Varadkar announces €3.4M funding for  major events in 2012
A figure of €3.4 million has been pledged by the Government through Fáilte Ireland for the support of six key sporting events that have been targeted as having the potential to attract many thousands of visitors.
The Volvo Ocean Race in Galway, the ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships in Dun Laoghaire and the Tall Ships event in Dublin take place on the water while the Irish Open and Ladies Irish Open golf tournaments and the Bavaria City Racing event are the other three.
“Event-based tourism is a key part of our overall tourism strategy, and brings an immediate economic impact,” said Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar TD.  “The Volvo Ocean Race, the Tall Ships, and Bavaria City Racing will show the world that a small country like Ireland can host big events in style.”
“Other big events are also taking place like the Notre Dame vs Navy American football game. These events market Ireland as a sporting destination to amateur sports people around the world. The festivals and events held in 2010 attracted some 433,000 overseas visitors, generating €448 million in economic activity and supporting 9,000 jobs.”
Pena joins Team Ireland at Olympics
Ireland will be represented in the Women’s pole Vault event for the first time as Tori Pena became the 14th track and field member of Team Ireland at the weekend.  The American born Pena, whose Grandmother hails from Derry set a new Irish record when clearing the Olympic A S standard of 4.50 metres in California.
 
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New CEO for Community Games
John Byrne has been appointed as the new CEO of the HSE Community Games.  Byrne is a former Director of Special Projects with the FAI and brings more than 25 years experience in the sporting sector.
The Games unveiled a new strategic plan last week which was covered in Sport for Business Weekly.
Wilson to support Badminton initiative in England
Sporting goods supplier Wilson is to lend its weight to the No Strings Badminton initiative that encourages adult players return to the game.  The project currently hosts 330 weekly sessions in 260 venues around England.
The scheme is run on a ‘turn up, pay and play’ basis.  It is intended encourage people who played at school to return to the game as a general fitness, weight loss or social event.  22,000 children participate in the National Schools Championship.
Badminton joins Hockey and Rowing among the sports which have implemented sponsored mass participation programmes in the past few weeks.  The subject was covered in greater detail in last week’s Sport for Business Weekly.
Jog for Jockeys returns in July
The second running of ‘Jog for Jockeys’ in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund will take place at 12 noon on Sunday 29th July at three Irish Racecourses, The Curragh, Leopardstown and Limerick.
Last year over 780 people took part and raised €25,000 for the Injured Jockeys Fund.
“Our riders travel at 35-40 miles per hour on a half ton of horsepower with the risk of falling at anytime from a height of three metres,” said Turf Club Medical Officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick.  “Last year saw two of our Flat jockeys suffer very serious injuries. Among our National Hunt jockeys we recorded 13 cases of concussion, 36 fractures and multiple other injuries.  The Jog for Jockeys is a vital fundraiser to support those who are injured.”
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Rangers need to make €1.2 million savings a month
The worlds of sport and industrial relations rarely collide but events at Glasgow Rangers have brought them together this week.  The administrators need savings of €1.2 million a month to keep the club going.  If that cannot be achieved voluntarily then redundancies among the playing staff will have to be made.  Manager Ally McCoist has offered to work without wages until May while a number of players are believed to have offered to accept cuts of 75%.  A proposal was being considered by players overnight.