By David Owen in Lausanne   May 5 - Tumbling global markets have knocked $34 (£22.5 million) off the value of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) financial investments, Jacques Rogge (pictured), the President, has disclosed.

on agreements covering the 2014 and 2016 Games in the Big Four European markets of France, Germany, Spain

May 5 - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (pictured) has backed Russia's bid to host the 2018 World Cup, ending doubts that he would not support it and that they would withdraw because of the worldwide economic crisis.

In addition to Russia, Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Spain

May 4 - Madrid has welcomed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commisto inspect its bid for the 2016 Games, hoping to go one better than 2012 when they narrowly missed out on the Games to London.

The Mayor of Madrid, Mr Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, said: “Madrid, along with the whole of Spain, is passionate

By Duncan Mackay in Rio de Janeiro

  "If Spain doesn’t manage to win why wouldn’t they vote for Brazil?

  "After all, every two years I gather with Spain at the Iberia-American summit.

April 28 - Britain could be the suprise team at this year's European Basketball Championships, one of the team's leading players, Andy Betts (pictured), claimed today.

Ben Gordon and Toronto Raptors Pops Mensah-Bonsu, while Rob Archibald has reached the final eight in Spain

April 26 - Russia's national anthem played for a third and fourth time during the final day of the LEN European Junior Synchronised Swimming Championships in Gloucester as they captured the two more gold medals.

In similar fashion to the free solo event the medals were awarded to Russia, Spain and Ukraine.   

Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have each submitted joint bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments

April 24 - Britain has named three NBA players in their training squad for this summer along with Tafari Toney (pictured), who has been the star of the British Basketball League (BBL) this season.

Mensah-Bonsu as well as Robert Archibald, Andy Betts and Joel Freeland, who play in top leagues in Greece and Spain

April 17 - Britain’s women volleyball side will make their debut in this summer’s European League next month with a match at Sheffield, it was announced today.   

rdquo;   Britain's have been drawn in Pool A against Croatia, Turkey and current European champions Spain

Turkey at Norwich on the same weekend as the women before finishing their programme with a match against Spain

April 17 - Britain’s women volleyball side will make their debut in this summer’s European League next month with a match at Sheffield, it was announced today.   

rdquo;   Britain's have been drawn in Pool A against Croatia, Turkey and current European champions Spain

Turkey at Norwich on the same weekend as the women before finishing their programme with a match against Spain

April 15 - President Barack Obama (pictured), already supporting Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, has now thrown his considerable support behind the United States efforts to stage the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia also are bidding, with Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain

The bronze medal went to Spain whose colourful routine excited the audience early on.  

April 10 - Cities across the United States, including the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, which hosted the 1994 World Cup final, have been contacted to see if they want to be involved in the country's bid for 2018 and 2022.

England and a joint bid from Spain and Portugal are viewed as the favorites to host in 2018, with the

Apart from the US, England and the joint bid from Spain and Portugal, other formal expressions of interest

April 7 - Russia is prepared to spend $10 billion (£6.8 billion) on upgrading its infrastructure if it is awarded the 2018 World Cup ahead of England by FIFA, it promised today.

Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Portugal

April 5 - Jose Maria Odriozola (pictured), the president of the Spanish Athletics Federation, has been appointed as a Technical Delegate for athletics events at the London 2012 Olympic Games, it has been announced.

The 69-year-old is a professor of biochemistry at the the University of Madrid and has represented Spain