The Losail Int'l Circuit will be featured on the MotoGP World Championship calendar until at least '26. The two parties committed to continue the agreement that has seen the Qatar round become a permanent fixture of Grand Prix racing since '04 (MotoGP). ... The organizers of the Lotto Cycling Cup have apologized "after the winners of a women's race in Belgium were greeted on the podium by bikini-clad models." The Dutch racing cyclist and journalist Marijn de Vries described the scene at the finish of the Flanders Diamond Tour as "an utter disgrace" after the stage from Antwerp to Nijlen was won by the Wiggle Honda rider Jolien d'Hoore (London GUARDIAN, 6/15). ... Already facing the "prospect of an uncompetitive West Indies touring
team for the Boxing Day Test, Cricket Australia's hopes of staging the
inaugural day-night Test match in November hinge on the support of New
Zealand." A survey last month of New Zealand's top cricketers by its players' association found that 17 of 20 "opposed the concept." The CA board again discussed the concept last week, and it is "hoped a
formal response from New Zealand Cricket is delivered by the end of the
month so the summer schedule can be released" (THE AGE, 6/15). ... Athletes have been given "three more days to decide whether they will stick to the plan of attending next month's World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea," amid the threat of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus. At a meeting with various coaches on Sunday, the University Sports Association of Hong Kong said that it was "still waiting for confirmation from athletes." Association Chair Kenny Chow Kwun-wah said, "We have sent out an undertaking to the coaches of each sport and they have to reply to us in black and white before Thursday. We won't force them and whether they would go or not is all up to the athletes to make their own decision" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 6/15).
BCCI SEEKS 8 VENUES: At an Int'l Cricket Council meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday to discuss next year's World T20, there was a "deadlock" the moment the Board of Control for Cricket in India "demanded that eight venues be approved." But the ICC,
citing both budget and logistical issues, "was insistent on hosting
only in five venues." The BCCI's demand for more venues is "quite natural for a
couple of reasons." It will allow "far more cricket fans in the country
to watch the matches, enabling the maximum possible spectator reach."
Secondly, the current BCCI regime will "have to oblige a number of
loyalists, and hence five venues could be too few for them." According to sources, the ICC is "constrained by its tournament
budget." It has to operate within budget "so that the major chuck of the
profit from the tournament can be distributed amongst the participating
nations." The BCCI insisting on more venues "might shrink the profit, which is
not to the liking of the other boards" (HINDUSTAN TIMES, 6/15).
MAKING ROOM: Following a sellout of tickets for the Mexican F1 Grand Prix, race promoter CIE has partnered with temporary event structure provider Nussli to maximize the seating capacity at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to satisfy the demand for tickets. Nussli has increased the circuit's capacity and the number of seats available without compromising pre-purchased tickets (Formula 1).
