The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) has become the latest body to pledge help to the refugee crisis by launching a support programme, with reports claiming the Greek Government could also establish a permanent centre at the Olympic Velodrome of Athens.

work of the NOCs comes in response to the crisis, which has seen refugees from the Middle East and Africa

World Rugby has announced the regional and cross-regional qualification process for the 2019 World Cup in Japan, where a further eight teams will secure their spot at the tournament.

A total of 12 countries - New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Ireland, Scotland, France

triumphant also booking their ticket to Japan.The other direct continental qualifier will come from Africa

as the winner of the Rugby Africa Championship will seal their spot at the event in four years’ time.Japan's

Championship as well as the loser of the Americas play off and the second-placed team at the Rugby Africa

programme in the country and across Southern Africa.

will be nurturing future African champions and it is one step further in fulfilling AIBA’s role in Africa

set to begin here tomorrow, marking the first time that the sport’s flagship event has been held in Africa

The opening match of next year's Olympic football tournament is due to be a women’s Group E encounter in Rio de Janeiro on August 3, with both men’s and women’s finals scheduled to take place at the Maracanã Stadium after FIFA confirmed the schedule for the competitions in the Brazilian city.

, Mexico and Honduras will join the hosts in the men’s tournament.Colombia, Germany, France, South Africa

The first-ever North American professional rugby union league will be launched in the United States in April 2016, it has been announced.

World Cup, where the United States lost all four of their Pool B matches to Samoa, Scotland, South Africa

become first team to retain Rugby World Cup after defeating Australia in the finalOctober 2015: South Africa

The International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) Medical Commission has introduced changes said to be designed to keep the sport "free of doping" following a meeting at the world governing body’s headquarters in Mies, Switzerland.

World Cup, held every four years, competing countries across the four continents - Europe, Americas, Africa

Tier two nations will have more influence on the decision-making within World Rugby after the governing body announced an expansion of its ruling Council, which comes into effect next year.

first team to retain Rugby World Cup after defeating Australia in the finalOctober 2015: South Africa

Franz Beckenbauer has become further implicated in the scandal surrounding his country winning the right to stage the 2006 World Cup after one of the German Football Association (DFB) acting vice-presidents claimed he signed a draft contract promising favours to Trinidad and Tobago's Jack Warner shortly before the vote for the tournament.

Cup vote was for "various services" ©Getty ImagesGermany were awarded the tournament beating South Africa

There is "no doubt" artistic gymnastics will be included on the sports programme for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) secretary general André Gueisbuhler has told insidethegames.

Durban 2022 and Gueisbuhler remains confident it will take place when the Commonwealth Games come to Africa

"South Africa has committed to follow the decisions of the General Assembly and therefore, the FIG has

Next year’s International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability (Inas) World Cross Country Championships and World Tennis Championships have both been awarded to the United States, with New York and Bethany Beach, Delaware due to host the respective events.

Americas with six of the previous seven editions having been staged in Europe and the other in South Africa

The men’s African Olympic Qualifying Tournament will take place in Brazzaville from January 7 to 14, the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) has announced.

second and third place at the event in the Congolese capital, which recently played host to the All-Africa

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has launched its Football Cares initiative, which is designed to help with the refugee crisis in Europe as well as the integration of 12,000 Syrian refugees into communities in the country.

football cares by donating.”The ongoing refugee crisis has seen refugees from the Middle East and Africa

The National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark and Slovenia have all initiated projects to help with the refugee crisis - using part of the $2 million (£1.3 million/€1.8 million) in emergency funds provided by the International Olympic Committee.

in the nation.It comes in response to the crisis which has seen refugees from the Middle East and Africa

Japan launched a spirited fightback from 10-0 down at half-time to seal their spot at Rio 2016 with a 24-10 victory over hosts Hong Kong at the Asian rugby sevens regional Olympic qualifying event today.

thanks to a 38-5 thrashing of Malaysia.The Japanese will join the likes of Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa

2015: Britain begin three-month rugby sevens training programme ahead of Rio 2016September 2015: South Africa