World Rugby Launches 'Get into Rugby' Website -- Federations Focus

(ATR) World Rugby launched its new Get into Rugby website to increase worldwide participation in the sport.

The Get into Rugby program began in 2013 with the goal of introducing the sport to millions of people across the globe. The program gained one million new participants in 2015 alone, with girls making up 36 percent of the new participants.

"The response by member unions to Get into Rugby has been very positive and the programme is now a key part of their strategy to grow the game and promote the values of rugby in their countries," said World Rugby general manager Morgan Buckley.

According to World Rugby, 154 member unions have registered with the program that has 2,000 active locations and more than 20,000 trained personnel.

Get into Rugby is a game-based approach to coaching the sport that encourages fun training sessions and positive experiences for the program’s participants. The new website offers access to news and images from the latest Get into Rugby events as well as resources to those seeking to host their own Get into Rugby programs.

The program will also provide more resources for club development and photo and video archives to help clubs and unions promote their teams.

World Sailing Responds to Ex-CEO Remarks

World Sailing tells Around the Rings they were surprised to read outgoing chief executive Peter Sowrey’s comments detailing plans to move sailing from Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro.

Sowrey left the position of chief executive for World Sailing in December, less than six months after taking the position. World Sailing maintains Sowrey and the federation mutually parted ways.

Speaking to the AP on Jan. 26, Sowrey said that he departed the position by being voted out by the international federation after he pushed hard to move the sailing venue to Buzios, 100 miles east of Rio de Janeiro. Sowrey said to the AP that he was told to "to gag myself on the subject," despite having prepared a 20-page prepared plan detailing the feasibility of a change in venue.

World Sailing maintains that no preparation to consider a secondary sailing venue was ever prepared by Sowrey.

"Under the guidance of Chief Executive Officer at the time, Peter Sowrey, the President wrote back on 3 August 2015 with the following statement, 'As you know the venue for the Sailing event of the 2016 Olympic Games was evaluated and approved some years ago. There are no plans currently to consider other venues," World Sailing said to ATR in a statement.

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FINA World Aquatics Gala Heads to Budapest

More than 300 people will attend the FINA World Aquatics Gala hosted in Budapest, Hungary on Sunday.

Thesecond edition of the event seeks to recognize the efforts andachievements of the athletes across the six FINA disciplines. The bestmale and female athlete of 2015 will be recognized in each discipline.

"Itis of utmost importance that we dedicate a special evening for thestars because they deserve to receive our deep appreciation for the waythey promote our sport," says FINA president Julio Maglione.

Thegala will be held at the Vigado Concert Hall overlooking the Danuberiver. The 2014 edition of the event was held in Doha, Qatar. ATR will be on-the-scene to provide coverage of the event.

Budapest will host the FINA World Championships and World Masters Championships in July and August 2017.

FIFA Could Fine Papua New Guinea

The Papua New Guinea women’s national team failed to show up at its Olympic qualifying tournament match in New Zealand on Tuesday.

As a result, FIFA opened a disciplinary case against the national federation and could impose a fine or a future competition ban on the team.

FIFA has failed to provide a reason for the team’s absence, but New Zealand media reported that problems with the team’s visas kept them out of the country.

FIFA vice president and Papua New Guinea football federation president David Chung is likely upset and embarrassed with the situation.

New Zealand advanced as a result of the no-show and will play in the Rio 2016 Games as Oceania’s representative.

FISU Celebrates Russian Students Day

International University Sports Federation president Oleg Matytsin celebrated the national Students Day in Russia on Monday playing bandy with Russian university rectors.

Matytsin would score a goal in the game played in Moscow’s historic Red Square. Bandy is a game resembling ice hockey that is often played by university students in Russia.

"It is a great privilege for me to be able to celebrate Russia’s Students Day by playing sport at an event which so many students participate in themselves," said Matytsin. "FISU exists to serve all students who want to play sport all over the world and it is important to remember that they do this in between their studies."

Students Day, also known as Tatiana Day, is celebrated with various activities on ice rinks across Russia. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets was on-hand at the Red Square festivities to congratulate students on their hard work in 2015.

IAAF Indoor Champs Approaching for Portland

There are 50 days remaining until the IAAF World Indoor Championships get underway in Portland, Oregon.

The event will be staged from Mar. 17-20 and is set to be the largest indoor championship ever held in North America. The IAAF expects nearly 700 athletes from 154 federations to participate in the championships.

The IAAF released its official bulletin for the event Wednesday, detailing the competition schedule, prize money, ticket information and many other useful pieces of information for athletes, spectators and officials.

Written by KevinNutley

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