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.

MARCH 7 - AUSTRALIA created history today in Dubai when they won the inaugural women's tournament at the World Cup Rugby Sevens as Wales upset the odds to win the men's event.

MARCH 8 - A PARLIAMENTARY debate into the proposed united British football team for the London 2012 Olympics is to be held on Tuesday and attended by former Scotland manager Craig Brown.