be a distinct advantage. A natural love for, and curiosity about, cars, the automotive market place and future trends. You will also already have a detailed, technical understanding of cars in general.

• Degree level education

• Significant automotive operational background (preferred but not obligatory)
• A track record of developing and delivering high impact events
• The ability to understand and translate Academy Learning requirements into appropriately targeted events for the purposes of enhancing the learning experience
• Previous experience of managing training operations
• International experience a real advantage
• A winning mentality – demonstrates great drive to achieve outstanding results
• Resilient and adaptable. Able to maintain a consistently high level of work and professional output
• Excellent influencing and negotiation skills

At McLaren Automotive we are constantly looking to improve. To become the employer of choice we are always looking to develop our employee offerings. We currently offer a range of benefits to employees at all levels of the business including Private Healthcare, Contributory Pension Scheme, Life Assurance, Personal Lease Car Schemes, subsidised restaurant and onsite Gym. We also offer a range of discounts with our partner organisations.

Please click here to apply

Liverpool FC has signed a global partnership deal with Holler to become the club’s official timing partner.

The Euro 2016 semi-final between France and Germany pulled an audience of nearly 50 million television viewers on French and German TV alone.

In Germany, drug ZDF set a record for a European tournament with 29.32 million viewers and a share of 80.6%. The audience was the fourth biggest ever in Germany.

French network TF1 had 19.23 million viewers watching France win 2-0 with a 68.8% share (79% among males under 50).

In Spain, allergy the same match topped the ratings for Telecinco with 6.28 million viewers and a share of 42.9%. In Italy, RAI attracted 9.02 million and a 40.3% share.

 

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini have lost their appeals against the 90-day suspensions that were handed to them by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

The pair were given the suspensions following a £1.3 million payment made by Blatter to Platini for work the Frenchman carried out for FIFA.

Both men appealed against the sanctions after denying any wrongdoing, but the appeals have now been rejected by the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Blatter and Platini are now expected to take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The decision puts Platini’s candidacy for FIFA president into further doubt as he must be cleared before the 26 February election in order to stand.  

Sepp Blatter’s lawyer released a statement on FIFA’s decision which said: “President Blatter is disappointed by today’s decision of the Appeal Committee regarding his provisional suspension. 

“However, as the opinion notes, the provisional suspension was an ex parte (one-sided) action taken on the sole request of the investigatory chamber. 

“Noticeably absent from the opinion and these proceedings is any evidence of any improper motivation or purpose for the agreement between FIFA and Mr. Platini.” 

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