The Volvo Ocean Race will switch from a three-year to a two-year cycle after the upcoming '17-18 edition, "a change that will provide more continuity and more commercial value" for professional sailing teams, sponsors and host cities. Confirmation of the change "will mean at least some race activity in every calendar year, from now on" -- meaning "greater return on investment for the stakeholders backing the teams" (SAILING SCUTTLE BUTT, 6/14).
German FA (DFB) President Reinhard Grindel said that the future of the Confederations Cup is "uncertain given the strain it puts on clubs, players and World Cup organisers." There will be no competition in '21 ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar "due to the summer heat in the desert state." Grindel said, "For the 2022 World Cup in Qatar there are already problems with the timetable, so (the date switch) can hardly happen (there) two years in a row" (REUTERS, 6/14).
Unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather will fight UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor in a "much-discussed boxing match" on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas, a source said. Mayweather is "expected to make the announcement on social media as early as Wednesday." Terms of the deal were not available, but "it will either be at the MGM Grand Garden or T-Mobile Arena." The Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday approved the request from Mayweather Promotions to put on a boxing card on Aug. 26 at the MGM Grand. The venue "could change, however, to T-Mobile" (YAHOO SPORTS, 6/14).
China's State General Administration of Sport "rolled out an unprecedented reform" on Wednesday as it invited athletes from the Chinese diaspora to compete in the upcoming Chinese National Games. CSGAS Vice-Minister Li Yingchuan said that Chinese people who obtained foreign citizenship, foreign descendants of Chinese immigrants and Chinese citizens who are residing abroad are "now eligible to apply for participation in the 13th Chinese National Games," which will be held from Aug. 27-Sept. 8 (XINHUA, 6/14).
This year's Taekwondo World Championships to be held in South Korea will be the largest in the competition's history, organizers said. The World Taekwondo Federation said that 917 athletes from 183 nations "signed up for the June 24-30 WTF World Taekwondo Championships in Muju," some 240km south of Seoul (YONHAP, 6/14).
In consultation with FIFA, the exec committee of the French Football Federation selected the nine host cities that will stage 2019 Women's World Cup matches. The host cities are: Le Havre, Lyon, Montpellier, Nice, Paris, Reims, Rennes and Valenciennes (FIFA).
