By Mike Rowbottom in BakuThe European Games, the inaugural hosting of which is due to take place here between June 12 and 28 next year, could find future hosts from cities which have been unsuccessful in bidding for the Olympics, according to Pierce O'Callaghan, the Baku 2015 director of sport.

11 sports now offering Rio 2016 qualification opportunities are archery, athletics, boxing, cycling, shooting

Mike Rowbottom at the Mountain Bike Velopark in BakuThe first dedicated Test event for the 2015 European Games - the men's and women's mountain bike cross country - took place in high winds here today but proved "a huge success" according to Pierce O'Callaghan, Baku 2015's director of sport.

Martin Fanger of Switzerland had earned top honours at the purpose-built facility just south of the Baku Shooting

By Daniel EtchellsThe 2015 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein will begin in exactly 100 days, as the organisers enter the final stage of preparations.

In the coming weeks, all the necessary infrastructure will be completed at the venues, such as the shooting

By Daniel EtchellsOscar Pistorius is due to learn the outcome of his sentencing hearing in Pretoria on Tuesday (October 21) after Judge Thokozile Masipa heard the final arguments from both the defence and prosecution lawyers.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

By Zjan ShirinianOscar Pistorius must "pay" for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, her cousin has told the six-time Paralympic champion's sentencing hearing.

Getty ImagesThe prosecution is beginning to build its case for why the 27-year-old should be jailed for shooting

By Zjan ShirinianPrison would "break" Oscar Pistorius and be unable to accommodate his disability, his sentencing hearing has been told.

years, but could also choose to impose a suspended sentence or a fine.Pistorius killed Steenkamp after shooting

No pressure then, I thought to myself.Before shooting back up to my room to finish writing my preview

By Zjan ShirinianThe 50th anniversary of Mongolia's first appearance at a Summer Olympic Games has been celebrated.

represented Mongolia at the Tokyo 1964 Games, competing in five sports - athletics, cycling, gymnastics, shooting

By Emily GoddardUK Sport and the English Institute of Sport (EIS) have partnered with the British Army to create the Army Elite Sport Programme to identify the next generation of world-class sporting talent.

with Helen Glover, won Great Britain's first gold medal of the London 2012 Games.The Army and British Shooting

By Zjan ShirinianA call for six-time Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius to be held under house arrest for three years and undertake community service for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been branded "shockingly inappropriate".

Flashbacks of the shooting will be mental images he always carries with him."

By Gary AndersonThe Iranian National Paralympic Committee held a number of events across the country to celebrate National Paralympic Day, including an event at the Azadi Sports Complex in capital Tehran that saw 8,000 children with a disability take part in activities.

sports.In addition, some of Iran's top Para-athletes demonstrated sports such as football, powerlifting, shooting

London 2012 ©Getty ImagesA video message from IPC President Sir Philip Craven was played out, while IPC Shooting

By Nick ButlerBoxing and wrestling competitions at the inaugural European Games in Baku next June will each offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it has been confirmed today.

most popular sports in Azerbaijan, will also offer Olympic qualification opportunities ©Baku 2015In shooting

By Gary AndersonInternational Cycling Union (UCI) President Brian Cookson has suffered major embarrassment after his organisation failed to submit its application for the sport's inclusion on the Tokyo 2020 programme on time to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

themJoining badminton so far are athletics, archery, boccia, equestrian, goalball, powerlifting, rowing, shooting

By Gary AndersonBadminton will make its Paralympic Games debut at Tokyo 2020 after it was one of 16 sports approved today for inclusion on the programme for the Games.

sports for Tokyo 2020 so far are athletics, archery, boccia, equestrian, goalball, powerlifting, rowing, shooting

By Daniel EtchellsWorld Archery's television and marketing director Didier Mieville is set to leave his role of nine years,  making last month's World Cup final in his hometown Lausanne, his final event with the sport's governing body. 

It is also a sport accessible to everyone who wants to have some fun shooting some arrows."