Russia

The Russian capital of Moscow has been confirmed as the host of this year’s World Figure Skating Championships after the Japan Skating Federation was forced to give up Tokyo’s staging rights in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami earlier this month.

Construction work ahead of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is going “according to plan”, according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspectors, with aspects of the preparations proceeding at a “very impressive” rate.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) co-ordination commission has returned to Russia for its fifth inspection visit to Sochi ahead of the 2014 Winter Games.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will head up the supervisory board for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it was confirmed on Friday.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, the CEO of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, has been presented with a special award named in honour of former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch at the Global Sports Forum Trophy Ceremony in Barcelona.

A hare, polar bear and leopard have been selected as the official mascots of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics after a television vote.

Sochi, host city to the first Winter Olympics on Russian soil in 2014, will host the Peace and Sport International Forum in 2012.

NTV and NTV Plus have snapped up the Russian broadcast rights to the UEFA Champions League and Europa League from 2012-15.

Sergei Gaplikov, a deputy head of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s staff, has been installed as the new construction chief for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter spoke of his confidence in Russia’s hosting capabilities after signing a formal declaration to confirm the country as the destination of the 2018 World Cup on Sunday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pledged to increase spending on sports development as he established an organising committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive director Gilbert Felli has revealed the body has the power to postpone the 2014 Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi if it feels the race could hamper preparations for the Winter Olympics in the same year.

International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel has waved away suggestions that a junior tournament could replace the usual Olympic men’s ice hockey event if National Hockey League (NHL) players do not compete at the Sochi Winter Games.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has insisted that residents in the 2014 Olympic host city of Sochi will benefit from a legacy of state-of-the-art infrastructure after the Winter Games.

Russian Formula One driver Vitaly Petrov is to receive funding from state-run Rostekhnologii following a deal brokered by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has signed up as an official partner of the 2013 Universiade in Kazan, Russia.