A nationwide poll has shown that 65.7 percent of respondents support Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.

“These results indicate that some 80 million people across the whole of Japan are behind our bid,” Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda said Monday. “This is wonderful news for Tokyo 2020.”

Tokyo’s bid has received the support of the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, both Houses of the Japanese Diet, and, Takeda said that the political, business and sporting communities have declared their full support as well.

The Japanese capital is up against Doha, Qatar; Baku, Azerbaijan; Istanbul; Madrid and Rome. The candidate cities will submit their plans for the games to the International Olympic Committee by February. The IOC will select the host city in September 2013.

Tokyo is promoting its 2020 bid as a symbol of Japan’s recovery from last year’s earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing on Japan’s northeast coast.

Tokyo lost out to Rio de Janeiro in a bid to host the 2016 Games, partly due to lower than expected public support. Bid officials have said they are targeting a support rate of 70 percent for the 2020 campaign.

Football’s governing body Fifa has threatened Togo with an international ban unless its federation holds elections by early November.

The announcement comes weeks after it was discovered that a “fake” Togo side played Bahrain in an international friendly.

Fifa has said it has accepted a request from the Togolese FA (FTF) to extend the deadline for elections, but said no more extensions would be granted.

Fifa released a statement saying: “The [Fifa] emergency committee has made it clear that if elections are not held by 6 November for whatever reason, the FTF will be automatically suspended.

“In addition, the FTF has been requested to send Fifa a new schedule for the elections as soon as possible.”

Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD), drugs Germany, viagra generic has selected their partner Deutsche Telekom and “LiveStream Perform,” powered by Octoshape, as a live streaming solution for the AvD-Oldtimer-Grand-Prix in Nürburgring.

The cloud-based video streaming solution will be leveraged for the live and on-demand streaming of five TV channels to connected devices globally.

The event will take place August 8 – 10 at the legendary Nürburgring circuit with the live stream starting on Friday the 8th at 4:00pm CET. As one of the biggest and most popular vintage car racing events in the world, the track-side audience at Nürburgring has grown to more than 60,000 spectators. 

“The popularity of the Oldtimer Grand Prix is tremendous but we want to continue to expand its visibility to fans both near and far,” said Dr. Andreas Nowack, CEO AvD-Oldtimer-Grand Prix GmbH und Co OHG. For those fans who are unable to join us track-side in Germany, it’s very important that we offer them a first-rate visual experience via connected device no matter where they are. “LiveStream Perform has met our rigorous demands for high-quality multiscreen viewing and is helping us to grow the event on a global level.”

During the two days of the event, the over-the-top Web and mobile cloud-based video delivery solution will capture up to 5 channels for 2 to 3 hours per day. An audience of up to 10,000 people from across North America, EMEA, Latin America and China is expected to tune in.

“Thanks to the easy set-up of LiveStream Perform, expanding the visibility and audience reach of all types of events has never been easier,” said Karim El-Khazen, Vice President at Deutsche Telekom. “Preparing a live stream for the next CEO speech with distribution to all of your multinational office locations or streaming live events like the AvD Oldtimer-Grand Prix to a global audience are only two use cases the solution can perfectly cover.”

Australian Rugby League team, Parramatta Eels are on the look out for a new chief executive after Ken Edwards left the crisis-torn NRL club on Tuesday.

The Eels are currently bottom of the ladder and set for a second successive wooden spoon having lost their last seven matches under coach Ricky Stuart.

It was announced last month that 12 players would be shown the door at the end of this season.

Edwards joined at the start of the season when he became the third chief executive since 2009 after Paul Osborne, who replaced long-standing supremo Dennis Fitzgerald, and Bob Bentley.

The club said Edwards has left by ‘mutual consent’ and was a result of a change of strategic direction following the installation of the new board in May.

“We think he’s one of sport’s great administrators but with a substantial change to the strategic direction of our club both the board and Ken decided we needed to make this call,” chairman Steve Sharp said.

“Two months ago when the new board was elected we wanted to achieve a number of things.

“We want to make the place feel like a football club again and not simply remember our proud history but take the Parramatta Eels forward to a prosperous future.”

Edwards made a number of changes in personnel off the field at the club in his short time at the helm and said he hoped the club’s fortunes would improve.

“It’s been a great honour to work at such a great club as the Parramatta Eels,” he said.

“I genuinely wish the new board, the passionate and loyal members and fans all the best for the future.”

The Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced which venues across Brazil will host Pre-Games Training events.

In total, cheap ed 172 sports venues in 73 cities and 18 states in the five regions of Brazil were considered during the Pre-Games Training Venues Registering and Selection process.

The process took a year to complete as the selection panel sought to identify venues that were able to meet the technical requirements and recommendations of the International Sports Federations. The venues need to meet such exacting standards to ensure that they are suitable for the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees athletes to use before the Games. The Pre-Games period is crucial for the athletes so that they can acclimatize to local conditions and train to reach their peak performance levels for the Games. When selecting the Pre-Games Training venues, apoplectic the Rio 2016 Organising Committee also considered the accessibility of the venue as well as the proximity of airports, hotels and hospitals.

President of Rio 2016, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, said: “Receiving Olympic or Paralympic Delegations is a great opportunity to further the social and economic life of cities. These cities could start to act as sport development centers in their states or regions and develop sport segments. It is also an opportunity for national and international promotion and advertisement of the sport and touristic potential of the involved cities.”

