• Search for Pre-Games Training Camp Hosts Begins

    Organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have announced that more locations across the West Midlands and the country could be set to benefit from this major multi-sport event being staged in England, as the search for local areas and facilities to host pre-games training camps officially begins.
     
    Some of the 71 nations and territories taking part in the Games are looking to set up camps to ensure they have a base from which to prepare, train and acclimatise ahead of the event – the biggest ever to be staged in the West Midlands region.
     
    Hosting teams in this way can often provide an economic boost but the areas involved can also benefit in other ways including; gaining additional profile for the venues and facilities hosting the camps, building or strengthening relationships with Commonwealth nations and providing opportunities to inspire young people from local clubs or the community, who may have a chance to watch training sessions or take part in events.
     
    John Crabtree, Chair of Birmingham 2022, said: “We have frequently said that the whole region and even the whole country will benefit from Birmingham 2022 and pre-Games training camps are a really great example of how that’s possible.
     
    “We are expecting 6,500 athletes and officials to come to Birmingham and the region to compete in the Games and many of those teams, especially from the larger Commonwealth nations, will be looking to arrive early, acclimatise and fine tune their preparations, before moving into the official Games time accommodation.”
     
    The process to match suitable hosts with competing nations and territories from across the Commonwealth is being overseen by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its team is working in conjunction with UK Sport and Sport England, helping to match up local authorities and suitable venues with those Commonwealth Games Associations looking to organise camps for their teams.
     
    Nigel Huddleston, Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage, said: "This is a great opportunity for communities right across the country to play their part in Birmingham 2022. From fostering relationships with other Commonwealth nations to building the profile of local venues and facilities, there are significant benefits from hosting pre-Games training camps. I would encourage anywhere with the right facilities to express their interest."
     
    Birmingham itself has successfully staged pre-games training camps in the past, with USA Track and Field and the Jamaican Athletics Association previously choosing the Alexander Stadium and the University of Birmingham respectively, as locations for their training camps, prior to both the London 2012 Olympic Games and the London 2017 World Athletics Championships.
     

  • Search is on for 25 Game Changers to join the sports team at Birmingham 2022

    The organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have announced the search is on for 25 Game Changers.

    These new recruits have the opportunity to change their lives by embarking on a new career in sport where their first task is to help deliver the biggest sports programme in the history of the Games. 19 of the 25 roles are for Assistant Sport Competition Managers.

    No relevant experience or qualifications are needed but a passion for sport is an essential requirement, as the successful applicants will be working behind the scenes of the Games and supporting the sports competition managers that Birmingham 2022 has recently recruited. The new recruits will help to plan and deliver each competition in accordance with the rules and regulations of the international federations for the sports, as well as helping to ensure that the athletes, team officials and technical officials have the facilities and services they need at both the official venues and official training venues for each sport and Para sport.

    There are six further vacancies in the sports team and they include coordinators, who will support the technical officials and sport volunteers, a sport publications coordinator, to help ensure all the athletes and technical officials have all the information they require, and a sport entries coordinator, who will keep track of how many athletes are due to take part in the Games.

    Director of Sport for Birmingham 2022, Matt Kidson, said: “These roles could be a real game changer for 25 young people, as this is a truly unique opportunity to start a career in sport by working on the largest multi-sport event to be staged in the UK for a decade. “We’re looking for candidates that can demonstrate an absolute passion for sport and that are keen to learn the ropes from our experienced and dedicated team.

    “We have a fantastic and varied programme of sport to deliver and so this is an amazing opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at how a major sport event is organised and to kickstart your career in sport in spectacular style.” The 25 new recruits will be joining a team that is tasked with delivering a sports programme that includes 19 sports and eight Para sports – the biggest para sport programme in Commonwealth Games history.

    The sports team was recently expanded when three of Birmingham 2022’s 27 apprentices joined as sports team assistants. One of those apprentices, Para athlete Nicole Swingler, spoke about her experience so far: “It has been an incredible few months since joining Birmingham 2022 and I have already learnt so much in such a short space of time. The team at Birmingham 2022 is really supportive and has given me such a warm welcome.

    “I still can’t believe that I am now helping to organise the Commonwealth Games and this role has given my confidence and career a huge boost. It’s also fascinating to see behind the scenes of such a major event and to begin to understand how events like the Commonwealth Games are organised.

