Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games bid committee have revealed public support for the Games’ bid is increasing once again.

Following an International Olympic Committee (IOC) survey announced last May that showed 47 per cent supported the bid, support for the bid has increased and the latest figures as of October 2012 show that more than 8.5 million Tokyo residents are now in favour of the bid.

A poll was conducted by Tokyo 2020 with 400 phone calls between October 10 and October 22 that revealed sixty-seven per cent of Tokyo’s residents are supporting the bid’s effort to host the Games in the city, and a variety of opinion polls indicate that more than 80 million people in Japan back the bid.

Tokyo are competing with Istanbul and Madrid to hold the 2020 Summer Games The decision will be made in September 2013. 

The London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) today opened the doors to the UK’s latest official London 2012 Shop.

The Hyde Park shop was officially opened by Sir Steve Redgrave, bronchi five times gold medal winning Olympian.

At 12,000 sq ft, the shop will be London’s largest ever ‘pop up’ shop.

Located on Rotten Row in the south of Hyde Park, the single storey temporary structure shop is expected to attract thousands of visitors a day.

The shop is the only location outside the Olympic Park where fans can buy London 2012 Official Olympic Venue Collection merchandise; Coca-Cola Olympic merchandise including highly coveted Coca-Cola Olympic and Paralympic Games pin badges; one-of-a-kind signed memorabilia and a collection of giftware produced by The Royal Parks.

Later this month, customers will get the chance to have their photo taken with the Olympic Torch in the Coca-Cola Official Pin Trading Centre and create a personalised pin badge. There will also be special athlete visits throughout the course of the Games.

adidas, official sportswear partner of the London 2012 Games, will share their passion for sports by providing three sport specific challenges for visitors to prove their skills with rewards and prizes to be won.

LOCOG chief executive, Paul Deighton said: “With just over two weeks to go until the Games, now is the time to show your support for London 2012 and for Team GB and ParalympicsGB.

“Our latest shop, London’s largest ever pop up shop, offers something for everybody at every price point – from one off excusive collectables to children’s toys.

“As well as giving people the opportunity to show their support, merchandise is also an important revenue source for funding the Games.”

The Royal Parks’ Chief Executive, Linda Lennon CBE said: “In addition to hosting the Olympic Triathlon and Marathon Swim Events in Hyde Park, we are also proud to play host to the largest London 2012 Shop in the capital.”

“The shop is a superb accompaniment to the array of events and activities happening this summer and we look forward to welcoming the world to Hyde Park.”

The store is open until 16 September.

UEFA President Michel Platini revealed yesterday, April 20, that it will decide at the beginning of May which candidate to back in the forthcoming FIFA election campaign.

Platini insisted that European soccer’s governing body had not yet decided whether to support the present incumbent or his challenger, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Platini is expected to lobby European federations to support Blatter as the 75-year-old revealed that, if elected for a fourth term, it would be his last. The Frenchman is thought to be keen on the FIFA Presidency himself and would undoubtedly have longer to wait in his pursuit, were Bin Hammam to takeover the helm.

Platini did not say whether he had read either manifesto of the candidates after Blatter released his statement yesterday, but said UEFA would make public its decision a month before the June 1 vote in Zurich.

Platini, speaking after the official hand-over of the Champions League trophy to London ahead of next month’s final at Wembley, stated: “I will make a statement at the beginning of May about the position of UEFA.”

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has revealed today the appointment of Sam Chadwick as FFA Cup General Manager.

The appointment of Chadwick is another step towards the integration of the grassroots with the elite end of the game. The FFA Cup is due to launch in 2014.

Chadwick, find who has been a member of the FFA Cup Major Project Group, symptoms will report to Head of Hyundai A-League Damien de Bohun and will be responsible for the launch and ongoing operations of the FFA Cup.

Chadwick has spent the last two years at FFA as Legal Counsel (Regulatory) and moves into the FFA Cup General Manager role on the back of strong relationships with the State and Territory Member Federations and Hyundai A-League clubs, who are central to the success of the FFA Cup.

“This is an exciting appointment as we move towards launching the FFA Cup,” said Head of Hyundai A-League Damien de Bohun. “The FFA Cup is an important component of our long term strategy of integrating the different tiers of football in Australia, and converting the growing legion of 1.7million participants into fans.

