MARCH 2 - RICHARD SCRUTON has been appointed as the competition manager for table tennis at London 2012, it was announced today.

Scruton will oversee all aspects of the table tennis competition during the Olympics and Paralympics at ExCeL.

He will provide a focal point for the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) in relation to competition issues whilst ensuring that the competition is organised in accordance with ITTF regulations, the IOC Charter and the Host City Contract.

He will also be liaising with other LOCOG functional areas to ensure the co-ordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, transport, medical, venue operations and volunteers.

Scruton said: said: “I am delighted to join the team of London 2012 sport competition managers and look forward to working with the ITTF to deliver outstanding Olympic and Paralympic table tennis competitions.

"In Athens and Beijing I was grateful for the help and advice I received from previous Olympic table tennis competition managers.

"The four table arena at ExCeL will provide a memorable experience for athletes, spectators and volunteers.

"I look forward to helping showcase the sport that is the largest participation sport in the world and which began in Great Britain .”   

Scruton, a Yorkshireman, has been involved in the sport since 1967 when he was at Leeds Town Hall when he watched the English champion Denis Neale beat the legendary German defender Eberhard Scholer.

Within a few years he was club and local association secretary, competition administrator and event organiser.

He umpired at the 1977 World Championships in Birmingham but refereeing and competition organisation were his main interests.

From 1991 he was referee of 25 major international events in Europe and the Commonwealth culminating in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens .

He has chaired English Table Tennis Association committees for 14 years and he will be competition manager for the Commonwealth Championships, due to be held in Glasgow in May, Glasgow, and the English Open at Sheffield in October.

Scruton, who visited the Beijing Olympics last year as an observer, will begin his role at London full-time in April 2010. 

Jordi Serra, the executive director of the ITTF, said: “The ITTF is very pleased with the appointment of Richard as competition manager for table tennis for London 2012.

"He has a lot of experience in our sport. 

"He has been involved in past Olympic Games and we all remember his great work as a referee of the table tennis competitions in Athens 2004.

"He also has a good knowledge of our Federation and we are very happy to be working with him for the success of the table tennis events in London 2012.”

Alex Murdoch, the chairman of the British Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) and member of the British Olympic Association, said: “This is an excellent appointment and the sport is fully supportive of Richard.

"His expertise, knowledge and experience have been gained over many years via his involvement at every level of our sport.

"He has worked closely with the national and international federations in a number of capacities and we are proud that someone from Great Britain has been appointed to this very important and prestigious role.”

MARCH 2 - CULTURE SECRETARY Andy Burnham (pictured) has sparked a new politicial row after today issuing a warning to the Scottish Football Association not to retaliate against players called up to join a united British football team at the 2012 Olympics.

MARCH 3 - THE Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009, which start in Dubai on Thursday, has been boosted by the announcement of further television broadcast deals that will increase the global coverage of the showpiece event as it seeks to get into the 2016 Olympics.

MARCH 3 - THE International Archery Federation (FITA) today announced a new sponsorship agreement with Vakifbank, one of Turkey's biggest banks.

MARCH 3 - SEBASTIAN COE (pictured) today said that he was confident that that the new Diamond League series launched yesterday will help athletics regain its place in the public's affections.

MARCH 3 - BRITAIN'S Philip Leigh (pictured) has been appointed as the new high performance director for Irish cycling to help it prepare for the London 2012 Olympics, it was announced today.

MARCH 3 - A PETITION against a united British football team competing in the London 2012 Olympics organised by former Scotland manager Craig Brown was today presented to the Scottish Parliament.

Christine Grahame, a member of the Scottish Nationalist Party, presented the petition at Holyrood on behalf of Brown.

She said: "If we were to have a Team GB at the UK Olympics, you can say goodbye to a Scotland team playing internationally.

"It's opening a can of worms or Pandora's box, that would allow many nations - that wanted to undermine this position for many years - it would give them a golden opportunity to do so."

The petition was signed by 2,381 people.

Labour's Bill Butler said he was also against the creation of a Great Britain team - despite Labour politicians at Westminster backing it.

He said: "I do not see the need for a GB football team."

The Glasgow Anniesland MSP said it would create an "unhappy precedent" which could have unintended consequences, despite any assurances from the world's governing body, FIFA.

He said: "One FIOFA executive, like one Parliament, cannot bind another FIFA executive in the future."

MSPs agreed to write to FIFA and the other football governing bodies involved to clarify their position on the issue, including how binding their current position is on future administrations.

MARCH 4 - LONDON 2012 today announced that they have appointed Ann-Louise Morgan as the competition rowing manager for the Olympcis and Paralympics, which is due to be held at Eton Lake.

MARCH 4 - FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION chairman Lord Triesman (pictured) today announced he will not sit as a Labour peer in the House of Lords until England's 2018 World Cup bid campaign is ove

MARCH 4 - MEMBERS of the Scottish Parliament have been told to stay out of the row over whether there should be a British football team at the 2012 London Olympics by Gordon Smith (pictured), the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association.

MARCH 5 - RUGBY SEVENS campaign to get into the 2016 Olympics received another boost today when the International Rugby Players' Association (IRPA) and England's Rugby Football Union both threw their support behind the bid.

MARCH 6 - BRITAIN'S Pops Mensah-Bonsu (pictured) today signed for the Toronto Raptors for the final 20 games of the NBA season, two days after he was released from a 10-day contract with San Antonio.

The 25-year-old Londoner, who has helped Britain qualify for the European Championships in Poland this summer, appeared in three games for the Spurs, averaging 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds.

He played in 12 games with Denver in the 2006-2007 season, averaging 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Mensah-Bonsu, who is 6ft 10in tall,  is expected to be in the line-up tonight when the Raptors host the Miami Heat.

MARCH 6 - FORMER England captain Lawrence Dallaglio (pictured) has become he latest high-profile figure to back rugby sevens bid to get voted onto the Olympic programme for the 2016 Games.

By Duncan Mackay

March 6 - Ireland is set to introduce a new set of measures to try to prevent its reputation being damaged again by his equestrian riders after they found themselves at the centre of a doping controversy for the second consecutive Olympics last year.

By Duncan Mackay

March 7 - The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips, the world eventing champion, has today criticised the choice of Royal Park Greenwich Park as the equestrian venue for the 2012 Olympics.