Hosts cities across Japan have today celebrated 1,000 days to go until the 2019 Rugby World Cup as organisers look ahead to what they anticipate to be an important year of preparation in 2017.

Argentina, Australia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa

Ethiopian middle-distance runner Miruts Yifter, a double Olympic champion at the 1980 Games in Moscow, has died in Toronto at the age of 72.

Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to ban New Zealand, whose national rugby union team had toured South Africa

Japan have ended the year top of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Rankings, after the final list for 2016 was released.

ascent in 2016, having risen 20 places to 51st place in the world from previously being unranked.South Africa

Rwanda has been chosen to host the second edition of the African Para Taekwondo Open, scheduled to be held in March next year.

the G2 world rankings.Rwanda Taekwondo Federation secretary general Placide Bagabo told website All Africa

Alviro Petersen has been banned for two years by Cricket South Africa (CSA) after he admitted trying

36-year-old, who has played 36 tests, 21 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches for South Africa

Petersen played 36 tests, 21 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals for South Africa

The coach that guided Fiji’s rugby sevens team to Olympic gold at Rio 2016 has said the squad should split from the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) in order to ensure they are properly managed.

England in the quarter-finals of the Cape Town Sevens earlier this month, a week after losing to South Africa

The 48 international sides invited to compete at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games have been unveiled today as The Bahamas braces itself to host the event’s largest-ever programme of team sports.

, Bahamas, Cyprus, England, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St Lucia, South Africa

scheduled to be staged in Bahamas’ capital Nassau.Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South Africa

will compete in the men’s tournament, while Bahamas, Cook Islands, Ghana, St Kitts and Nevis, South Africa

going for gold in the men’s rugby sevens tournament, while Australia, Canada, Papua New Guinea, South Africa

Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba has been named the winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon following the disqualification of Kenya's Rita Jeptoo from the event for doping.

Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) calling for a longer suspension.The BAA has told Business Daily Africa

Dibaba officially named the winner in October.Organisers of the Chicago Marathon told the Business Daily Africa

Wolfgang Niersbach has relinquished his membership of both the FIFA Council and UEFA Executive Committee less than a week after losing his appeal against a one-year suspension from all footballing activity.

offered non-cash incentives such as tickets and friendly matches to Warner.The German bid defeated South Africa

India will end 2016 as the number one ranked side in Test cricket after their comprehensive 4-0 series victory over England.

points - to fifth.They now have 101 points, with the Australians still on 105 and Pakistan and South Africa

A new deadline of March 2017 has been introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for fresh elections to be held by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) after a failure to meet an initial December timeframe.

co-signed by IOC deputy secretary general Pere Miró and Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the schedule for February's Women's World Cup qualifier with hosts Sri Lanka drawn with India, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand in Group A.

with the qualification tournament in Colombo the last chance to earn a spot.Group B features South Africa

Stadium on day one, with Ireland playing Zimbabwe at the Mercantile Cricket Association ground.South Africa

Papua New Guinea at Colombo Cricket Club.Day two will see Pakistan play Bangladesh, Scotland meet South Africa

Lassana Palenfo, the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), has

Argentina and Spain will meet in fifth-place play-off at the Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup in Lucknow after overcoming the respective challenges of England and The Netherlands today.

the contest.However, it was not enough to save them from defeat.In the ninth-place play-off, South Africa

Belgium claimed a dramatic win over defending champions Germany today to reach the final of the Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup in Lucknow, where they will face hosts India.

is scheduled to take place on Sunday (December 18) prior to the final.Tomorrow’s action sees South Africa