“Sam has extensive experience in the business of sport, sports law, sports regulation, project management and strategic planning. In addition to his relevant legal and business management experience and qualifications, his leadership will be invaluable to the ultimate success of the FFA Cup.”

Wheelchair basketball team, Galatasaray Abe Lions becoming World Club Champions has boosted Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as it shows disability sports are prospering in the nation.

Following Turkey’s record performance at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, there has been a surge in Paralympic sports in Turkey. Turkey says its mission is to set new national and international benchmarks in barrier-free living through hosting the 2020 Paralympic Games.

Istanbul 2020 bid committee executive Ali Kiremitcioglu said: “Galatasaray’s success in the World Club Championships in recent years illustrates the growing strength of disability sport in Turkey, as well as ensuring that it remains high on the public agenda and at the forefront of people’s minds. Promoting and supporting disability sport is a fundamental aspect of our bid.

“London 2012 was an inspiration to us and the people of Turkey, and we hope to recreate that effect, particularly among young people. Our delegation grew from 16 athletes in Beijing to 67 athletes in London, and our medal tally increased from two to ten. Turkey can look forward with great optimism to Rio and beyond, because Paralympic sport here is growing and improving all the time.”

Istanbul’s Olympic Training Centre will have dedicated facilities to support Paralympic athletes in 2020. Transport systems will be enhanced for the specific requirements of Paralympic athletes throughout both Games.

All 21 venues nominated for Paralympic competition, as well as the Paralympic Village, will be designed or upgraded to meet international accessibility standards, supporting the development of new accessibility benchmarks in architecture and urban design in Istanbul and Turkey.

United States Olympic Committee (USOC) sponsors Ralph Lauren announced that the uniforms it will make for the U.S. Olympic team’s use at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia will be manufactured in the USA.

USOC also said Friday that the uniforms for the ceremonies at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be made in the United States.

Ralph Lauren said in a statement: “We have committed to producing the Opening and Closing ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games.”

Ralph Lauren’s statement comes after lawmakers raised questions following information that the uniforms for this year’s summer Games in London were made in China.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the controversy over Ralph Lauren making the US Olympics uniform in China put the state of the US fashion industry in the spotlight with members of Congress expressing outrage over the Committee’s decision to allow national team members appear in uniforms manufactured in China.

The fashion company also said: “Ralph Lauren promises to lead the conversation within our industry and our government to address the issue to increase manufacturing in the United States.”

British Olympic Association (BOA) chief executive Andy Hunt has claimed that the media were largely to blame in the bitter financial dispute between his organisation and London 2012 regarding any surplus from the Games, stating that it was unfairly “jumped upon” simply because it was the first major crack to appear in the preparation for the Games.

An agreement on the issue was reached earlier this week after the BOA dropped their case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after reaching resolution which is weighted heavily in favour of London 2012.

The organising committee were strongly supported by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the British Government throughout.

Hunt stated: “I think the issue got unprecedented media attention mainly because LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) have done a fantastic job on delivering the venues and planning for the Games.

“Therefore, everyone was looking for some little crack, some form of bad news.

“It was then that this row came along and it was jumped upon, perhaps unfairly so, and the crack was really opened up.

“Thing got blown out of all proportion but I maintain that this was a narrow, technical dispute about the interpretation of a contract.

“We have now agreed on the interpretation and we have now agreed on how we are going to work in partnership.

“We are very happy as we got clarification about how the payments will be made after the Games, in terms of if a surplus is created, and we are now working in partnership heading into London 2012.”

During the row, both Hunt and BOA chairman Colin Moynihan, the main driving force in the campaign to raise extra money for their struggling financial accounts, were suspended from the London 2012 Board, but both are now set to be able to resume their positions.

Hunt claims that the row has actually helped strengthen the relationship between the two parties, adding: “We have had a great relationship in with LOCOG over the years but I think all this has really strengthened our partnership whether it is in terms of operational planning for the Games, whether it is getting support from sponsors in planning for the next Olympic cycle or indeed making sure that we can build the best team in London with the best possible support network.

“There was no ‘climbdown’ from us as we now have a better understanding about what was agreed between LOCOG and Government, which was unclear before.

“It is a win-win for both of us and I’m just pleased that we’ve got that dispute over and done with and that we’re all working in partnership heading into London 2012.”