By Duncan Mackay December 18 - Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh (pictured) has cast doubt over the Gold Coast's proposed $1 billion (£570 million) bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, admitting it is unlikely to go ahead if Australia's campaign to to host the World Cup is successful.

capital who lost out for the 2014 Games to Glasgow, Port-of-Spain in Trinidad, Durban in South Africa

December 13 - Nigeria lead the bidders to host the 2011 FIBA African Nations Cup but faces opposition from the Ivory Coast and Madagascar. 

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) formally submitted its bid to FIBA Africa to host the

may recall that Nigeria was to host the 2009 edition but stepped down after serious plea from FIBA Africa

" Nigeria is the only major basketball country in Africa that has hosted the African Championships

are back on the winning trail by defeating old foes Fiji 21-12 to emerge victorious from the South Africa

Defending World Series champions South Africa failed to get beyond the last eight for the second consecutive

By Duncan Mackay in Lausanne December 9 - Ghana's Olympic Committee, who elected Francis Dodoo (pictured) as its new President in June, has been ordered to hold fresh elections within six months following a critical review by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

compliance with these principles, the IOC and ANOCA (Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa

December 8 - Athletics South Africa (ASA) is stable after its board was suspended and replaced with

secretary escorted from building by police November 2009:Former ICC President to oversee Athletics South Africa

December 6 - New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens is confident victory in Dubai has set his side up for more success in the long season ahead, which includes the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series and next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

  "Kenya are close to beating South Africa, we only beat them [in the quarter-final] at the

December 5 - New Zealand claimed first blood in this season's International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series when they saw off Samoa 24-12 in a gripping final to lift the Dubai title today in the first major event since the sport was voted onto the Olympic programme for Rio 2016.

2009: Olympics will make rugby sevens bigger than 15's predicts Kirwan November 2009: South Africa

December 3 - Rugby sevens is set to surpass the 15-a-side game as the number one version of the sport after it was voted onto the Olympic programme, former All Blacks captain John Kirwan (pictured) has predicted.

Rugby will not be a truly global sport until it involves Asia, Africa and South America and sevens will

But imagine how this will grow if sevens introduces the sport to Asia, Africa and America."

Related storiesNovember 2009: South Africa and England excited by start of new era for rugby sevensNovember

November 30 - A new era for rugby sevens will open in Dubai on Friday when the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series takes place, the first major competition to be held since the sport was voted into the Olympics for Rio 2016.

South Africa, the defending champions, will be hoping for a repeat of last year's performance

final launched their campaign in spectacular fashion as they went onto lift the overall title.South Africa

All of the hard training was done before we left South Africa so we're just working on a few more small

South Africa have been placed in Pool A with Australia, Wales and hosts Arabian Gulf for company.England

They [South Africa] probably are the team to beat, but when you get to the top the list of teams able

By Duncan Mackay   November 29 - Trinidad & Tobago seems set to revive its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games having originally scrapped the idea following the cancellation earlier this year of the inaugural Caribbean Games because of the swine flu crisis.

likely to include Auckland and the Gold Coast while bids could still emerge from Durban in South Africa

By Duncan Mackay   November 29 - Trinidad & Tobago seems set to revive its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games having originally scrapped the idea following the cancellation earlier this year of the inaugural Caribbean Games because of the swine flu crisis.

likely to include Auckland and the Gold Coast while bids could still emerge from Durban in South Africa

By Duncan Mackay   November 29 - Trinidad & Tobago seems set to revive its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games having originally scrapped the idea following the cancellation earlier this year of the inaugural Caribbean Games because of the swine flu crisis.

likely to include Auckland and the Gold Coast while bids could still emerge from Durban in South Africa

By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg   November 28 - South African athletics must put the Caster Semenya scandal and the subsequent fall-out behind it and start looking looking forward to the London 2012 Olympics, the sport's new temporary leader Ray Mali (pictured) said here today.

  Mali, the administrator put in charge of Athletics South Africa (ASA), following the suspension

secretary escorted from building by police November 2009: Former ICC President to oversee Athletics South Africa

By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg   November 28 - South African athletics must put the Caster Semenya scandal and the subsequent fall-out behind it and start looking looking forward to the London 2012 Olympics, the sport's new temporary leader Ray Mali (pictured) said here today.

  Mali, the administrator put in charge of Athletics South Africa (ASA), following the suspension

secretary escorted from building by police November 2009: Former ICC President to oversee Athletics South Africa

By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg   November 28 - South African athletics must put the Caster Semenya scandal and the subsequent fall-out behind it and start looking looking forward to the London 2012 Olympics, the sport's new temporary leader Ray Mali (pictured) said here today.

  Mali, the administrator put in charge of Athletics South Africa (ASA), following the suspension

secretary escorted from building by police November 2009: Former ICC President to oversee Athletics South Africa