AUGUST 31 - SOCHI today announced a $180 million (£123.9 million) sponsorship deal for the 2014 Winter Olympics with oil company Rosneft, the second mult-million pound agreement they have signed this year.

A RECORD worldwide television for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai next month is set to give the sport's Olympic chances a major boost.

MARCH 31 - NICOLA MINICHIELLO and Gillian Cooke tonight became the first British women to win a bobsleigh World Championship title when they won gold in Lake Placid today.

RIO DE JANEIRO today delivered its candidature file to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in Bonn.

THE International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) has voted to officially move ahead with a bid to include women's boxing in the Olympics, starting with the 2012 Games in London.

A LEADING Indian newspaper today raised serious new fears over whether New Delhi will be capable of hosting the Commonwealth Games next year.

The Hindustan Times newspaper today claimed in a front page story that India are so far behind schedule that it will take a "miracle" for New Delhi to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

The newspaper said in an editorial: "What is actually needed for it to materialise without us embarrassing ourselves, is a miracle.

"And even more money.

"What we face is a race against time.

"The ambitious airport project is facing a cash crunch.

"Roads and flyovers that were to be completed by 2008 have hit a dead-end.

"The venues are officially 40 per cent complete, but walk by them and all you can see is a mess."

Government figures estimate an expenditure of $1.5 billion (£1 billion), up from the original budget of $800 million (£564 million), on improving New Delhi's infrastructure and stadia.

The Hindustan Times criticised Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi for suggesting that money earned through such means as sponsorship and television rights will be returned to the government.

It said: "It's a promise the Government might hold him to and it's also one he might find difficult to keep.

"Even before the global economic downturn happened, sponsors were wary.

"Now, it's much worse."

The newspaper feared that New Delhi may face the same fate as Montreal, which passed on the expenditure incurred for the 1976 Olympics to the city's tax-payers.

It said: "At this point, in election year, no Government will talk of levying any cess [extra tax] in future for the Games.

"But history has shown us it is a very real possibility that we, the taxpayers, might well foot the bill for India's biggest show."

Kalmadi said last month he was confident New Delhi would host a successful Games which will feature some 8,500 athletes from 71 teams drawn from the Commonwealth.

The new warning comes as Australian broadcasters are growing increasingly concerned over whether local organisers are capable of fulfilling their commitments for the event which is due to be held between October 3 and 14 next year.

Channel Ten and Foxtel, who are due to televise the Games in Australia, have sent teams to New Delhi to discuss their fears.

Spokesman Bob Kemp, admitted that the broadcasters "clearly have some issues with some areas and that's why we're here for discussions".

He said: "We're taking the opportunity to meet various members from the organising committee across a whole range of issues from accommodation to technology, venue preparedness and security.

"We're a little more nervous about some things than we are about others."

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) officials have consistently ruled out moving the event but rumours have persisted that Melbourne, which hosted the 2006 Games, will be asked to step in.

Perry Crosswhite, the chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA), said today, however, that the Victorian city would not be able to step in even if they wanted too.

He said: "That's all very interesting because we've never been asked that or even had it indicated to us.

"I talked to [former Melbourne Commonwealth Games Minister] Justin Madden about it yesterday and he said it would be almost impossible for Melbourne to do it anyway.

"The Village is gone and everything else.

"The only time you've had a Games move was the 1976 Winter Olympics when [Denver] couldn't hold them [over a funding issue] and Innsbruck held them again, but in those days the Olympics was probably a thousand athletes.

"It just wouldn't happen unless there was a security issue, when they'd probably just be postponed rather than move them somewhere else.

"I just chuckle at those things because it's just not going to happen."

But Crosswhite is confident that India's huge resources will get them across the line successfully.

He said: "Absolutely there's concerns.

"But more of the concern is just putting people in place to manage and run the Games.

"The venues and Village and all that is just money and people and they've got plenty of people and probably plenty of money.

"It's probably just a body of knowledge of how you manage the Games and those things [that's required].

"You either get people from overseas or you do a very fast training programme or a combination of both.

"That's the area the Commonwealth Games Federation is really encouraging the Indians to do.

"These events don't just happen.

"There are concerns, but then again you've got a billion people and a huge economy in India, so if they couldn't absorb it I don't know who could."

August 31 - Ugur Erdener (pictured) has been re-elected as the President of the world archery governing body FITA during the second day of the organisation's Congress in Ulsan, South Korea.

August 31 - Ugur Erdener (pictured) has been re-elected as the President of the world archery governing body FITA during the second day of the organisation's Congress in Ulsan, South Korea.

August 31 - Ugur Erdener (pictured) has been re-elected as the President of the world archery governing body FITA during the second day of the organisation's Congress in Ulsan, South Korea.