OLYMPIC GAMES:The International Olympic Committee yesterday revealed changes in the tennis and cycling programmes to promote gender parity at the London 2012 Games.
Mixed doubles tennis will take place at London 2012, after an IOC executive board meeting in Lausanne approved the suggestion made by the International Tennis Federation.
The event has been introduced alongside the men's and women's singles and men's and women's doubles without increasing the number of overall competitors.
An IOC statement read: "The changes reflect the IOC's desire to continually refresh the programme, as well as its commitment to increase women's participation.
"The inclusion of the tennis mixed doubles event will not increase the current number of athletes and will bring an added value to the Olympic programme by providing another opportunity for men and women to compete together on the same field of play."
The IOC ratified the International Cycling Union's proposed changes to the Olympic track cycling programme in full. In a bid for gender parity, the UCI and IOC have agreed to a programme to begin at London 2012 which features five men's and five women's events.
Formula One debate scoring system
MOTOR SPORT: Formula One's governing body will decide today whether to change next year's scoring system so that the top 10 drivers can take points, with race winners collecting 25.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement yesterday the proposal, made by the Formula One commission, would be put to its World Motor Sport Council for final approval.
It said the recommendation was due to the expansion of the starting grid to 13 teams in 2010 from 10 at present. Under the new system, the race winner would get 25 points with 20 for second and 15 for third. The remaining points would be allocated 10-8-6-5-3-2-1.
Hatton hints at a comeback
BOXING:Ricky Hatton is close to making a final decision on whether he will make a comeback to professional boxing.
The 31-year-old, who is currently in Australia on a promotional tour, said he was serious about a comeback but needed more time before committing himself.
“I’m going to have a good think about it over Christmas and the new year,” he said yesterday. “But I’m starting to get the itch.”
Hatton, a former welterweight and light welterweight world champion, retired after he was knocked out in the second round by Filipino Manny Pacquiao in May this year.
“The manner in which I ended is not really the way I would like to bow out,” he said.
Ireland to face Afghans in Sri Lanka
CRICKET:Ireland will make their first visit to Sri Lanka next month after the International Cricket Council confirmed the remaining fixtures in the 2009/2010 Intercontinental Cup, writes Emmet Riordan.
Phil Simmons’s side will take on Afghanistan from January 23rd-26th in Sri Lanka as they bid to make it a fourth straight win in the competition, before the two sides join a yet-to-be-named country in a tri-nations series of Twenty20 clashes.
The games will act as warm-up to the World Twenty20 Qualifier, which takes place in Dubai from February 9th-13th. Ireland will host the Netherlands from August 11th-14th before travelling to face Canada at the start of September. Their group games conclude against a Zimbabwe XI in October, with South Africa the likely venue.
The five-day final is scheduled for the UAE from November 25th to 29th.
Liu Xiang's 'miraculous' recovery
ATHLETICS:Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang's return to competition after a career-threatening injury is little short of miraculous, according to his coach.
The former world and Olympic champion was sidelined for 13 months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles that forced him to pull out of his heat at the Beijing Olympics.
He finished second in an IAAF Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai in September before winning gold at last month’s Asian athletics championships. “The recovery has been almost perfect,” said coach Sun Haiping. “It’s a miracle.”
Impressive Nevin through to final
AMATEUR BOXING:Irish bantamweight John Joe Nevin is through the the AIBA President's Cup final following a resounding 15-2 semi final victory over Kanut Abutalipov of Kazakhstan and Asia (2) in Baku, Azerbaijan, yesterday.
Nevin, of the Cavan BC, was 8-2 up at the end of the second round and added another seven unanswered points to his total in the third and final frame.
The 20-year-old Irish senior champ is representing an 11-man Europe (2) team in Baku and will now meet Uzbek and Asia (1) puncher Shayimov Orzubek in today’s 54Kg final.
Two teams from the Americas, Asia and Europe and one team apiece from Africa and Oceania are battling it out at the continental deciders for a $50,000 (€34,000) cash prize.
The individual gold medal winners in each category will also receive cheques for $3,000 (€2,000).
