FIBA Américas Secretary General Alberto García said that Mexico's hosting of the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship "is also in danger due to financial problems, just after the country canceled as the host" of the 2017 Int'l Swimming Federation (FINA) Swimming World Championships on Wednesday. Garcia "warned of Monterrey's problems as host of the August tournament, but left open the possibility" of the tournament moving to an alternate site in Mexico (DPA, 2/18). ... The Barbarians will play Samoa in the first rugby match at London's Olympic Stadium in August. New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa will "all turn out at the Olympic
Stadium as the Stratford ground hosts five World Cup matches, including
the third-place play-off" (PA, 2/19). ... This year's FFA Cup final will take on a "much-higher profile as a stand-alone, marquee fixture" -- to be played on Nov. 7 and "with no A-League games scheduled that weekend." The popularity of the inaugural competition has "prompted the FFA" to raise its profile. Match scheduling has been condensed from last year, "with round of 32
matches played across three weeks instead of four" and the quarterfinals
played before the start of the '15-16 A-League season (AAP, 2/19).
