By Nick ButlerJuly 30 - One of the world's largest gay rights organisations has stepped up its campaign to force Russia to repeal its gay hate laws ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, although they are so far not calling for a boycott of the Games.

pride protests in Russia, such as this one in St Petersburg in June 2013, have been outlawed under new

has claimed that it had "received assurances from the highest level of Government in Russia" that the new

New Zealand speed skater Blake Skjellerup, who came out in 2010, took a similar stance when revealing

Gay athlete, New Zealand speed skater Blake Skjellerup, in action at Vancouver 2010More than 200,000

By Gary AndersonJuly 26 - America has named its Paralympic Alpine skiing team for the upcoming 2013-2014 season as preparations continue for Sochi 2014.

first meeting of the 2013-2014 Alpine Skiing World Cup season is due to take place in Coronet Peak, New

Zealand, on August 22 and 23.Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

By Nick ButlerJuly 25 - Ireland's Jason Smyth secured his second gold medal of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Lyon with a record-equalling performance in the T13 100 metres on the sixth day of action at the Stadium of Parilly.

particularly satisfying for Smyth as he was forced to miss the last IPC Athletics Championships, in 2011 in New

Zealand, due to injury.Jason Smyth's victory followed success earlier in the week over 200m"It's fantastic

Not making New Zealand just makes it a little sweeter this year, so I'm just delighted all the work I've

writer of this story at [email protected] storiesJuly 2013: Hahn emerges as new

to gold and world records at IPC World ChampionshipsJuly 2013: Three-in-a-row for Hug and five new

By Gary Anderson at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel in London.July 25 - An emotional Valerie Adams claimed she will never forgive Nadzeya Ostapchuk for robbing her of her moment of glory at London 2012 and told the disgraced shot put thrower to stay in Belarus forever, following her positive drugs test at last year's Olympic Games.

The New Zealander (pictured top) was speaking ahead of the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games at the Olympic

I was pissed off," said Adams, who subsequently received her Olympic gold medal from the New Zealand

Belarus shot putter escapes with one year ban after coach "admits" spiking her coffeeAugust 2012: New

Zealand Sports Minister demands answers on Adams shamblesAugust 2012: Appeal by disgraced Belarus

By Gary AndersonJuly 24 - Nominations are now being invited for the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) 2013 Sailor of the Year, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing.

The late Peter Blake of New Zealand and Briton Robin Knox-Johnson, along with double Olympic gold medallist

By James CrookJuly 24 - With just two places left up for grabs for next year's Women's World Cup in France, the International Rugby Board (IRB) have announced the dates of the fixtures that will determine which nations will fill the remaining spots for next summer's showpiece tournament.

due take place on August 1, 5, 9, 13, before the final takes place on August 17.Defending champions New

Zealand are one of the ten teams to have already qualified for the tournament, along with 2010 runners-up

By Nick ButlerJuly 22 - Glasgow 2014 has appointed Sky Network Television as its New Zealand and the

well as news and daily highlights across its digital platforms, via pay television and free-to-air for New

Zealand viewers.A daily highlights package covering local competitors will also be produced and distributed

Zealand Cycling team will be among those on Sky Network Television at Glasgow 2014The sale of broadcast

It is pleasing to see that the Pacific Islands are well catered for in this agreement as well as New

Zealand."

Triathlon Union (ITU) Mixed Relay World Championship on home soil in Hamburg, finishing 19 seconds ahead of New

Zealand, with the United States finishing third to claim its first ever medal in the event.

The New Zealand team of Andrea Hewitt, Kate McIlroy, Tony Dodds and Ryan Sissons were in contention throughout

stage to hand over to teammate Dye with the US fractionally in the lead, followed closely by Germany, New

Zealand, Australia and France.

By Gary AndersonJuly 21 - Brazil's Alan Oliveira and American Jarryd Wallace produced dominant sprinting displays to claim world titles and set world records on the second day of action at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Lyon.

Prado, who also won Paralympic gold in London, successfully retained the title he won two years ago in New

Zealand, taking gold ahead of Namibia's Ananias Shikongo, with fellow Brazilian Daniel Silva claiming

By Lauren Mattera July 19 - Australia's women are ramping up preparations with another intensive five-day training camp under head coach Brendan Joyce to ensure success at the 2013 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Oceania Championships next month.

session next week in Victoria's Dandenong and Ballarat before selecting his final team to take on the New

Zealand Tall Ferns in the two-game series FIBA Qualifier on August 14-18.The squad, which is headlined

AIS Arena on August 18.Australia go into the competition as the favourite nation with 17 titles to New

By Gary AndersonJuly 16 - Preparations are almost complete for the sixth International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships, which get underway on Friday (July 19) as a host of London 2012 stars gear up to renew rivalries on the track at Lyon's Stadium of Parilly.

Browne and South Africa's Arnu Fourie.The 20-year-old, who finished sixth in the final in the New

Zealand city, will also be up against American Jerome Singleton who will be looking to defend the

at an event in Leverkusen last weekend.Paralympic 200m champion Alan Oliveira also set a new

Emily GoddardJuly 15 - Hilary Poole has today announced her resignation as chief executive of Hockey New

Zealand and the Hockey Foundation after being appointed to carry out the same function at Netball New

Zealand.

Zealand, and I look forward to the challenges this will bring," she said."

The tough part is that I am very sad to leave my team at Hockey New Zealand who are an amazingly talented

New Zealand lost the London 2012 bronze medal match to hosts Britain "While we are very sad to see Hilary

Zealand chairman Dean Ellwood."

Zealand hockey a gold at Rio 2016 

By Gary AndersonJuly 15 - South African canoeists occupied the majority of the medal positions at the first ever International Canoe Federation (ICF) Ocean Racing World Championships in Esposend, Portugal this weekend.

Walt and winner Grant van der Walt.The women's event saw Olympian Teneale Hatton from New

Zealand claim victory in a time of 1:44:06, leaving her over four minutes ahead of second placed Mouden

By Mike RowbottomJuly 14 - The United States women's eight rowed home to a new world best time of 5min

The US men's eight were also victorious in a race which left Britain's new flagship eight, which included

with 179 points, despite the fact that they only won two medals in Switzerland – gold from the new

Second on the points table was New Zealand with gold medals in the men's pair – through Olympic champions

in the women's quadruple sculls.Behind Britain on the overall 2013 World Cup series standings comes New

Zealand with 144 points and Australia in third place on 119 points.

By Mike RowbottomJuly 13 - Olympic champions Eric Murray and Hamish Bond held off the challenge of the London 2012 silver medallists, Germain Chardin and Dorian Mortelette of France to win their men's pairs semi-final at Lucerne and set themselves up for victory in tomorrow's final at the third Samsung World Rowing Cup of the season.

record this season as they won their semi-final in the lightweight women's double sculls, beating the New

Zealand pairing of Julia Edward and Lucy Strack.Ondřej Synek of the Czech Republic, the Olympic

United States eight at the London 2012 Games, appears to be going from strength to strength in her new