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France Rugby League has pulled out of hosting next year's Rugby League World Cup after not really gaining enough sponsorship funding to host the tournament. With France hosting this year's Rugby World cup and full focus on the Paris 2024 Olympics, just not enough money to go around. All this on the back of France taking over from South Africa who were original hosts for the tournament, citing the same financial constraints. Already offers to host the event have come from the Middle East with Qatar and archrivals in everything, United Arab Emirates, raising their hands as potential hosts. A possible and very viable hosting option has come from New Zealand RL but only if Australia Rugby League agrees to joint host - for a later event in 2025. No word from UK Rugby League as to their intentions yet. Rugby League was the professional working-class breakaway version from the then middle/upper class unpaid amateur Union game. League was considered a step up from Union as well monied clubs began to buy up players in the late 1980s through to 1995 when Union became professional. Since then League has slowly fallen into Union's now massive shadow but still has player power with men and women "cross coding" to play in either version. World Rugby League will decide on the next host later this year.

I have an 1988 Olympic pin from the Qatar baseball team. It was given to me by a US coach from the Qatar baseball team while I was in Seoul in 1988. I want to get some idea of value. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

The Qatar Olympic Committee has announced it's interest in hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Qatar unsuccessfully bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in both 2016 and 2020. The Qatari capital of Doha hosted the 2006 Asian Games, an event which was seen to have encouraged them to bid for other global events. This included the FIFA World Cup, which Qatar will host in 2022 after being controversially awarded the tournament in 2010. This was despite the bid process being the subject of allegations of bribery and corruption. Similar allegations also surrounded the World Athletics Championships, which the country hosted last year. Opponents have claimed Qatar has used major sporting events to improve its image amid a poor human rights record, and criticism of migrants' rights at World Cup construction sites. Qatar is also bidding for the 2027 Asian Cup, and is set to be in a head-to-head battle with Saudi Arabia for the hosting rights for the 2030 Asian Games, with the two neighbours locked in a diplomatic crisis. Following the announcement of the two bidding countries, Amnesty International called on the Olympic Council of Asia to ensure all bids are assessed to identify potential risks. The organisation said the Games should be used to bolster and defend human rights in host countries. - Article