The Int'l Fencing Federation (FEI) announced that Wuxi, China has been awarded the rights to host the World Fencing Championships in '18. The city "saw off" Japanese rival Fukuoka by 69 votes to 47 at the governing body's congress in Guangzhou, China, where 122 member federations were present in total. China last held the World Championships in '08, when they took place in that year's Olympic host Beijing in the run-up to the Games. The last two editions were both held in Russia -- in Kazan in '14 and Moscow this year -- while the '16 event will take place in Rio de Janeiro. The 2017 Championships are due to take place in Leipzig, Germany (INSIDE THE GAMES, 11/23). ... Eight months after he last pulled on a Liverpool shirt, Steven Gerrard is to don the club's kit once again -- in Sydney. Gerrard will headline a Liverpool all-stars team to play at ANZ Stadium in January, taking on a Socceroos select XI. The Liverpool side will also include Jamie Carragher, Luis Garcia, Dietmar Hamann, Ian Rush, Danny Murphy and John Aldridge, with Gerard Houllier signed up to "coach" them. The Socceroos side will include Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Tony Popovic, Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski and Ned Zelic. The NSW Government hopes the game will "tap into the extraordinary fanbase Liverpool has in Australia." The club's current first team has made two forays in Australia, playing A-League side Melbourne Victory in '13 in front of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, and touring in Brisbane and Adelaide in July (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/23).
