South Africa

The Ironman triathlon series has acquired South African mountain bike race the Cape Epic as part of its plans to develop a global series of dedicated mountain biking events.

The investigatory chamber of Fifa’s Ethics Committee has today (Wednesday) recommended a ban of no less than six years for former South African Football Association (SAFA) president Kirsten Nematandani, along with life bans for two other African football officials, in the latest development concerning the match-fixing scandal surrounding national team friendly games staged ahead of the country’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup.

Four more South African cricketers, including former international player Thami Tsolekile, have been banned from the sport for conspiring to fix matches in the 2015 edition of domestic Twenty20 competition the T20 Challenge Series.

Organisers of the annual Rugby Championship, which features rugby union’s top four southern hemisphere national teams, are set to explore the possibility of staging more games in the northern hemisphere.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is to introduce racial quotas as part of a wider effort to address concerns over a lack of transformation across some of the country’s national sports teams.

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) has confirmed the calendar for its 2017 World Triathlon Series (WTS), with Cape Town excluded from next year’s line-up.

London’s Twickenham Stadium has been formally confirmed as one of the host venues for this year’s Rugby Championship after the full schedule for the national team tournament was unveiled today (Thursday), with Nelspruit in South Africa also set to stage a game for the first time.

South Africa’s Sports and Recreation Minister, Fikile Mbalula, has confirmed that the country’s government has received financial guarantees from the national treasury that will ensure the 2022 Commonwealth Games take place in Durban.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and local officials have denied reports that hosting rights for the 2022 Commonwealth Games could be stripped from Durban amid ongoing concern about finances for preparations for the multi-sport event.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly holding talks with its global broadcast partner, pan-Asian pay-television broadcaster Star Sports, over the potential staging of extra editions of its World Twenty20 national team tournament, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to be considering launching a smaller version of its Indian Premier League (IPL) overseas.

Sanzaar chief executive Andy Marinos has said the umbrella body for the Argentinian, Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby unions will put together a 10-year strategic plan with a view to overhauling its Super Rugby club competition.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has suspended the South African Doping Control Laboratory’s accreditation for five months, leaving Africa without a recognised facility.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has signaled its intention to meet with the four national federations that were earlier this week banned from hosting and bidding for international events after having failed to meet racial transformation targets.

The South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup was dealt a blow today (Monday) after Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula banned it and three other national federations from hosting and bidding for international events over failings in meeting racial transformation targets in their respective sports.

Sports data provider Opta has agreed a data partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC), while rival firm Sportradar has struck a similar deal with the South African Rugby Union (SARU).

SA Rugby, the governing body of rugby union in South Africa, has announced a group post-tax profit of R16.7m (€997,000/$1.1m) for the year ending December 31, 2015 – a significant improvement on figures recorded for the previous 12 months.