    “If you love sport and you are currently looking for a job, I would urge you to take a look at these roles because it really is a fantastic opportunity to be part of something special.”

    The new recruits will join more than 300 people already employed by Birmingham 2022 to deliver the 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games which will be staged next summer from 28 July to 8 August.

  • Second grant scheme workshop for local sport providers

    A second workshop will be held today (Tuesday 29 June) for local sports clubs and physical activity providers which want to claim a grant of £1,000 towards the costs of being Covid-19 compliant.

    Volunteer-led sports clubs and physical activity providers in Wolverhampton are eligible for a Covid Compliance Grant offered by the City of Wolverhampton Council to encourage regular rapid Covid-19 testing and Covid-safe environments by offsetting the costs involved in this.

    Sports clubs and physical activity providers in Wolverhampton can apply for the grant by calling 01902 290242 or visiting www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidcompliant, and are invited to find out more at the virtual workshop taking place tomorrow from 4pm-5pm.

    It will cover what being Covid-compliant looks like, how organisations can be Covid-secure and how to apply for the grant. There will also be a question and answer session and further information about testing and risk management. To register, please visit https://bit.ly/3iY5H1t. Please note, it is not compulsory to attend the workshop in order to apply for the grant, it is for guidance only.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “A third of people with Covid-19 don’t have any symptoms and could therefore pass it onto others unknowingly. Regular testing is helping to track down these cases and prevent onward transmission, protecting individuals and the wider community.

    "That’s why we are asking people in Wolverhampton to get a free rapid test twice a week, either at one of our public test centres, at home or in the workplace where available.

    “The Covid Compliance Grant is intended to help our city’s grassroots sports clubs and physical activity providers get back on their feet and, at the same time, encourage them to be Covid-secure and embrace a routine of regular coronavirus testing.

    “This will give people confidence that clubs are doing all they can to protect participants from Covid-19 and keep the wider community safe from this deadly virus.


    “I would encourage eligible organisations to join the free workshop to find out more about the scheme.”

  • Senegal and Cameroon march on, as fancied Algeria crash out of Afcon 23

    Whilst defending champions Senegal secured top spot in Group C. at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, five-times champion, Cameroon had to come from behind with two late goals to reach the last 16 after beating The Gambia in a 5-goal thriller.

  • Senegal mourn football hero Papa Bouba Diop

    Senegalese football hero Papa Bouba Diop, who died in France last week aged 42, is being buried in a private ceremony at his birthplace near Dakar. President Macky Sall led tributes to him, saying the nation's loss was "immense".

    Diop scored the only goal in the 2002 World Cup match which saw Senegal upset then reigning champions France. Several of his former teammates, some overcome with emotion, attended Friday's ceremony. They wore the shirts of the national team bearing his name, and his number, 19.

    Striker El Hadji Diouf said Diop had been a model team-mate, while Henri Camara said he had lost his "twin brother". Diop's body was flown back on Friday from Lens in northern France, where he died after a long illness.

    President Sall said that Diop's goal against France meant Senegal would go down in the annals of global football. After beating France, Senegal reached the quarter-finals. No African team has gone further.

    The president announced that a museum at a 50,000-seater stadium being built outside the capital, Dakar, would be named after Diop, who has also been given a posthumous national award, the Knight of the National Order of Merit.

    The highlight of his club career was winning the 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth. He also played for Fulham, West Ham United, Birmingham City and French club Lens. His Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said he was "very lucky to have managed such a fantastic boy - he was special".

    "They called him the Wardrobe, he was so big you couldn't move him," he said.

  • Senegal secure last-16 spot with Cameroon and Guinea still to fight on

    Group B. saw Cape Verde overcome Mozambique to become the first team to book their last-16 place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, whilst in Group C. defending champions, Senegal, booked their place with a 3-1 win over Cameroon and Guinea beat The Gambia 1-0 to move to the brink of a place in the round of 16.

  • Senegal team thrown hero's welcome after Afcon 2021 win

    Senegal's football team was given a hero's welcome on their return home after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time.

    Tens of thousands of people, some sitting on top of cars and waving flags, gathered to welcome the players landing in Dakar with the trophy. President Macky Sall was amongst those greeting them.

  • Senegal’s AFCON-winning hero, Mane, has stadium named after him

    Sadio Mane is to have a stadium named after him in the south-western city of Sedhiou after helping Senegal to their maiden continental success.

