David Thorpe, the chairman of the Racecourse Association in the UK, believes sponsorship for this year could be down 40% as the recession filters through and impacts on the racing industry.

Michel Platini today told sports ministers that UEFA need the power to introduce rules on finances for clubs in their European competitions.

Questions have been asked in the House of Commons about allegations of match-fixing in a Coca-Cola Championship match between Norwich and Derby.

WATCHING Ingerlund’s footballers blunder about unconvincingly for much of their match last Saturday, one wondered whether their minds were elsewhere – on their bank accounts and investments, for example.

Australia’s Olympic chief has stoked up the rivalry with the UK by casting aspersions about Britons’ hygiene.

Australia’s sports minister has thrown down the gauntlet to Britain over where the two countries finish in the Beijing Olympics medal table.

A colleague asked me last Friday if I thought Kieren Fallon or Johnny Murtagh was the better jockey.

WALTER SMITH has issued an eve-of-match rallying call for his players to make themselves legends by bringing the UEFA Cup back to Glasgow.

The owner of the Mecca bingo chain saw its shares lifted today amid hopes of new British government measures to help the battered industry.

The Football Association are facing an urgent need to refinance their Wembley debt after the new national stadium lost a reported £22m (€27.6m) in its first year of operation.

England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup will focus on developing the game across the world and will cost an estimated £15m (€18m), the Football Association’s board members were told today.

England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup gathers momentum today when the FA board meet to decide on the structure of the campaign.

England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup will gather momentum tomorrow when the FA board meet to decide on the structure of the campaign.

The Football Association have announced plans to invest a record £200m (€255m) into the grassroots of their sport over the next five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe, minister for sport, has announced the 2008/9 Horserace Betting Levy plan will be set at the same rate as the current scheme.

Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has incurred the wrath of Chelsea after condemning John Terry’s salary as “obscene”.

Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has condemned John Terry’s salary as “obscene” and criticised Manchester United for increasing their ticket prices.

Tennis professionals are to be given 48 hours to tell the game’s authorities if they are approached to throw matches – and the players risk disciplinary action if they fail do so.

THE FA will urge FIFA to address the issue of third-party player ownership at the earliest opportunity to ensure the Carlos Tevez affair is not the first of many to hit English football.

The British government has approved the sale of two of Independent News & Media's UK regional titles to Newsquest.

INDEPENDENT News and Media has been forbidden by the British Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) from selling eight of its regional newspaper titles in the London area to US publishers Gannett.

US-owned newspaper publisher Newsquest has been barred from buying 10 titles from the Dublin-based Independent News & Media stable.