Events

Mastercard agreed a major new deal to sponsor the Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, becoming the Official Worldwide Partner and official payment system of Rugby World Cup 2011.

ESPN STAR Sports announced the appointment of Craig Dobbs as Executive Vice-President, Programming & Production.

Rio de Janeiro celebrated the completion of its Candidature File for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Tokyo 2016 welcomed a Japanese government pledge of $17 billion for infrastructure development in Asia.

A Tokyo 2016 Olympic Games would generate the greatest prime-time TV audience in Olympic history according to the Bid’s Deputy Director General, Hidetoshi Maki.

China, which had been widely expected to make a bid to stage either the 2018 or 2022 football World Cup, has decided not to enter an application to FIFA.

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour upgraded the Warsaw Open to Premier event status and added new International level tournaments in Bad Gastein, Austria and Marbella, Spain to the 2009 Tour Calendar.

Spain is confident of another fantastic year of sport in 2009 after the amazing success of 2008.

The people of Japan continue to support the Tokyo 2016 Bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games according to the results of a new nationwide poll.

Thomas Cook Sport was appointed participating tour operator for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa, which will see the company operating tours from five European regions.

Madrid 2016 CEO Mercedes Coghen welcomed a number of new ambassadors for the Olympic candidacy from the 28 Deans taking part in the Conference of Deans of Faculty of Sports Science in Spain.

Tokyo 2016 passed a crucial milestone in its campaign to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with all 26 participating international federations accepting Tokyo's sports venue plans.

Tokyo 2016 accelerated into the new year on the back of two major events in Japan’s capital that saw athletes and sports enthusiasts come together in support of the Bid’s ‘Uniting Our Worlds’ vision.

The IAAF said that its aims for 2009 include the launch of a new IAAF brand and branding system, further improving TV and sponsorship sales and delivering better stadium and city branding at major events.

The NFL said it was breaking its long-standing tradition of holding the Pro Bowl the week after the Super Bowl. The 2010 Pro Bowl will instead be held a week before the Super Bowl.

Al Ain in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, has been chosen by the organisers of air racing series Aero GP to host the first Grand Prix of the 2009 Aero GP series.

Golfbreaks.com, Europe’s largest golf travel company has become a PGA Official Supplier.

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees will sign an agreement this Thursday to award the QOC the right to host the 12th Pan-Arab Games 2011.