    The Liverpool forward scored the winning penalty as the Teranga Lions beat Egypt 4-2 on penalties to clinch their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), after the game ended goalless following extra time.

  • Senior athletics official permanently banned after misconduct ruling

    A senior athletics official has been permanently banned from officiating in UK Athletics events after a disciplinary panel found multiple allegations of misconduct—including sexual harassment and bullying—proved against him.

  • Serial entrepreneur launches new sports and entertainment company focusing on the huge growth of padel tennis

    Businessman Jonathan Rowland, who is a co-founder of Redwood Bank, has announced the launch of his latest enterprise R3 Sport, which has been established to invest in the sports and entertainment sectors, with a particular focus on the fast-growing sport of padel tennis.

  • Seven athletes selected to take on the IAU 50km World Championships

    The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for November’s (5) IAU 50km World Championships in Hyderabad, India, has been announced with seven athletes set to represent at the 2023 edition of the Championships following medal success at the Europeans in 2022.

    Andrew Davies – the individual bronze medallist at the 2022 European Championships - returns to the fold as a member of the men’s quartet. He was also part of the gold medal winning men’s team at the Europeans, as was Will Mycroft who will receive his second GB & NI vest at the Championships.

  • Seven birdie burst sees Ortiz storm to imperious International Series Oman victory

    Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz upstaged Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann to record a convincing victory in the US$2million International Series Oman today – the first of this year’s events on The International Series.

  • Seven out of ten biggest spenders in African football come from the north

    It’s not news that North African clubs dominate African club football. The dominance of North African clubs is also reflected in the transfer outlay in continental football. According to the figures presented by SportsLens.com, seven out of the ten biggest spending clubs in Africa belonged to the northern nations.

  • Severn Trent and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games team up with Solihull Council with the ambition to create a carbon neutral legacy

    The first trees have been planted in Solihull as part of Severn Trent’s initiative to create 2022-acres of Commonwealth Forest across the Midlands. The 15 acres of new habitat at Hope Coppice will be open to the public to explore and will equate to around 9,400 trees. 

    As Birmingham 2022’s Official Nature & Carbon Neutral Supporter, Severn Trent is delivering a series of initiatives to leave a social and environmental legacy following Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

  • Sharon Fuller joins eSC as Chief Content Officer

    The eSkootr Championship (eSC) is pleased to announce that Sharon Fuller has been appointed as Chief Content Officer. Fuller brings a wealth of experience to the world’s first racing series for electric scooters, moving from her position as Global Head of Central Content Creation at Red Bull. In her new role, Fuller will oversee all content creation, distribution, media partnerships and manage and work with influencers and production partners.

    Emmy nominated and multiple award-winning Fuller has over 20 years’ experience in Sports Broadcasting, beginning in radio in her home town of Norwich and progressing through roles to work in a management position in a small Production Company on projects such as Moto GP and International football.

  • Sheffield United takeover bid

    Sheffield United won promotion back to the Premier League, but there was no sign of prospective new owner Dozy Mmobuosi, who has been in talks to take over at United since December. Tingo Mobile and Tingo Foods CEO and founder, Dozy, has yet to be ratified by the EFL (English Football League), with present owner, Prince Abdullah, remaining in charge.

  • Shock follows death of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum

    It was announced that marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a car accident alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana in his native Kenya on Sunday.

  • Shocks, tears, romance, dejection and celebrations – just what more’s left in Qatar?

    The FIFA Qatar 2022 World Cup continues to throw up stories of ‘romance’, ‘shocks’, ‘tears’ ‘dejection’ and ‘celebrations’ as, following France’s place being the last to be booked for the semi-finals, this has, already, got to be the most open celebration of unpredictability of a tournament that has given loads.    

  • Shot-putter Saunders the first podium demonstrator in Tokyo

    US shot-putter Raven Saunders has made the Tokyo Olympics' first podium demonstration, after winning her event's silver medal.

    As the medallists posed for photos, Saunders raised her arms and crossed them into an X shape. She said that it represented the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.

  • Sibley to join Surrey at end of 2022 season

    Warwickshire batter Dom Sibley will leave Edgbaston when his contract finishes at the end of the 2022 season to re-join Surrey. The 26-year-old, who joined Warwickshire in 2017, played a leading role during the 2021 season as the Club secured its eighth County Championship and won the Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s.