JUNE 30 - SOFTBALL'S campaign to be reinstated onto the Olympic programme in 2016, after being controversially off for London 2012, moved closer to reality with the news today that all 300,000 tickets for this year's event in Beijing have been sold.

that will compete from August 12-21 are Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Netherlands, USA

 MAY 3 - THE chief executive and chairman of Adidas, one of London 2012's top-tier sponsors, has criticised anti-Chinese protesters who tried to disrupt the Olympic torch relay.

against (separatist Basque terror group) ETA in Spain and we would have to tell the Government in the USA

  UNITED STATES TRACK & FIELD (USATF) plans to cut the size of its board of directors by more than half and make other structural changes to make it more efficient in the build-up to London 2012.

 MAY 5 - THE build-up to the Beijing Olympics is in full-swing now and insidethegames in its weekly column keeps you fully updated on everything that is happening, beginning with an encouraging performance from Mo Farah (pictured)

Shalane Flanagan with a superb USA record of 30:34.49 won ahead of Kim Smith whose mark of 30:35.54 broke

  IT WILL cost Birmingham £400,000 to host the United States track and field team, who could include the likes of Sanya Richards (pictured), in the build-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

A formal agreement between Birmingham and USA Track & Field is expected to be signed later this year

  STEVE ROUSH (pictured), the former head of performance for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), is to offer strategic advice to countries preparing for London 2012 in a new initiative launched by TSE Consulting, the international sports consultancy, it was announced today.

the US, the first being established in Indianapolis in 2006 and headed by director of TSE Consulting USA

Before joining the USOC, Roush was a top executive at USA Swimming for six years, and before that had

  UK ATHLETICS announced today the showpiece Norwich Union British Grand Prix will be held in Gateshead for the next three years during the build-up to London 2012.

Sprint relays for both men and women is likely to see the mouth-watering prospect of a GB v USA clash

  PAULA RADCLIFFE (pictured), an ambassador for London 2012, tonight won the 'best comeback' award at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards in St Petersburg.

her return at the BUPA Great North Run in September where she finished second to Kara Goucher of the USA

  USA TRACK AND FIELD today signed a memorandum of understanding to use Birmingham as their preparation

"Clearly USA Track and Field are more than delighted now they have had an opportunity to view the fantastic

"Final details will be agreed following the 2008 Beijing Olympics and after the selection of the USA

  PENNY CLARK has gained the first round in the battle for Beijing Olympic selection in the Laser Radial class, finishing fourth and as the top British sailor at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta today.

second leg to finish the medal race in second place and improve her final result to ninth, while local USA

  JTHE draw for the group stages of the wheelchair basketball competitions at the 2008 Paralympic Games have been made in Beijing.

and Germany in the group stages, while Britain’s men will play hosts China, Israel, Brazil and the USA

                       Group B   1             Great Britain               China      2             USA

             Japan                             China      4             Canada                         USA

  JANUARY 23 - SHEFFIELD has appointed two sports ambassadors to try to help them attract a major nation to train in the city during the build-up to the 2012 Olympics.

They have also had initial talks with Australian, Brazilian, Canadian and USA teams.  

  DECEMBER 19 - MANCHESTER will once again stage the Paralympic World Cup in 2008, it was announced today.

The women will take on Brazil, China and the Netherlands with the men facing Germany, Sweden and the USA

  OCTOBER 31 - THE Football Association announced today that England will bid for the 2018 World Cup.

England are likely to face strong competition from Russia and China, while Australia, Mexico, the USA

  ENGLAND'S most important task if they are to mount a credible bid for the 2018 World Cup is to ensure the majority of the European members of FIFA's executive committee are on their side, it was claimed today.

CONCACAF are bound to have their rival candidate too however - probably the USA but maybe Mexico or Canada

The USA, like England, have some excellent stadia already but are fairly recent hosts having had the