An online guide presenting the Rio 2016 Pre-Games Training Venues will be presented to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Argentine city of Buenos Aires will officially bid to host the 2018 summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG), cheap Gerardo Werthein, capsule President of the Argentine Olympic Committee (AOC) and a Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced.

He has officially submitted a letter to IOC chief, Dr. Jacques Rogge, and also confirmed that they have engaged Vero Communications as lead advisors for their bid. The Argentinian team is in Innsbruck for the launch of the winter edition of the YOG.

Werthein said, “I am happy to confirm that Buenos Aires will bid to host the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018. We believe that Buenos Aires would be an excellent Host City for this exciting new addition to the Olympic sports calendar. 

“We stand ready to be the IOC’s perfect partner for this special event and look forward to formally signing the YOG Candidature documents in March. Our aim is help spread the positive values of Olympism amongst young people in Argentina, South America and across the world.”

Mauricio Macri, Mayor of Buenos Aires, added, “For us it would be an immense privilege to welcome the youth of the world to our city in 2018. Buenos Aires is one of the world´s most exciting and hospitable cities, with first class infrastructure and a true passion for sport.

“We believe we have a lot to offer as a city and as a bid and we are proud to give our full and absolute support to the National Olympic Committee.”

Vero Communications have been brought on board by the Argentine Olympic Committee and Buenos Aires City Government to advise on the bid plan.

Werthein added, “We are delighted that Mike Lee and VERO will be working with us. Mike and his team have a great track-record and have been at the heart of several successful Olympic and sporting campaigns. It is a great start to our bid.”  

Mike Lee OBE, Chairman of VERO, is also working with the Doha 2020 bid for the summer Games.

He said, “Buenos Aires is a vibrant international city with a fantastic sporting and cultural pedigree that would provide an inspiring platform to deliver a memorable Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018. We are honoured to be working with Gerardo and the Mayor on this very exciting project.”

Buenos Aires will host the IOC session in September 2013 when the elections will be held for the 2020 summer Olympics host and the IOC presidency.

South Korean Fifa vice president Chung Mong-joon has dismissed recent speculation that he will stand against Sepp Blatter for the organisation’s presidency next May.

Chung had hinted he could run against Blatter as competition was needed “to keep Fifa healthy”.

But Chung has now said: “The first and foremost goal for me personally and for the South Korean government is to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup. I am not thinking about running for the presidency in 2011.”

Chung also faces his own challenge for his position as Fifa vice president representing the Asian Football Confederation. Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, head of the Jordan Football Association, recently announced his intention to run against Chung for the four-year vice presidency from 2011-2015.

Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers have revealed they are ‘appalled’ at the research gathered from an investigation into the treatment of migrant workers in the country. 

The Guardian have reported that Nepalese workers faced exploitation and died at a rate of almost one a day during this summer in Qatar, where temperatures can reach 50C.

At least 44 workers died between June 4 and August 8, many from heart attacks or heart failure, according to official documents obtained by the newspaper.

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said while construction directly related to the World Cup had yet to start it was committed to providing proper treatment for workers.

A statement said: “Like everyone viewing the video and images, and reading the accompanying texts, we are appalled by the findings presented in The Guardian’s report.

“There is no excuse for any worker in Qatar, or anywhere else, to be treated in this manner.

“The health, safety, well-being and dignity of every worker that contributes to staging the 2022 FIFA World Cup is of the utmost importance to our committee and we are committed to ensuring that the event serves as a catalyst toward creating sustainable improvements to the lives of all workers in Qatar.”

The Qatari government has begun investigating into the allegations. 

The statement continued: “We firmly believe that all workers engaged on our projects, and those of the other infrastructure developers in Qatar, have a right to be treated in a manner that ensures at all times their wellbeing, safety, security, and dignity.

“This is our top priority as we begin to deliver on the promises made in our bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.”

FIFA ‘very concerned’

FIFA have also revealed they are ‘very concerned’ about the findings.

FIFA said in a statement: “FIFA is very concerned about the reports presented by the media regarding labour rights’ abuses and the conditions for construction workers in projects at Lusail City, Qatar.

“FIFA will again get in contact with the Qatari authorities and the matter will also be discussed at the executive committee meeting.”

Travis Apple has been named the Orlando Magic’s senior director of ticket sales, order it was announced today.

Apple will oversee the Magic’s ticket sales function and brings six years of experience to the field.

“We are very excited to have Travis join our organization, sale ” said Chris D’Orso, Magic’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Ticket Operations. “He brings relevant experience and energy to our team, while having strong ties and a great passion for the world of sports.”

Apple most recently served as the director, new business development for the Pittsburgh Pirates, overseeing the Pirates premium seating, new business development, and inside sales staff.  In his role with the Pirates he recruited, trained, and developed ticket sales representatives in those three departments, while also managing the organization’s secondary market relationships.

Prior to the Pirates he spent three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers where he was a leading sales executive in inside sales, new season ticket sales and premium seating.

Apple is a native of Delphos, Ohio and attended Ashland University where he received his degree in Sports Communication, Journalism, and Electronic Media Production.  Travis and his wife, Marlo reside in Orlando.