Agatha Bednarczuk (left) of Brazil hits against Ana Gallay of Argentina in the Maceio Open bronze medal match Sunday

Maceió, Brazil, February 28, 2016 - Thirteen hours after being upset in the semi-finals of the US$150,000 Maceió Open, top-seeded Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas of Brazil rebounded to capture the bronze medal at the third women’s event on the 2015-2016 FIVB World Tour calendar.

With a 2-0 (21-13, 21-14) win in 39 minutes over 14th-seeded Ana Gallay and Georgina Klug of Argentina, Agatha and Barbara shared the $6,000 third-placed prize for their 13th FIVB World Tour medal in 34 international starts together.  One of the medals was gold at the 2015 FIVB World Championships in The Hague.

South African fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe is one of the latest players to be accused of involvement in match fixing.
 
“There’s a lot of speculation going around. I’m not going to entertain anything, but Cricket South Africa (CSA) can do anything they need to do to check if we did any match-fixing with the people that they are investigating,” Tsotsobe said in an interview with Wisden India.

Zimbabwe Sports and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane; Photo courtesy chronicle.co.zw
 
 
Zimbabwe Sports and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane says they have extended the current Sports Commission Board’s tenure by three months in order to allow them adequate time to find the right people for the job. The current board was appointed in February 2013 and their term of office expired on February 5 this year, but the minister extended their tenure by another 90 days as he looks to finalise on on-going consultations.
 

The International Cricket Council today named a 31-member match officials’ team for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which runs from 8 March to 3 April.
 
The strong Playing Control Team includes all the seven and 12 members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, respectively, as well as 10 members of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and two members of the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires.

Digital “whip around” show to bring fans in on the action as all 20 MLS clubs kick off on the same day

NEW YORK (February 25, 2016) – Major League Soccer today announced details for MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE, a digital “whip around” show that will bring fans closer to the action on March 6, as all 20 MLS clubs kick off the season on a single day.

MLSsoccer.com’s most comprehensive season-opening coverage, MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE, will air on MLSsoccer.com, and on the digital platforms of the league’s media partners -- ESPN3 and FOX Sports GO – beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Additional streaming partners will be announced in the coming days.

Moustapha Gaye, head coach of Senegal (SEN) - Angola v Senegal, 2015 Afrobasket Women, Yaoundé (Cameroon), Group Phase, 24 September 2015

DAKAR (2016 Rio Olympics) - Moustapha Gaye has been re-appointed head coach of Senegal's women's national team, the country’s Basketball Federation (FSBB) confirmed on Thursday. 

Last October, Gaye guided his country to the title at AfroBasket Women 2015 in Yaounde, Cameroon, and as a result qualified directly for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The 2016 FIBA 3x3 World Tour will stop in Utsunomiya on 30-31 July

UTSUNOMIYA (FIBA 3x3 World Tour) - FIBA revealed at a press conference on Friday that one of the stages of the 2016 FIBA 3x3 World Tour will be held in Utsunomiya, Japan on 30-31 July.

The event will be organised by X Sports Marketing in cooperation with the city of Utsunomiya in the heart of the city in front of the iconic Futaarayama shrine.

26 Feb 2016
FC Barcelona has announced that it will be setting up its first African football academy in Lagos, Nigeria.

Pan Vilanova Vila-Abadal, the director of business and member of the club’s management board, said that the high growth in Lagos, coupled with the country’s love of football was one of the main reasons behind the location choice.

ABIDJAN - FIBA Africa's Competitions Commission holds its second meeting of the 2014-2019 term of office on Friday in the Ivorian capital city of Abidjan, while the National Federations Commission will meet on Sunday 28 February.

During their working session, the members of the Competitions Commissions will focus on important topics including:
- Outreach of 3x3 basketball;
- The organisation of AfroBasket 2017 and AfroBasket Women 2017 as well as the FIBA Africa Champions Cup.

The opening battle of the WSB weekend took place on Friday night between WSB newcomers Uzbek Tigers and Puerto Rico Hurricanes in Tashkent, with the hosts looking very much at home in the new competition as they join Azerbaijan Baku Fires at the top of Group D. Defeat leaves the Hurricanes still chasing their first points of the campaign and with a tricky match against Astana Arlans ahead in Week 10. 

Uzbekistan's Abrorjon Kodirov enjoyed his first WSB bout in front of the home fans, getting off to a strong start against Puerto Rico Hurricanes' Colombian flyweight Ceiber David Avila. Kodirov’s pace and accuracy proved too much for his southpaw opponent, and the referee stopped the bout after six minutes to award the home boxer a TKO victory.

A huge WSB double-bill weekend in Tashkent sees Uzbek Tigers host the Puerto Rico Hurricanes on Friday night, as the home side seeks to pile the pressure on defending champions Kazakhstan in Group D on Saturday. The one-sided contest in Week 2 in Puerto Rico heralded the arrival of the Tigers’ brand new franchise in style, but the Hurricanes will be focused on revenge and causing an upset that would earn the side their first win in a tough preliminary group.

