Russia

The number of host stadiums for the 2018 Fifa World Cup will not be reduced despite Russia’s ongoing financial troubles, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has announced.

Formula E has announced a new race in Moscow on June 6, expanding the inaugural season of the motor racing championship to 10 events.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has revealed that the budget for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in the country has been cut by 10 per cent.

Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) president Dmitry Chernyshenko is keen to lower the salary cap for the pan-European ice hockey league as its clubs feel the effects of Russia’s economic problems.

The IAAF, the global governing body of athletics, has admitted that the number of Russian doping cases emerging in the sport is a “major concern” after five race walkers became the latest athletes to be banned by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has revealed that he has been given personal assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that the country’s current economic problems will not have an impact upon its ability to host the 2018 World Cup.

SportBusiness Group, the leading provider of information to the global sports industry, has renewed its long-standing media partnership with the SportAccord Convention World Sport & Business Summit.

Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said the local organising committee (LOC) for the 2018 Fifa World Cup will have a budget deficit this year, as the country continues to face up to its financial problems.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has revealed that the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has already taken around 3,000 samples from the country's athletes for testing as part of its investigation into allegations of widespread doping.

The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) tournament operator has announced that rugby union clubs from Russia, Spain, Portugal and the Italian top division will feature in an expanded qualifying competition for the 2015-16 edition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained the country’s economic crisis will not impact on its preparations for the 2018 Fifa World Cup, stating the football showpiece is an important development tool for Russia.

Dick Pound, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has been appointed to lead an investigation by an independent commission into allegations of widespread doping in Russian sport.

Three senior IAAF officials, including the son of president Lamine Diack, have stepped down from their roles at the global governing body of athletics pending the outcome of a probe into allegations of widespread doping in Russia.

Valentin Balakhnichev, the head of the governing body for athletics in Russia, has stepped down from his role as treasurer of the IAAF, the sport’s global governing body, while allegations of systemic doping by athletes in the country are investigated.

Lord Sebastian Coe and Sergey Bubka, presidents-elect of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), have said the wave of allegations concerning systematic doping in Russian sport have presented serious problems for athletics.

Russia will bid to host the 2022 Volleyball Men’s World Championships, according to Stanislav Shevchenko, the head of the sport’s national governing body in the country.