By Paul OsborneJanuary 9 - Japan's public broadcaster NHK has signed an exclusive agreement with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to secure the broadcast rights for Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016.

Championships staged by IPC sports, including athletics, swimming, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and ice sledge hockey

By Paul OsborneJanuary 8 - Defending Paralympic ice sledge hockey champions the United States will go

for this series against Canada," said Dan Brennan, general manager of the US Paralympic ice sledge hockey

Not only is this an opportunity for the fans to see the best sledge hockey players in the world, but

the form that saw them beat the US in both the World Championship final in April and the World Sledge Hockey

2013: Big guns open up with a victory apiece at World Sledge Hockey Challenge in TorontoApril 2013

: Canada defeat US to claim title at Sledge Hockey World Championships

By Gary AndersonJanuary 7 - The Russian men's ice hockey squad looking to deliver home glory at

Sochi 2014 has been announced and sees 15 of the 25-man squad coming from the National Hockey League

the Russian attack in Sochi, where the pressure will be on for the host nation to deliver a first ice hockey

the former Soviet bloc under the Olympic flag.Prior to this, the Soviet Union had claimed seven ice hockey

Angeles Kings; and Montreal Canadiens duo Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin.The Kontinental Hockey

to win Olympic gold since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia has claimed the International Ice Hockey

starsDecember 2013: Sochi 2014 unveils Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey pucksJuly 2013: NHL

By Paul OsborneJanuary 7 - Canada has announced the 25-man ice hockey squad nominated to represent the

the golden goal in the Vancouver 2010 final, will lead the team's forward line as the National Hockey

the Chicago Blackhawks, were unanimous selections, others will be the subject of fiery debate in the hockey-obsessed

The hockey world is getting more and more competitive."

insidethegames.bizRelated storiesDecember 2013: Olympic gold medallists lead Canadian women's ice hockey

Canada reveals comprehensive broadcast coverage deal for Sochi 2014 Paralympic GamesOctober 2013: Hockey

By Paul OsborneJanuary 7 - The National Hockey League (NHL) continues its domination of national rosters

the Ottawa Senators' records for goals, assists, and points with 1,178 games played.He now plays his hockey

wil miss Sweden's first two games of the Games having picked up a suspension at the International Ice Hockey

storiesJuly 2013: NHL players to compete at Sochi 2014 OlympicsMay 2013: Sweden crowned ice hockey

By Nick ButlerJanuary 6 - Lamine Diack, President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has called on Chinese authorities to curb air pollution to maintain the upward curve of marathon running in the world's most populous country.

China to remedy the problem.Air pollution issues also impacted other sporting events in 2013, with the Hockey

World League Semi-Final being "monitored" by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) due to concerns

Threat to Malaysian World League semi-final lifted after air quality improvesJune 2013: International Hockey

By Emily GoddardJanuary 2 - Russia says it has detained more than 700 people following two deadly suicide bombings in Volgograd that came less than six weeks before the nation's hosting of the 2014 Winter Games.

Isinbayeva has said the bombings in her home town are "terrible" ©Getty ImagesThe International Ice Hockey

the situation" in Russia but insists that it is "wholly committed to fulfil its obligation for ice hockey

By Gary AndersonJanuary 2 - The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced that it has officially bid for Para-badminton to be included on the Paralympic programme at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

that are not on the current Paralympic programme but are recognised by the IPC, along with handball, hockey

By Emily GoddardJanuary 2 - Šárka Strachová, the Czech alpine skier who secured bronze in the slalom at Vancouver 2010, has been named as her nation's Flagbearer for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Winter Olympics, which get underway on February 7.The list of athletes includes a 25-strong men's ice hockey

By Nick ButlerJanuary 2 - Two-time Olympians Jean-Philippe Le Guellec and Zina Kocher will lead the eight-strong Canadian biathlon team that has been named to compete at the Sochi Games next month, with medals an outside, but valid, target. 

insidethegames.bizRelated storiesDecember 2013: Olympic gold medallists lead Canadian women's ice hockey

By Gary AndersonJanuary 1 - With the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) set to celebrate its silver jubilee in 2014, President Sir Philip Craven has claimed in a New Year's message he wants to address the issue of gender equality and to create new female leaders within the Movement.

disabilities has not always been acceptable.Sir Philip Craven hopes that hosting sports such as ice sledge hockey

ButlerJanuary 1 - The United States has plumped for experience in selecting their men's and women's ice hockey

Both teams seeking to go one better in 2014 were announced following the National Hockey League (NHL)

Despite the stiff competition, team general manager David Poile, who is also President of hockey

insidethegames.bizRelated storiesDecember 2013: Olympic gold medallists lead Canadian women's ice hockey

By Gary AndersonDecember 31 - With just over a month to go until the start of Sochi 2014 the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has launched a television campaign called "We are Winter" which aims to showcase the country's sport history and inspire fans ahead of the Games.

Mikael Kingsbury.Lillehammer 1994 gold medal winning skier Jean-Luc Brassard and Salt Lake City 2002 ice hockey

By Nick ButlerDecember 31 - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has sent its condolences to the family and friends of renowned international classifier Aart Kruimer, who died of heart failure on December 25.

Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA), IPC Athletics and IPC Ice Sledge Hockey

OsborneDecember 30 - Bounty paper towels have donated $10,000 (£6,000/€7,200) in support of the USA Hockey

The announcement comes as Bounty continues to show its support for mum's of hockey players looking to

The Team USA Hockey Moms in many ways act as the backbone of the USA Hockey Teams," said Victoria Schooler

exhibition game between the United States and Canada ©Getty ImagesBounty is giving back to the Team US Hockey