An expected announcement is set to be made by Mohamed Bin Hammam to confirm his candidacy for the FIFA presidential elections at a press conference in Malaysia on Friday.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president has been vocal in his criticism of world soccer’s governing body, of which he is a member, of late and in particular the presidential reign of current incumbent Sepp Blatter. Bin Hammam announced via his Twitter account that he would confirm his position on the matter, after months of speculation, at the press conference at AFC House.

The Qatari national is believed to be the main challenger to Blatter although others, including journalist Grant Wahl, have also dropped heavy hints over their intention to run for the post.

Bin Hammam announced: “I will clarify my position regarding the FIFA presidency elections, which take place in June 2011. I will hold a press conference on Friday, 18 March, at 13:00 at AFC House.”

Bin Hammam has outlined his policy manifesto by previously saying: “I would call for more transparency in FIFA, to widen the decision-making base and bodies within FIFA. I’d engage stakeholders more and give them a real platform to express their wishes. We should respect the clubs and it is for the clubs also to respect the member associations.”

At World Taekwondo Day, World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) pledged they will push for taekwondo’s inclusion in the 2020 Paralympic Games Programme, as they gear up for the third WTF World Para Taekwondo Championships in Aruba.

World Taekwondo Day is celebrated to commemorate the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to adopt taekwondo onto the Olympic program at the IOC Session in Paris on September 4, 1994.

The 2012 World Taekwondo Day celebrated the sport’s success in London, and renewed the WTF’s push for inclusion in the Paralympic Games.

Dr. Chungwon Choue, President of the WTF, said: “Taekwondo is the fastest growing martial art and one of the biggest booming sports around the world. Young and old, male and female, people from all religions and cultures have taken up taekwondo. London 2012 was a resounding success, and the fairest and most dynamic event in our history.”

Jean-Marie Ayer, WTF Secretary General added: “each year the number of our para-athletes is increasing as the WTF continues to provide everyone with the greatest opportunity to participate in taekwondo, regardless of a disability. The 2012 WTF World Para Taekwondo Championships will take place in Aruba in November and we are expecting entries from Pan America, Europe, Africa and Asia. London 2012 has been an inspirational experience and we want to continue to inspire all walks of life in the on-going pursuit and achievement of excellence.”

Today, diagnosis Visa announced the creation of a VIP Lounge available exclusively to Visa Chase Cardmembers during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Visa’s VIP Lounge will offer a complimentary retreat in the center of the city for Visa Chase Cardmembers to enjoy while attending the Olympic Games.

The VIP Lounge will also host a series of meet-and-greet events for Visa Chase Cardmembers to attend with Olympic athletes, viagra who will sign autographs, ampoule tell their personal Olympic stories and pose for photographs with cardmembers.

Additionally, the VIP Lounge has partnered with celebrity Chef Morimoto to create a pop-up restaurant at the venue throughout the Olympic Games. Visa Chase Cardmembers will enjoy a wide selection of Iron Chef Morimoto’s favorite dishes from his Asian-inspired menu as well as his take on more traditional British and American fare.

Cardmembers can view a full schedule of special events and make a reservation for these extraordinary experiences at to guarantee a spot. General admission to the VIP Lounge during the events and throughout the day is complimentary and does not require a reservation; cardmembers will simply show their Visa Card issued by Chase to enter.

The VIP Lounge will be open daily from 10am – midnight GMT, July 26 through August 12, 2012. The venue is situated in the heart of the West End at 116 Pall Mall, a short walk from the Piccadilly Tube Station and major hotels.

It was announced last Friday, March 11, that Larry Probst and Scott Blackmun of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) have been appointed to key Commissions the International Olympic Committee (IOC), suggesting further signs of a developing relationship between the two bodies.

Probst, the chairman of the USOC, has been given a role with the IOC’s International Relations Commission while Blackmun, the chief executive, has been included on the IOC Marketing Commission.

The relationship was believed to have been damaged by a series of rows over financial disputes, plans to launch a US Olympic television network and Chicago’s humiliating failure to be awarded the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. Since then Probst and Blackmun have spearheaded the campaign to repair the fractured ties.

Blackmun stated: “We are grateful that the IOC has selected us to serve alongside so many important leaders of the Olympic Movement.”

Blackmun’s presence on the Marketing Commission is seen as being of particular significant in light of the long-running financial disputes between the USOC and IOC.

The row over the fact that the USOC continue to receive 20 per cent of the Olympics global sponsorship revenue and 13 per cent of US broadcasting rights has been an open sore in the Olympic Movement for several years and in 2009 contributed to Chicago being knocked out in the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, despite the presence of US President Barack Obama.

The Marketing Commission contains prominent IOC members seen as the leading contenders to replace Jacques Rogge as President when he steps down in 2013, including Germany’s Thomas Bach and Puerto Rico’s Richard Carrion. 

Other members includes Britain’s Sir Craig Reedie, Patrick Hickey, the President of the European Olympic Committees, and Dick Pound, the former President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The inaugural Turkmenistan International Sports Media Forum (TISMF) 2013 came to a close this afternoon after a tour of Ashgabat’s Olympic Complex – the development which will host the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017.

TISMF is the initiative of President of Turkmenistan, unhealthy Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow to enable international media to see the progress of the Olympic Complex. The Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017 will see 17 different sport competitions take place over 11 days – with an expected 5, ambulance 000 athletes from 62 different countries competing at the Complex’s brand new, state-of-the-art venues.

The Chairman of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Sport, Batyr Orazov, spoke about the project:

“This has been a much-anticipated project as everybody looks ahead to the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017. But this development will serve for much longer than these Games – we hope to host many future international sporting events here. The building of Ashgabat’s Olympic Complex is just the beginning for hosting international sport in Turkmenistan.”

High-profile guests and the world’s leading sports journalists first visited the Complex’s luxury media hotel, before touring the Small Indoor Arena (which has 5,000 seats, whilst the Large Indoor Arena has a 15,000 capacity. The media then enjoyed spectacular views of Ashgabat from the comfort of the Complex’s three story restaurant before finishing the tour at the site’s iconic Velodrome (6,000 seats).

Project Coordinator of the Ashgabat Olympic Complex construction project, Osman Karakus, addressed the delegation ahead of their tour of the Complex’s luxury media hotel. Speaking about the project, he commented:

“The Olympic Complex is a purpose built area with modern, state-of-the-art facilities which athletes will look forward to performing in, in 2017. Rapid developments in construction mean that the area will be completely ready well ahead of Ashgabat hosting the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.”

Ashgabat’s Olympic Complex is made up of 15 venues, including two indoor arenas, a velodrome, an indoor athletics facility, tennis centre and an aquatic centre. An athletes’ village is also being built, and is set to contain 12,000 beds once completed. Already 400,000 km of cabling has been laid under the complex and the 800-room luxury media hotel is already 80% complete.

Michael Cole, former London 2012 Marketing and Communications Director for BT Global Services, commented on the Complex:

“I have seen a number of sporting complexes and Olympic parks. Ashgabat’s Olympic complex is an exceptional development where athletes will be proud to represent their countries at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and at other major international sporting events that I am sure Turkmenistan will host in the future.”

Photographs of Ashgabat’s Olympic Complex and the tour will be available on the Turkmenistan International Sports Media Forum 2013 website: www.tismf.com.