Six months after unveiling its "ambitious" South Asian Engagement Plan, the England & Wales Cricket Board secured £1.2M ($1.53M) of lottery funding to develop a network of 2,000 volunteer female coaches and mentors over the next four years. During the ECB's research into "years of poor communication with the British Asian population," roughly 30% of survey respondents cited a lack of female role models at grassroots level as a "barrier to entry for young girls who might otherwise play cricket" (London GUARDIAN, 11/20).
Scotland lost nearly 5,000 registered golfers and "suffered" 18 course closures last year, according to an annual report released by KPMG. The Golf Participation Report for Europe 2017 also claims that "only" 12% of women made up the total of registered players in "the home of golf." It is the second consecutive year that the report has "made disturbing reading from a Scottish perspective," though the losses have dropped from '16 (SCOTSMAN, 11/20).
Super League will introduce "golden-point extra time" to regular-season competition from '19. A statement issued on behalf of the 12 Super League clubs confirmed the rule change is among a series of "exciting innovations" for next season. Consideration of exactly what other rule changes will be introduced "remains a work in progress" (BBC, 11/19).
Formula E will host an in-season test after the Ad Diriyah ePrix, "with extra slots handed to teams that run a female driver in addition to their regular racers." Drivers including Jamie Chadwick, Simona de Silvestro, Carmen Jordá, Tatiana Calderón and Katherine Legge will take part in the session. The test will be split into two sessions, for morning and afternoon running, and will take place the day after the first race of FE's '18-19 championship (MOTORSPORT, 11/20).
Formula 1 execs are "hoping to convince Ferrari to enter future esports world championships" after the Italian outfit "stood out" as the sole absentee from this year's inaugural team series. Mercedes took both of the virtual titles at the finals in London on Saturday. This year was the first time F1 teams were involved, with a $200,000 prize pot paid on the constructors' standings and nine of the current 10 taking part (REUTERS, 11/19).
The "contentious" two-point shot will not be introduced to Super Netball next season. Netball Australia Exec GM of Events Chris Symington confirmed on Tuesday "the long-debated and almost universally-derided rule" will not be part of season '19, which begins on April 27. Symington: "There won't be radical changes to Super Netball next year, [as opposed] to the experience this year. A two-point shot won't be introduced. That was agreed to before the contracting period" (GUARDIAN, 11/20).
Global Lottery Monitoring System, the monitoring system used by state lotteries to "combat sports-related corruption," signed a memorandum of understanding with European law enforcement agency Europol. The two entities will "share information and collaborate on issues related to sports integrity" and organized crime as well as education and capacity building (GAMING INTELLIGENCE, 11/20).
