Mosley’s plans take on rebels
Motor racing: Max Mosley will soon call the bluff of rebel carmakers threatening set up a rival championship to Formula One. The president of the FIA, the sport’s governing body, says he will open the list for entries for the 2008 World Championship on March 23 and if the names of the established teams are not on it, they will not be able to compete. This ploy raises the stakes in the long feud between Mosley and the rebel faction of Renault, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Honda, who have threatened to walk away at the end of 2007, when the Concorde Agreement that binds the teams expires.
Saqlain switch
Cricket: Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan spin bowler, will play for Ireland in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy this summer. Ireland will play nine county teams in the south group and Saqlain may encounter Shane Warne when Hampshire visit Dublin on April 23.
England boost
Advertisement
Hockey: England Hockey has been chosen to host the men’s and women’s 2007 European Championships at Belle Vue, Manchester, from August 18-26. The event features the top eight teams in Europe and is a direct qualification route to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Mixed blessing
Bowls: Ellen Falkner, who will represent England in the Commonwealth Games, and Nicky Brett, of the City of Ely club, won the Golden Charter All-England mixed pairs title at Northampton yesterday, beating Suzanne King and Jamie Chestney, from Gallow, Fakenham, 29-15 in the final.
Hatton in court
Boxing: Ricky Hatton, the WBA and IBF light welterweight champion, has been summoned to appear in court in New York, where Souleyman M’Baye, of France, is suing the WBA. M’Baye believes that he was entitled to box Carlos Maussa before the Briton.
Advertisement
Zelezny to retire
Athletics: Jan Zelezny, 39, three times Olympic javelin champion, said yesterday that he would retire at the end of this season, which includes the European Championships in Gothenburg. His first appearance at the European Championships was in Stuttgart 20 years ago.
Davis Cup rivals
Tennis: Great Britain will have to beat Serbia and Montenegro in Glasgow in April to reclaim a place in the qualifying round for the elite World Group of the Davis Cup in September. Serbia and Montenegro beat Israel 4-1 in the Euro/Africa Zone group one qualifying tie.