The Int'l Cricket Council told Hong Kong officials that it "was not specifically investigating Hong Kong over match-fixing, finally putting an end to speculation raised after ambiguous comments" made this week by the body’s anti-corruption chief. The Hong Kong Cricket Association had demanded that the ICC clarify comments by Anti-Corruption Unit Head Ronnie Flanagan, who said that match-fixing investigations by the body’s ACU centered on the team from which a player was recently suspended. Int'l media assumed that player to be Irfan Ahmed, the Hong Kong all-rounder who was provisionally suspended in January (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 3/11).
Sky Bet became the "latest bookmaker" to sign up to British racing's authorized betting partner scheme, a move Sky Bet CEO Richard Flint said "made sense for both parties." The main benefit of "agreeing to become an ABP is the right to sponsor British races at participating tracks" -- Sky Bet backs the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the opening race of Cheltenham -- but the new partnership "will also allow the Sky Bet-sponsored Talksport 2 to broadcast from the festival as planned next week" (RACING POST, 3/11).
Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) President Brian Cookson has revealed his intention to seek re-election in '17. He told delegates at the European Cycling Union’s (UEC) annual Congress in the Algarve that he would "stand for another four-year term as the head of the governing body, which would see him remain in charge" until '21 (INSIDE THE GAMES, 3/14).
