Sponsorship consultancy Synergy has appointed Josh Robinson as Head of Digital, it was revealed today.

He will be responsible for digital strategy across all of Synergy’s clients, and for leading Synergy’s fast-growing digital division, which has pioneered digital and social media innovation in sponsorship for clients including BMW, Coca-Cola and RBS.

He will also join the 450-strong digital community at Engine, the UK’s largest privately-owned communications group, of which Synergy is a part. Engine recently appointed Alex Balfour, formerly Head of New Media at London 2012, as Chief Digital Officer.

Robinson was previously at media rights holder Sports Revolution, where he led work for UEFA, the RFU and the Football League, which included the strategic and creative direction of StadiumLIVE, a multi-million pound Connected Stadium project.

Robinson also founded the world’s first sponsorship and social media consultancy and was Head of Strategy and Creative at Experience Worldwide, and counts SAP, Heineken, Coca-Cola, Nissan, Canon and PlayStation in an impressive client history.

Robinson said: “This is a renaissance period for sponsorship. Crowds thrive where technology, social media and shared passions come together. To say I’m looking forward to helping Synergy’s clients unlock the largely untapped potential of sponsorship and digital is an understatement’. 

Tim Crow, Chief Executive of Synergy added: “Josh is recognized internationally as a leader on the cutting edge of digital and sponsorship and will add tremendous strategic, creative and operational value to us and our clients. Together with Alex Balfour he will ensure that we remain absolutely at the forefront of thought leadership in digital and sponsorship, and is testament to our ability to attract the very best talent.”

The Asian countries of China, Japan and Korea have revealed their intention to bid to host the 2019 FINA World Championships, and eventually for the 2021 edition.

The countries however have not said what cities will be bidding to host the events.

Formal bids will be submitted by April, with FINA choosing the 2019 host in July in Barcelona, at next year’s World Championships.

On July 2013 the Presentation of the Bid by each NF/City to the FINA Bureau at a meeting will be held during the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP); followed by the FINA Bureau voting and awarding the 18th FINA World Championships 2019, and eventually the 19th edition in 2021.

Before 2019 and 2021, the 15th FINA World Championships will take place in Barcelona (ESP) from July 19-August 4, 2013, while the 16th and 17th edition will take place respectively in Kazan (RUS) in 2015 and Guadalajara (MEX) in 2017.

The International Olympic Committee is hoping a Chinese company will join its TOP sponsorship programme for the next instalment of the Games.

IOC marketing head, medic Gerhard Heiberg said that in the past the TOP program has mainly attracted western companies that have experience in sports marketing but the IOC aims to make the programmes more universal.

According to Heiberg, most major Asian companies, particularly those from China, had little knowledge of sports marketing was up until the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He said that TOP programme member, Samsung, has benefitted greatly from sport sponsorship and is committed to the program through to 2016.

Heiberg hinted the number of sponsorships on offer under the TOP program may be reduced when the program is reviewed in 2020. The TOP program is currently limited to 12 companies. The IOC has deals with 11.{jcomments on}

Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia has announced that he is to stand for election to be President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), claiming to already have the backing of Asia.

Prince Tunku is currently the vice-president and hopes to succeed the current incumbent of the position, Jamaica’s Mike Fennell.

Tunku, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, hopes to replace Fennell who has led the CGF since being elected at Victoria in 1994. The Jamaican is yet to declare publicly whether he plans to stand again at this year’s elections, due to be held at the CGF’s meeting at St Kitts and Nevis from November 11 to 13.

Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, the secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), stated: “Fennell had voiced his intention to step down after the New Delhi Commonwealth Games last year, after holding the post for 17 years.

“If Tunku Imran wins, he will become the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) member elected as the CGF president, which will give a new height to the Federation.”

Prince Tunku, 63, is a former Malaysian squash champion and was President of the International Squash Rackets Federation from 1989 to 1996. A graduate of Nottingham University, he is a qualified barrister and he has been President of the OCM since 1998.

The launch of Prince Tunku’s candidature is due to be formally announced during the CGF’s Executive Board meeting in Kuala Lumpur next month and Chi added: “We hope that the federation, made up of 71 members of the former British empire, will unanimously support Tuanku Imran.”

Opta, sale ed a specialist in the collection and distribution of detailed performance data for soccer matches throughout Europe, has broaden its portfolio after agreeing a multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS).

Opta has become the official competition-related statistics partner of league, allowing MLS to introduce Opta’s sports information to the MLSsoccer.com website, participating broadcasters and other media outlets.

Opta are the official data provider to the German Bundesliga, providing in-depth live and historical data to the league’s official website, and also work with a number of major broadcasters, publishers, sponsors, governing bodies and professional clubs.

Chris Schlosser, director of digital strategy for MLS, said: “For many years we have heard a desire from our fans for more in-depth statistics. We are very excited to partner with Opta to bring this critical information to our passionate fans. This deal will allow for deeper analysis of all MLS matches and ensure that MLS is at the cutting edge of data technologies in 2011 and beyond.”

