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Matthias Steiner in a TV advertisement spot

The relationship between German Soccer Leage and German Sport Aid (Deutsche Sporthilfe) culminated in an action when 36 clubs of the league dramatized great media focus on the work of 'Deutsche Sporthilfe' and on more than 50 other branches of sports. On one of the league days in all stadiums athletes representing 'Deutsche Sporthilfe' were entitled to kick off, of course broadcasted all over Germany. Besides this moment all the league teams wore their shirts decorated with the logo of 'Deutsche Sporthilfe'. One of the sponsors of 'Deutsche Sporthilfe' offered 1000 Euros as an extraordinary support after all goals of the day. Finally they added 30000 Euros to the Sports Aid movement. At the same time with this match day a nationwide TV advertising campaign started with famous football stars like Asamoah, Benaglio and coach Felix Magath together with top athletes like Steffi Nerius, Matthias Steiner. They all poularize the activities and aims of 'Deutsche Sporthilfe'. On behalf of all 4000 athletes supported by 'Deutsche Sporthilfe' the Best German Athlete of 2008, Steiner summed up the importance of day. 'Both parties may enjoy all the benefits of this promotion. It is really very adventegous for us to know professional soccer stands up for all the other sports enjoying little media attention and pale limelight. At the same time soccer society gains more social prestige by supporting the idea like this on a noble way.'Further info: www.sporthilfe.de(by Athletik

One Hundred and Ten Countries Have Now Ratified UNESCO Convention

With Malawi having completed its ratification procedure, 110 countries out of the 193 UNESCO Member States have now ratified the International Convention against Doping in Sport, which came into force on February 1, 2007. The UNESCO Convention is the practical instrument by which governments formalize their commitment to the fight against doping. Given that many governments cannot be bound by a non-governmental document such as the World Anti-Doping Code (the document harmonizing anti-doping rules in all sports and countries), the Convention permits governments to align their domestic policies with the Code, thus harmonizing the rules governing anti-doping in sport and public legislation.

PREVIEW Oceania & South Pacific Sr. & Jr. Championships and Arafura Games

The 2009 Oceania and South Pacific Senior & Junior Championships will be held in conjunction with the Arafura Games in the city of Darwin , Australia . The Arafura Games is open to any country in the world and they are held in Darwin every two years. Darwin is situated in the Northern Territory - right up at the very top of Australia. It is the nearest Australian city to Asia . The Oceania Congress will be held on May 12th, whilst the competition dates are the 13th, 14th 15th May. So far 12 countries have entered. They are: Australia , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Nauru , Kiribati , Palau , Fiji , Samoa, Niue , Solomon Islands , New Caledonia , Tonga . These countries are also competing in the Arafura Games and OWF expect also to have a few more countries from South East Asia entering in the Arafura Games. (Paul

Lindenwood University has added men’s and women’s Olympic weightlifting to its varsity sports menu.

Lindenwood University has added men's and women's Olympic weightlifting to its varsity sports menu. The new programs represent the 45th and 46th teams at LU - the most of any college in the nation - and will begin operation during the 2009-10 school year. Lindenwood alumnus Derrick Johnson, a weightlifter and coach in the St. Louis area, will coordinate the school's program. With the addition of Olympic weightlifting, Lindenwood now sponsors 30 sports that are represented in the Olympics. Collegiate weightlifting's biggest prize is the National Collegiate Championships each

Finalists for the 2009 Laureus Sports Awards have been announced

A glittering collection of the world's greatest sports stars have been nominated for the 10th Laureus World Sports Awards, following a ballot by the world's media. Many of the nominations reflect the highly successful Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Beijing. The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. A selection panel of the world's leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters vote to create a shortlist of six nominations in each of seven categories: World Sportsman of the Year, World Sportswoman of the Year, World Team of the Year, World Breakthrough of the Year and World Comeback of the Year,World Sportsperson of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year with a DisabilityAmong the major contests between Olympians for Laureus Awards which have been triggered by the votes of the media from 112 countries. Among 7 categories there is Laureus World Comeback of the Year. Among 6 nominees there is Matthias Steiner (No one can forget the moment in Beijing when Matthias Steiner climbed on to the rostrum to receive his super-heavyweight gold medal, clutching a picture of his wife Susann who died in a car crash a year earlier. They had planned that she would come to Beijing with him. Since the accident, Steiner had flung himself into his sport as if it was the only thing that could make life bearable and in his very last lift in the competition he triumphantly raised 258kg to take the gold medal. He said: "I managed to lift it because I had this strong, innermost urge.")Vitali Klitschko (Ukraine) - regained World Heavyweight Championship at 37 after four years outAnna Meares (Australia) - won Olympic silver medal eight months after breaking neck in cycle crashGreg Norman (Australia) - finished 3rd in British Open golf at the age of 53, while on his honeymoonMatthias Steiner (Germany) - won weightlifting Olympic gold a year after his wife died in car crashMaarten van der Weijden (Netherlands) - won Olympic swimming gold medal after beating leukaemiaTiger Woods (US) - returned two months after serious knee injury to win US Open golf championship further details: http://www.laureus.com/awards/2009/nominees Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses said: "This has been a great year for sport and the Academy are going to find it extremely difficult to decide who to vote for as winners. This is always the case in an Olympics year, but we have has some very strong performances from the non-Olympic sports. I congratulate all the

All lifters of European Championships ( Thanks to IWA Special Service)

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