The Rugby Football Union said that Premiership rugby side London Welsh has lost its "appeal against a five-point deduction for fielding ineligible player Tyson Keats." An Independent Appeal Panel "upheld the decision to dock the club five Premiership points and fine" it £15,000 ($22,700) but removed a further suspended five-point deduction that "had been imposed in the original ruling earlier this month" (REUTERS, 3/26). ... FIFA "is not recognizing the appointment of four new executive committee members" by the Indonesian football federation (PSSI) (JAKARTA POST, 3/26). ... Basketball Australia board member Andrew Gaze said that it is time to "seriously consider" reintroducing the National Basketball League as a winter competition. Gaze said that there was merit in the season running from March to October, as it was when the league was at its most popular -- during the '80s and '90s (THE AGE, 3/27). ... Australian Football League Greater Western Sydney CEO David Matthews wants to start the season at least two weeks earlier to combat the head start the National Rugby League gets with its season. He said, "Our preference would be to start the season at Skoda Stadium. You would love to get started well before Easter because it can be a very disruptive time" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 3/27).
