By Nick ButlerJanuary 14 - Hosts Scotland will have the toughest of challenges in the men's rugby sevens competition at Glasgow 2014 after they were drawn in the same pool as defending Commonwealth Games champions New Zealand.

qualification pools of four teams ahead of the knock-out rounds.In Pool B, Delhi 2010 bronze medallists South Africa

By Gary AndersonJanuary 14 - Britain's Gordon Reid signalled his intention for a real tilt at glory during the Australian Open later this month after he claimed both the men's singles and doubles titles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Sydney International Open at the Olympic Park.

number two Sabine Ellerbrock of Germany 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 while US Open champion Lucas Sithole of South Africa

By Paul OsborneJanuary 11 - The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) has launched

weeks away (February 1).The African Youth Games are a relatively new addition to the sports calendar in Africa

By Gary AndersonJanuary 8 - World number one golfer Tiger Woods has taken his career earnings past the $1.3 billion (£790 million/€955 million) barrier according to the Golf Digest 50 Money List for 2013 which sees the American top the table for the 11th time in its 11-year history.

eighth on Golf Digest's money list ©Getty Images Nine-time major winner Gary Player of South Africa

Ernie Els of South Africa, with just over $14.5 million (£8.8 million/€10.7 million), and Australia's

By Gary AndersonJanuary 7 - Paul John has announced he is leaving his post as Wales Sevens head coach after more than five years in the job to take up a new role as backs coach at Cardiff Blues.

following two Cup quarterfinal appearances at Gold Coast and Dubai.Last time out in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

By Paul OsborneJanuary 6 - Germany's Marcel Hassemeier has been named on a 10-strong shortlist for the International World Games Association (IWGA) Athlete of the Year award as the organisation looks to celebrate the "highly successful Games" held in the Colombian city of Cali last year.

GamesAugust 2013: David claims third successive squash singles title at World GamesAugust 2013: South Africa

By Nick ButlerJanuary 6 - Great Britain's London 2012 lightweight coxless four silver medal winner Rob Williams has become the latest in an ever growing list of top male rowers to announce their retirement from the sport. 

with crew-mates Richard and Peter Chambers and Chris Bartley, were ultimately pipped by South Africa

By Gary AndersonJanuary 6 - The line-ups for both the men's and women's 2014 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Championships are taking shape after the final rounds of European qualification concluded this weekend, with the Netherlands being the biggest name to miss out.

champions Brazil will represent South America.The eight remaining places will see three coming from Africa

leading goal scorer ©Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesSurely one of the greatest ever sportsman to be born in Africa

By Mike RowbottomJanuary 5 - Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder of parkrun - the free five kilometre event which now has more than 760,000 registered runners across 10 countries - has revealed that the event will become established this year in Russia.

The United Kingdom added the most new events followed by Australia and South Africa."

participants who take part in 350 events all around the world, including in the UK, Australia, South Africa

By Mike RowbottomGetting people running is an aspiration being pursued with increasing purpose all around the world as Governments seek to set their sometimes all-too-solid citizens on the path to fitness and health.That aspiration is widely shared - both by the big federations and organisations which put on athletics events, and at grass roots - as we are witnessing in the growing phenomenon of ideas such as parkrun, which now has more than 760,000 registered runners across 10 countries.When the Cardiff delegation heard the good news in Monte Carlo two months ago that their city was confirmed as host of...

Sinton-Hewitt's Big Idea, which was based on regular time trials he had taken part in while club running in South Africa

.153 new events were added in 2013...the UK added the most new events followed by Australia and South Africa

stalwarts, around 35,000 are in the UK, with a further 16,000 regularly involved in Australia, South Africa

By Gary AndersonJanuary 5 - The International Aquatics Federation (FINA) has announced the host cities for the eight stops on the 2014 World Cup series, which will not feature a meeting in Berlin for the first time in 14 years.

swimmer ©Getty Images The 2013 series saw London 2012 gold medal winner Chad le Clos of South Africa

By Gary AndersonDecember 31 - Brazilian Ronaldinho has been chosen as the 2013 South American Footballer of the Year following an annual poll conducted by Uruguayan daily newspaper El Pais, giving his chances of making the Brazil squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup a timely boost.

Ronaldinho missed out on making then coach Carlos Dunga's final squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa

By Mike RowbottomDecember 29 - Ivo Ferriani, President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT), has tipped Britain for strong medal possibilities at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, where he believes the characteristics of the Sanki Sliding Centre will ensure a "very, very open competition".

One of my aims is to develop the sport in Africa and Asia because I am sure we will find talented athletes

By Mike RowbottomAt the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics, Ivo Ferriani - then coach of the French bobsleigh team - made a bet with the driver of the four-man bob, Bruno Mingeon. If Mingeon managed to win a medal, he, Ferriani, would run through the snow by the course in his underwear.Mingeon won bronze. Ferriani kept his promise.Fourteen years later the Italian put himself on the line on another Olympic bobsleigh course - the Sanki Sliding Centre which will host the action at the imminent Sochi 2014 Winter Games.

first project, is to widen the span and scope of the sport to new countries, including several within Africa

One of my project aims is to develop the sport in Africa because I am sure we will find talented athletes

Nations which will ensure cooperation as we seek to develop the sport in countries such as those within Africa