By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJuly 1 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has written a personal letter to all the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urging them to vote for Munich 2018 to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

national affair" for the Germans "of significant importance".Merkel, who will be represented here in South Africa

By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJune 30 - Annecy's campaign to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, already struggling to keep pace with rivals Munich and Pyeongchang, will be the only one of the three bidders not to be represented here by its Head of State after President Nicolas Sarkozy resisted attempts for him to make the trip.

Rhone-Alpes region, and Eric Fournier, the Mayor of·Chamonix Mont-Blanc, who will not be travelling to South Africa

By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJune 30 - Former FIFA President Joao Havelange, the longest serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is set to miss the vote for the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics here next week, it has been revealed.

Martins told the Associated Press that it's "almost certain" that Havelange will not travel to South Africa

By Duncan MackayJune 28 - Annecy, Munich and Pyeongchang all gave their final international presentations on their bids for the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics before heading for Durban where they will find out which city has been chosen to host the Games.

cities presentation to the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa

first countries in the world to implement an international sporting cooperation policy, particularly in Africa

Munich, meanwhile, emphasised that their development programme in Africa already stretches back half-a-century

choosing Munich to host the Olympics and Paralympics it would strengthen the bond between Germany and Africa

Pyeongchang 2018 too highlighted how its bid would help NOCs in Africa would develop more winter sports

By Emily GoddardJune 28 - The burgeoning international appeal of the Disabled British Open (DBO) golf championships has seen the registration of the tournament's first US player.

amp; Spa (ESN) in August, although last year's field did feature golfers from as far afield as South Africa

By Tom DegunJune 26 - YouTube, the world's leading online platform for watching and sharing videos, is to stream live coverage from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming European Championships, which start next weekend in Berlin, Germany.

scenes interviews with top athletes.Jeff Nathenson, head of Sport at YouTube Europea, Middle East and Africa

By Duncan MackayJune 26 - The three cities bidding for the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are all heading for Lome in Togo as the finish line of the long race begins to loom into view.

high-level delegations to attend the Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa

By Emily GoddardJune 26 - New Zealand have won a fourth successive IRB Junior World Championship title, although they were made to work exceptionally hard for a 33-22 victory over England in a thrilling final at Stadio Plebiscito in Padova, Italy.

with a 30-17 victory in the third place play-off final with captain Colby Faingaa their talisman.South Africa

By Tom Degun in the Gold CoastJune 25 - Gideon Sam, the President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), has revealed that a South African bid for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is increasingly unlikely but that a bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games is almost certain.

Infrastructure in South Africa improved dramatically because of the World Cup and we showed the world

It needs to fit into an overall plan for the good of South Africa."

If we plan properly in South Africa, we can really do something very special with these big sporting

events because there is still a long way to go in South Africa, even after the World Cup."

support for them from the whole of South Africa was amazing."

By Andrew Warshaw in MoscowJune 24 - Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup came under attack today from FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, who warned they were lagging behind schedule and were not the best model for 2018 hosts Russia to copy, which will surely set alarms ringing about the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

Speaking at the inaugural Inside World Football Forum in Moscow, Valcke said South Africa last year

Valcke suggested Russia look to South Africa rather than Brazil if they need any encouragement."

In South Africa the main goal was to show the world that Africa could organise a World Cup," he added

There was a time when people were talking about a Plan B for South Africa."

I can tell you that South Africa is now a Plan B for anywhere else."

By Duncan MackayJune 22 - Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer is to join German supporters on a special fan flight to Durban to offer his backing to Munich's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The specially-chartered Lufthansa plane will touch down in South Africa on on the eve of the vote on

By Tom DegunJune 19 - Ampie Louw, the long-standing coach of four-time Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, has backed the South African to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Pistorius ran a personal best of 45.61sec in the 400 metres in South Africa in March but looks set

By Duncan MackayJune 15 - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is to show his support for Pyeongchang's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics by attending the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban next month, it has been revealed.

In the 117 years of the IOC, this event has never been hosted in Africa.

By Duncan MackayJune 15 - South Africa could still launch a bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics

South Africa has until September 1 to submit bid documents to the International Olympic Committee (IOC

said.Contact the writer of this story at [email protected] storiesJune 2011: South Africa

to launch bid for 2022 Commonwealth GamesMay 2011: South Africa will not bid for 2020 Olympics after

Government decisionMay 2011: Exclusive - South Africa hope to make decision on 2020 Olympic bid this

By Tom DegunJune 12 - Paralympic sprint stars Oscar Pistorius of South Africa and Jason Smyth of Ireland