A decision on whether or not Russia will be awarded the 2019 European Games will be guided by whatever decision the International Olympic Committee (IOC) take following claims that the country were involved in systematic doping at Sochi 2014.

I was talking to someone at a New York radio station this week on the broad subject of cheating in sport, and specifically “mechanical doping” in cycling, which was confirmed for the first time in competition earlier this year and resulted last month in the six-year suspension of a Belgian cyclo-cross rider.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has warned entire National Federations could be banned as sport deals with its growing doping crisis - but he stopped short of criticising Russia.

Acting Brazilian President Michel Temer has reportedly provided a personal reassurace to International Olympic Committee (IOC) head Thomas Bach that Rio 2016 will be unaffected by political changes that have seen him replace the suspended Dilma Rousseff.

Up to 31 athletes from six sports could be banned from Rio 2016 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) retested doping samples from the 2008 Games in Beijing.

I was at Wembley yesterday to watch my local team, Forest Green Rovers, attempt to become the first village club to make it into one of the four divisions that constitute the English Football League. A club that, since being saved from administration by an environmentalist millionaire, have banned all meat products at their ground and use cow manure rather than chemicals to fertilise the pitch.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has praised predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch's "great legacy" to the sports world during a visit to Spain, where he also met the country's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Russian doping chief turned whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov has offered to work alongside the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in order to prove his sensational claims of systemic illegal drug use by home athletes during Sochi 2014.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has admitted his organisation is "not immune" from wrongdoing following talks on corruption in sport.

Members of the Association of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Recognised Sports (ARISF) have been encouraged to embrace the Olympic Channel to further develop their respective sports following a meeting with the IOC.

A lobbying process has begun for two new spots on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board due to vice-presidents Sir Craig Reedie and Nawal El Moutawakel each standing-down later this year.

As votes were being cast to elect the new President of SportAccord on Friday (April 22), leading candidate Patrick Baumann could be spotted trotting around the Swiss Tech Convention Centre, chatting to delegates while periodically taking phone calls.

Syrian swimmer Ibrahim Al Hussein has been named as the Torchbearer who will carry the Olympic flame on behalf of refugee athletes in Athens next Tuesday (April 26).

The Rio 2016 Olympic flame is now well underway in its majestic progress across Greece before making for Brazil, but there is something about the surroundings in Ancient Olympia that make the start of the journey very special indeed. The lighting ceremony has the capacity to inspire many emotions, but for the athletes of the world it serves as the ultimate clarion call for the Games.

A global promotional campaign entitled “Together we can change the world” has been launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in an effort to communicate their vision of building a better world through sport.