A round-up of today's sports news in brief
ESPN awarded Olympic rights
OLYMPIC GAMES:The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the South American broadcast rights for the 2010 and the 2012 Olympic Games to US broadcaster ESPN, the IOC said yesterday.
“ESPN will acquire free-to-air television and radio broadcast rights in Argentina for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and the London 2012 (summer Games), including minimum free-to-air exposure guarantees,” it said.
The US broadcaster also got pay television rights to air the Games on cable and satellite platforms in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay for the same period and satellite-only television rights in Venezuela for the same period.
No financial details of the deal were disclosed.
Lee ready for his own battle with France
BOXING:Ireland's crucial World Cup play-offs with France spilled over into a boxing press conference yesterday with Andy Lee predicting Ireland will win and his French opponent predicting that Ireland will be singing Les Bleus.
Limerick middleweight Lee and reigning EU and French champion Affif Belghecham clash in a battle of the southpaws at the University of Limerick tomorrow night.
The men came face-to-face for the first time yesterday’s at the Jasmine Palace restaurant in Limerick. And 6ft 2in Lee, who at 25 is 10 years younger than Belghecham and four inches taller, said defeat is not an option.
“Every fight is as big as the last one and the bottom line for me is that I can’t afford to lose any of them at this stage of my career,” Lee said. “My opponent has got a decent record and he’s never been stopped. He’s also the European Union and French champion and that has to be respected.”
Lee, who has won 19 from 20 boxing out of the Detroit Kronk, didn’t rule out Europe in his quest for glory after his fellow Irish middleweight Matthew Macklin and ex-Irish team mate Paul McCloskey collected Euro belts recently.
“Wherever the road takes me, that my philosophy. I always want to get the best fighter and the biggest fight and there is a great market in Europe for big fights now.
“But first up is this fight. I have to win this first. There promises to be a fantastic atmosphere at the University of Limerick.”
Fiji call in experience
RUGBY:Melbourne has been awarded the franchise for the 15th Super rugby team when the competition expands in 2011, the competition's governing body said yesterday.
The southern Australian city was chosen by independent arbitrators after the board of Sanzar (South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby) failed to reach an agreement last month between it and a competing bid from South Africa’s Southern Kings.
Former World Cup-winning captain David Kirk and retired New Zealand High Court judge Barry Paterson conducted the review of each bid before deciding on Melbourne.
The existing Super 14 competition will be reorganised along a conference system with five teams now in each of the three countries.
Sanzar said a 15th Super rugby team in South Africa would have reduced broadcasting revenue by between €10-14 million over the term of a contract.
Tsonga books quarter-final place
TENNIS:Jo-Wilfried Tsonga stayed in contention for a berth at the World Tour Finals by downing fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters yesterday.
Defending champion Tsonga, who needs to win the tournament to make the season finale later this month, which features the world’s top eight players, said his main goal was to capture another title at the Bercy hall.
“I’m not thinking about London, I’m thinking about defending my title, or rather winning a new one,” the world number nine said.
France will have two players in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1992 after Gael Monfils posted a 6-4 6-3 win over Julien Benneteau.
Britain’s Andy Murray lost 1-6 6-3 6-4 to Czech Radek Stepanek.
Melbourne wins new Super team
RUGBY:Fiji have named Bath playmaker Nicky Little and Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera in their side for tomorrow's international against Scotland.
Little has amassed nearly 650 points for his country and will win his 64th cap.
FIJI: J Matavesi (Exeter); V Goneva (Vatura), G Lovobalavu (Toulon), S Bai (Clermont Auvergne, capt), N Nalaga (Clermont Auvergne); N Little (Bath), M Rauluni (Saracens); A Yalayalatabua (Navy), V Veikoso (Mavoci), D Manu (Scarlets), W Lewaravu (London Welsh), I Rawaqa (World Fighting Bulls), J Domolailai (Lomavata), A Qera (Gloucester), A Boko (Tau).
Second win for Kuerten in Doha
Equestrian:Jessica Kuerten followed up her win in Wednesday's jump-off class at Doha by landing a similar event yesterday at the Qatar venue, where she again partnered Lady Georgina Forbes's Castle Forbes Cosma, writes Margie McLoone
Six combinations made it through to the second round, and 39-year-old Kuerten posted the fastest of five double clears on the chestnut mare. The Denis Lynch-ridden Nabab’s Son lowered one rail to slot into sixth place.
Unfortunately, neither Irish rider featured in the top six of the first qualifying competition of the Global Champions’ Tour Final which took place later in the evening.
In Toronto, Co Down’s Dermott Lennon finished third in Wednesday night’s World Cup Qualifier competition with Woods Rosbotham’s nine-year-old gelding Hallmark Elite. The former show jumping world champion also took first place in the Power and Speed competition earlier in the evening riding Allan Davidson’s Tolett.
