By Gary Anderson in Predazzo in TrentoDecember 16 - Aguri Shimizu prevailed on the ski slope of here ttake gold in the Nordic combined mass start competition, winning Japan's second gold of Trentino 2013, while Alexei Kalievich Almoukov won Australia's first ever medal at a Winter Universiade.

Hoinisz and Russian Tatiana Semenova taking silver and bronze again.Weronika Nowakowska-Ziemniak of Poland

By Gary AndersonDecember 14 - The International Federation of Volleyball's (FIVB) Sports Events Council today approved a new four-year events calendar through to 2017 and which will now be considered by the governing body's Executive Committee tomorrow (Sunday) in Lausanne.

confirmation of the flagship events for next year which will see the men's World Championships take place in Poland

champions and two invited sides.Brazil's men will be out to defend their World Championship crown in Poland

By Duncan Mackay at the Beijing International Convention CentreDecember 14 - Monaco enjoyed a rare opportunity to shine in the international spotlight when its bridge team won the men's team event at the SportAccord World Mind Games here today.

Fulvio Fantoni, Claudio Nunes, Geir Helgemo, Tor Helness, Franck Multon and Pierre Zimmermann they beat Poland

By Gary Anderson in Passo San Pellegrino in TrentinoDecember 13 - Friday the 13th proved a lucky day for host nation Italy as it secured a first gold medal of Trentino 2013 thanks to alpine skier Davide Cazzaniga who took top spot in the men's downhill competition here.

recovered to lead home the field in a time of 47:38 ahead of rivals Weronika Nowakowska-Ziemniak of Poland

Adam Cieslar of Poland (centre) proved the main man in Predazzo today ©Pierre Teyssot/Trentino 2013 Universiade

It was a double celebration for Poland today as over at the Ice Rink in Baselga di Pine, Jan

South Korea in the women's 1500m competition with gold going to Kim Bo Reum with Natalia Czerwonka of Poland

By Gary Anderson at Monte Bondone in TrentoDecember 11 - Snowboarders and figure skaters made their first outings on the second day of action at the 26th Winter Universiade here as Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic and Russia's Nikolay Olyunin dominated the qualification rounds in the snowboarding competition here.

Douschan registered his quickest run with a time of 44:55 to finish behind the Russian, while Dawid Wal of Poland

By Duncan Mackay in LausanneDecember 11 - RIA Novosti will fulfil its role as host news and photographic agency for Sochi 2014, despite being abolished by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the controversial head of the Government-controlled organisation that is being set-up to replace it has promised.

since the organs would be "unsuitable for extending the life of another".More recently he has blamed Poland

While Norway, Sweden and Poland are far from the worst hit nations questions remain over whether it is

By Nick Butler at The Starling Hotel in LausanneDecember 7 - Oleksandr Vilkul, Ukraine's vice-Prime Minister and head of Lviv's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, has claimed the city is "one of Europe's best kept secrets".

preparing for the 2012 European Football Championships, which were jointly hosted between Ukraine and Poland

By Nick ButlerDecember 7 - More than 160 athletes from nearly 20 countries have arrived in Tokyo for the Wheelchair Dance Sport World Championships which get underway today.

Eastern European competitors currently leading the way ©Getty ImagesOpposition is likely to be led by Poland

By Gary AndersonDecember 6 - Gay rights organisation Pride House International is calling on groups around the world to host a series of rallies, gatherings and events during Sochi 2014 to highlight the anti-gay laws passed in Russia earlier this year.

During the UEFA 2012 European Championships hosted by Poland and the Ukraine a remote Pride House was

By Nick Butler at the Starling Hotel in LausanneDecember 5 - Kraków's campaign for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is distinctly Polish but with some events held across the Slovakian border for "topographical and geographical reasons," bid leader Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak has claimed.

holding Alpine skiing events over the Slovakian border is necessary due to technical changes which leave Poland

When Zakopane bid for the 2006 Games they planned to hold Alpine skiing in Poland, but since then the

The bid is very different from the situation at the 2012 European Football Championships, where Poland

and Slovakia confirm joint bid for 2022 Winter Olympics and ParalympicsOctober 2013:Joint Poland-Slovakia

bid for 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to be launched next weekMarch 2013:Poland and Slovakia

By Nick Butler at the Starling Hotel in LausanneDecember 3 - The six cities contending to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will begin an 18 month bidding process here tomorrow with an International Olympic Committee (IOC) orientation seminar where various expectations and requirements will be explained.

confirms bid to host 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics but doubts over Government supportNovember 2013: Poland

By Gary AndersonDecember 3 - London's O2 Arena is one of four bid venues that have been put forward for the hosting of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) 2017 World Cup finals in jumping and dressage.

and Para-dressage events in 2017 while Rotterdam has bid to host the jumping competition.Strezgom in Poland

By Emily GoddardDecember 3 - An International World Games Association (IWGA) delegation has visited the Polish city of Wrocław for its first Coordinating Committee meeting of the 2017 World Games.

For us in Poland it is especially important that we have the full support from the Ministry of Sport

By Duncan MackayDecember 2 - Lviv's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics will not be affected by being at the centre of the pro-European protests in Ukraine, it has been claimed. 

A general strike has been taking place today in Lviv, which is located close to Poland and is strongly