MLS and Opta are planning to build a new North American data collection hub in MLS’ digital headquarters in New York, where hundreds of MLS and other North American soccer games will be analysed.

Aidan Cooney, chief executive of Opta, added: “This is a very exciting new step for our business. Our pioneering technology creates digital blueprints of each match, enabling rich statistical and graphical insights into the game’s tactics and strategies. This is an opportunity to take soccer to a new, but statistics hungry, audience in the United States.”

Former England captain Andrew Strauss has suggested he will not put himself forward to replace Hugh Morris as managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Strauss was thought to be the firm favourite for the role, but he is believed to have withdrawn his name from an ECB shortlist of possible successors.

Strauss enjoyed his first summer as part of the Sky Sports commentary team, and he feels the time may not be right for him to take up a place on the ECB board.

“I think it is a great job, an important job, one that needs to be done properly,” Strauss told the Daily Telegraph.

“But is it the right time for me? I’m still close to the players. And there are a lot of other things I would like to pursue.”

Strauss has followed fellow former England captains Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton into the commentary box rather than take up a role as a coach or an administrator.

But the 36-year-old insists they are helping to introduce a wider audience to the game, although he did not rule out a job within the game in the future.

“Having spent the summer in the commentary box it became clear how passionate those guys are about the game of cricket,” Strauss said. “They want it to grow, reach new audiences.

“And they’ve chosen that medium as a way of helping it do just that. I definitely feel I want to make a difference to the game.

“That probably means I don’t just want to be an observer forever. But I enjoy the balance I have at the moment.”

Japanese Olympic Committee head Tsunekazu Takeda is adamant Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara resignation will not affect Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

On Thursday Ishihara resigned his post to concentrate on setting up his own political party.

Takeda said: “To be honest, I never thought (Ishihara) would resign. I don’t think this will have major impact (on the bid).

“Governor Ishihara has demonstrated strong leadership for Tokyo’s Olympic and Paralympic aspirations ever since Tokyo’s race for the 2016 Games, and he has been a fervent supporter of Tokyo’s efforts to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well.

“Tokyo’s bid is supported by every different level of the Japanese society, from local and national governments, to the sport community and across all business sectors.

“We are confident that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue providing support for the bid and that Governor Ishihara’s resignation will have no impact on our campaign. With his enthusiasm remaining with us, Tokyo 2020’s bid effort remains focused on providing the best possible stage for athletes. Over the next 11 months, we will continue to work closely with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to win the right to host the 2020 Games.”

Kyodo News reports that Ishihara hoped that Vice Gov. Naoki Inose, a reform-minded journalist, will succeed him as Tokyo leader. But if a new governor is sceptical of the bid, it could be jeopardized, reports Kyodo.

Takeda said, “we will tell the next governor of the necessity of the bid and continue our activities”.

Tokyo 2020 will be inspected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) March 4-7, 2013, and the host city of the 2020 Games will be elected September 7.

Madrid and Istanbul are competing with Tokyo for the 2020 Games.

did not think it would affect Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. He said, “to be honest, I never thought (Ishihara) would resign. I don’t think this will have major impact (on the bid)”.

Takeda added, “Governor Ishihara has demonstrated strong leadership for Tokyo’s Olympic and Paralympic aspirations ever since Tokyo’s race for the 2016 Games, and he has been a fervent supporter of Tokyo’s efforts to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well.

“Tokyo’s bid is supported by every different level of the Japanese society, from local and national governments, to the sport community and across all business sectors.

“We are confident that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue providing support for the bid and that Governor Ishihara’s resignation will have no impact on our campaign. With his enthusiasm remaining with us, Tokyo 2020’s bid effort remains focused on providing the best possible stage for athletes. Over the next 11 months, we will continue to work closely with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to win the right to host the 2020 Games”.

Kyodo News reports that Ishihara hoped that Vice Gov. Naoki Inose, a reform-minded journalist, will succeed him as Tokyo leader. But if a new governor is sceptical of the bid, it could be jeopardized, reports Kyodo.

Takeda said, “we will tell the next governor of the necessity of the bid and continue our activities”.

Tokyo 2020 will be inspected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) March 4-7, 2013, and the host city of the 2020 Games will be elected September 7.

Madrid and Istanbul are competing with Tokyo for the 2020 Games.

London Bus workers have been offered new Olympics working pay deal as companies try to avert the threat of any more strikes in the run-up to the Games.

Members of the Unite union staged a 24-hour walkout last month over a claim for a £500 bonus for working during the Olympics.

Another planned strike last week was called off to allow further talks between the union and bus companies at conciliation service Acas, site but the threat of a new walkout just three days before the start of the Games remained.

John Woods, Acas deputy chief conciliator, said: “Following six days of negotiations, talks between the London bus companies and Unite have reached a conclusion. An offer has been made, the details of which Unite will be reporting back to its representatives. The details of the offer remain confidential.”