Rugby hit hard by withdrawals: Neither Australia nor Scotland will be able to go through with the bidding process of the 2015 and 2019 Rugby Union World Cups.

The 2012 Olympics in London is unlikely to meet the International Olympic Committee’s aims of being a lever for engaging with children, inspiring young athletes and fostering social cohesion, according to most research carried out to date.

Opinions remain divided over whether developing economies can bid for major sports events during the worldwide economic crisis even though Turkey this week applied to host the Euro 2016 football finals.

The IOC charter states that “only sports that adopt and implement the anti-doping code, can be included or remain in the programme.” According to the minutes from a WADA executive board meeting in May 2008, IOC was aware that several countries and IFs were not compliant with the WADA anti-doping code when they competed in Beijing.

Jimmy Mohlala, member of the organising committee of the 2010 World Cup and ANC council speaker was shot and killed in front of his home this weekend. Last year Mohlala caused the suspension of senior officials within the ANC when he revealed manipulation of tenders regarding the construction of a 2010 World Cup Stadium.

A new internet TV channel will be transmitting 8 hours of live footage with commentaries daily as well as news from the Beijing 2008 Paralympics Games.

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee, has successfully appealed against a ban imposed upon him by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that there was insufficient scientific evidence available to ban Pistorius’s ‘Cheetah blades’ as technical aids, meaning he is eligible to compete against able-bodied athletes. However, his admission has stoked debate in paralympic sport over the appropriateness of Pistorius’s participation at the Olympics.

In 2014, the Russian resort of Sochi will host the Winter Olympics. But already this mega-event looks set to cost Russian taxpayers more money than the combined costs of the last three Winter Olympics, and up to 4,000 local residents face evictions with compensation far below current market values.