Uzbekistan's Abrorjon Kodirov moved up from the light flyweight class two years ago and will go out first for the Tigers against the Hurricanes' top Colombian boxer Ceiber David Avila. Since switching weights, Kodirov has claimed national championship silver and bronze medals and was involved in a tight Week 4 match against Azerbaijan’s Magomed Ibiyev, while his opponent reached the last eight at the 2015 AIBA World Championships in Doha.

Venezuela Caciques welcome Argentina Condors to Vargas on Friday night as they seek revenge for a narrow Week 3 defeat in Buenos Aires. The Condors got Season VI off to a flying start with back-to-back home wins, but will be tested on the road against a Caciques side hoping to build on a spirited performance against Russian Boxing Team in Week 5.

Venezuela’s 2014 National Flyweight Champion Jesus Rojas has a tall task for the Caciques in the evening’s opener against experienced Junior Zarate, who defeated the likes of Azerbaijan Baku Fires' Magomed Ibiyev and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan's Yerzhan Zhomart during Season V.

Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes heads a field of stars from film, television, radio and sport lining up for the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 24 April to raise money for their chosen charities. 
 
Holmes won gold in the 800m and 1500m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and is now turning her attention to the longer distance when she makes her Virgin Money London Marathon debut in April. She is hoping to raise £250,000 for charitable causes including The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Myeloma UK, MIND and two local charities in her home county of Kent, The Pickering Cancer Centre and Hospice in the Weald.  

Wang Jianlin (CHN), Chairman of Dalian Wanda Group and Patrick Baumann (SUI), FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member.

MIES - FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann on Wednesday welcomed a delegation of the Dalian Wanda Group - a Chinese conglomerate that operates in commercial properties, the cultural industry and the world of finance - headed by its Chairman, Wang Jianlin.

Ethiopia league champions, St George touched down at the Seychelles International airport on Thursday afternoon for their second leg match with their eyes on a place at the next round.
 
The visitors have what can be considered a commanding advantage against the Seychellois side, St Michel courtesy a 3-0 win from the first leg tie, but their coach, Dutchman Mart Nooij is taking nothing for granted in Saturday’s clash.

Head coach of the Gambian champions, Gamtel, Mustapha Manneh, says his charges are ready to upset visiting Olympique Club de Khouribga in the second leg of their Orange CAF Champions League preliminary qualifier on Saturday in Bakau.
 
The former Gambia U-20 boss was speaking to cafonline.com after a friendly with local side Real De Banjul in which his team came from behind to win 2-1.

Debutants Chicken Inn are plotting one of the biggest shocks in continental club championship by ousting South African big spenders, Mamelodi Sundowns from the premier continental club championship.
 
The Bulawayo-based side have a lone goal victory from the first leg, ahead of their meeting on Saturday night at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) held an elective Ordinary General Assembly on Saturday, 20 February 2016 in Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Cote d’Ivoire.
 
Seventy (70) out of 76 clubs present and the 5 football interest groups renewed their trust in Augustin Sidy Diallo by acclamation, for another four-year term at the helm of Ivorian football.

For the first time, Somalia has successfully staged a CAF License C coaching course, conducted by indigenous instructors.
 
A total of 24 coaches were awarded with the CAF “C” License certificates after successfully passing both practical and theoretical sessions under the supervision of instructors, Awil Ismail Mohamed and Mohamed Abdulle Farayare were teaching at the course which was held at the SFF headquarters in the capital Mogadishu.

Nigeria's campaign for next year's Africa Cup of Nations on Friday suffered a massive setback after Sunday Oliseh quit as coach, citing unpaid wages and contractual breaches.

Oliseh, who was just eight months into a three-year contract, said he quit because he did not enjoy the support of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

FIFA’s Member Associations have today approved a package of landmark reforms that pave the way for significant improvements to the governance of global football, including a clear separation of commercial and political decision-making, greater scrutiny of senior officials, and commitments to promoting women in football and human rights.

The reforms were supported by 179 of the 207 Member Associations present and eligible to vote at the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich. The Congress will also elect a new FIFA President.

Gianni Infantino has today been elected as the President of FIFA for the remainder of the current term of office (until 2019) by the Extraordinary FIFA Congress held in Zurich. He was elected as the ninth FIFA President after the second ballot with 115 of 207 total votes. In line with the FIFA Statutes, the mandate of the new FIFA President started after the conclusion of the Congress.

At the beginning of the proceedings, it was confirmed to the Congress that 207 FIFA member associations were entitled to vote (the member associations of Indonesia and Kuwait could not vote due to their respective suspensions). The candidate Tokyo Sexwale withdrew from the election after his address to the Congress.

Polosak and Cross in 24-member umpires’ panel; all seven elite match referees named in a strong 31-member team 
 
The International Cricket Council today named a 31-member match officials’ team for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which runs from 8 March to 3 April.

24 February 2016 – Banyana Banyana and the u23 Men’s National Team will know who they play at the Rio 2016 Olympics when the draw is conducted on Thursday, 14 April at 15h30 South African time.

The tournament runs from 3 – 20 August.
 
FIFA has announced that the draw will be held at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - the same venue that will host the Men’s and Women’s finals on the 19 and 20 August 2016, respectively.

Lausanne, 24 February 2016 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today issued its decision on the urgent request for provisional measures filed by HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein of Jordan. The request for provisional measures has been rejected by the President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division. The full order with grounds will be communicated in a few days.