New Zealand to Host Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 -- Federation Focus

(ATR) World Rugby awarded the hosting rights for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 to New Zealand on Wednesday.

The ninth edition of the tournament will be the first to be held in the southern hemisphere. New Zealand beat out Australia in the final bidding.

The showpiece event will be held at venues in Auckland and Whangarei, on New Zealand’s North Island, in July and August of 2021.

World Rugby Chair Bill Beaumont, in a statement, said that New Zealand "presented a very strong and compelling bid", adding "With Women’s Rugby World Cup attracting record crowds and broadcast audiences in each of the last three tournaments - Ireland 2017, France 2014 and England 2010 - I am in no doubt that the 2021 tournament… will continue this record-breaking trend."

New Zealand will have home advantage as it defends its World Cup title. The Black Ferns won their fifth Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017 after they beat England 41-32 in the final at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. New Zealand has won five of the last six tournaments.

IBU Meets With RBU to Discuss Reinstatement

The leadership of the International Biathlon Union will meet with the Russian Biathlon Union on Thursday in Moscow.

The IBU will present to the RBU the criteria needed for reinstatement. The IBU’s executive board set up the requirements at a meeting earlier this month.

The IBU voted against reinstating the RBU as a full member at the IBU annual congress in September. The RBU remains a provisional member as the fallout from the ongoing doping scandal continues.

Olle Dahlin was elected president at the congress. He replaced Anders Besseberg, who stepped aside in April after being implicated in a doping scandal earlier this year.

Dahlin met with IOC President Thomas Bach earlier this month, as the IOC announced it was lifting all restrictions to the IBU, saying it was happy with the federation’s progress in the areas of good governance, ethics and the fight against doping.

AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships Open

The 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships kicked off with the opening ceremony in Delhi on Wednesday.

Boxers from the 62 competing countries paraded around the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium. India’s 5-time world champion Mary Kom and Ramla Ali of Somalia swore the boxer’s oath on behalf of the 277 athletes taking part in the 10-day tournament.

Newly-elected AIBA President Gafur Rakhimov declared the championships open.

"The 2018 AIBA Women’s World Championships is really important for us, as women’s boxing development is a central part of AIBA’s DNA. But it is also important to remember that we are starting a new era at boxing. One that is focused on ensuring that our athletes are provided with the necessary support to achieve greatness in and out of the ring", said Rakhimov in a statement.

The championships run from November 15-24.

Written by Gerard Farek

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