London 2012 has revealed the first details of the route of the 70-day, 8,000-mile Torch Relay of Britain ahead of next year’s Olympics, starting at Land’s End in Cornwall on May 19, a year from now.

London 2012 officials announced 74 locations where 8,000 torchbearers will carry the flame after it arrives from Greece on May 18, 2012. The relay is being presented by London 2012 Tier One partner Lloyds TSB and Olympic worldwide sponsors Coca-Cola and Samsung.

The torch will pass through England’s major cities, the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as remote outposts including the Isle of Lewis. Dublin is also set to be officially confirmed as a stop on June 7 when it is set to travel from Belfast to the Irish capital, before departing for Glasgow, its first stop in Scotland, where it will spend eight days.

The flame will spend an entire week in London, the staging city for the Games – arriving in Waltham Forest on July 21 – before it is used to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium on Friday, July 27.

it is estimated that 95 per cent of the population will be within a one hour journey time of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe stated: “The Olympic Flame will shine a light right across every Nation and Region of the UK and showcase the very best of who we are and where we live.

“The first locations on the route confirmed today give a flavour of the reach the Olympic Torch Relay will have around the UK and how extensive the opportunity for starting to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games will be.”

Many thousands more people are expected to celebrate along the route each day and Hugh Robertson, the Sport and Olympics Minister, added: “The Olympic Torch Relay brings London 2012 to the doorsteps of the UK giving everybody the chance to celebrate the London Games.

“It’s a magnificent showcase for the country and a chance to mark the achievements of inspirational people in our communities.”

Coe is due to announce at a press conference later today, May 18, how to apply to become one of the 8,000 people chosen to carry the Torch.

SRO Motorsports Group have announced an agreement with CBS Sports Network to air same-day coverage of the 2014 season of the Blancpain GT Series, prescription as part of the long-running CBS Sports Spectacular series.

CBS Sports Network the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, anabolics airs more than 400 live events annually and is widely available in the United States and Canada through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and DISH Network Channel 158.

The coverage of the Blancpain GT Series will consist of same day “ as live “ coverage of the Blancpain Sprint Series races, with a subsequent repeat airing. The Blancpain Endurance Series (including the Total 24 hours of Spa) will also be covered through same day one hour highlight programmes.

Stephane Ratel (Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group): “At SRO we are extremely happy to have reached this agreement with CBS Sports Network. In addition to the existing coverage, this means that the Blancpain GT Series is now televised live, or same day as live, across the globe – further proof that our series provides attractive and exciting racing and is appreciated by race fans worldwide.”

Brazilian soccer player Neymar has been ranked as the most marketable athlete on the planet again, order topping SportsPro’s annual 50 Most Marketable Athletes list, mind produced in association with Eurosport, for a second successive year.

It is the first time that an athlete has retained the title in the four years SportsPro has published the list, which ranks athletes from across the world according to their marketing potential over the next three years. Criteria included age, home market, charisma, willingness to be marketed and crossover appeal. LeBron James and Usain Bolt have previously headed the list.

FC Barcelona player Lionel Messi was ranked second this year, with Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy taking third place. The full World’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes list, in association with Eurosport, is published in the June edition of SportsPro magazine.

SportsPro editor-in-chief David Cushnan said: “We ranked Neymar as the most marketable athlete in the world last year and there was really no argument for demoting him this time round. He is poised to be the star of next year’s World Cup, in Brazil, and he still has a blockbuster move to a European club potentially ahead of him. His superstar status and obvious talent make him a magnet for brands in one of the world’s rising economies. He’s everything a brand would want in an endorser and all the signs are his career has not even peaked yet.

“This year’s list also recognises the huge potential for brands in women’s sport, with more female athletes than ever making our 50 and the WTA stars showing the way to their peers. There is also recognition of the huge growth potential in Paralympic sport, with Alan Oliveira poised to be the poster boy for Rio’s Games in three years’ time.”

This year’s list features more women than ever before, 14, including five representatives from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour – Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova and Laura Robson. The other women on the list are golfers Yani Tseng and Stacy Lewis, racing driver Danica Patrick, swimmer Missy Franklin, skier Lindsey Vonn, ice skater Kim Yu-Na, soccer player Alex Morgan, jockey Katie Walsh and cricketer/soccer player Ellyse Perry.

There are 19 new entries, including Vincent Kompany, Virat Kohli and David Rudisha. There are representatives from 23 countries, with 17 coming from the USA and seven from the United Kingdom.

The list features nine soccer players, including four from the Premier League – Kompany, Jack Wilshere, Shinji Kagawa and Gareth Bale. There are eight representatives from tennis, six from motorsport, five golfers, four basketball players and two each from athletics, ice hockey and boxing. Cricket, American football, swimming, baseball, snowboarding/skateboarding, cycling, mixed martial arts, skiing, ice skating, racing and para-athletics are all represented by a single athlete. Perry, who plays both cricket and soccer for the Australian national team, completes the 50.

Istanbul have entered the race for September 13th 2013 in Buenos Aires.

This will be the announcement date for the 2020 Olympic Games. 

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially confirmed Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

The announcement was made during a speech to open the European Youth Olympic Festival at the H. Avin Aker Stadium in Trabzon.

The city previously mounted four consecutive failed bids, for the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Istanbul will face Madrid, Rome and Tokyo and, possibly, Doha.

“These Games will directly affect Istanbul’s candidancy,” said Erdogan.

“Turkey is strong enough to stage this fantastic event.”

In its position as official automotive partner to the London 2012 Games, ed BMW has added ten British Olympic hopefuls to its Performance Team, doctor including Beijing 2008 gold medallists Rebecca Adlington, anesthetist Tim Brabants and David Weir.

The newly-recruited athletes join 12 existing brand ambassadors who signed up to be a part of BMW’s Performance Team in January, with other athletes including double-gold winning Paralympian Ellie Simmonds and diver Tom Daley.

The 22 athletes will share thoughts about their preparations ahead of the London 2012 Games on the company’s website and will also utilise BMW’s technological and performance expertise as they build up to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A BMW statement said: “The BMW London 2012 Performance Team is an initiative designed to support British athletes as they prepare for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With the understanding that even the smallest change can make a big difference to performance, BMW will be working with the athletes to support them.”

Rio’s Government has launched a US$378m international competition, in partnership with the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB) and coordinated by the Instituto Rio 2014/2016, to design the Olympic Park master plan for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Park is spread over more than a million square metres and is due to host 15 different competitions during the Games with some of the facilities being permanent and others might be used for other purposes after the Olympics, including setting up the Olympic Training Centre (TOC) which it is hoped will train future elite members of Brazil’s Olympic team.

At least least 60 per cent of the area will be used after the Games for projects like hotels, and commercial and residential use and according to Rio’s Economic Development Secretary, Felipe Goes, the projects will have to take into consideration the existing facilities built for the 2007 Pan-American Games.

The majority of the facilities will be built on Rio’s race track – the Nelson Piquet Autodrome in Jacarepagua, which will be demolished as part of the redevelopment.

Officials also stressed that the environmental aspects of the project will be taken into consideration, such as the low water and energy use and the preservation of nearby lagoons.

Felipe Garcia, the secretary of Municipal Development for Rio, stated: “The chosen project must consider environmental concerns and avoid unnecessary Governmental expenditures.

“The project is of paramount importance, because the world will see the Games through the Olympic Park.

“The winner is the one that best combine the Olympics infrastructure with an excellent exploration of the urban area.”

Companies will have to present the projects by the end of June and foreign firms can enter providing they have an office or representative in Brazil. The winning project is due to be announced by mid-July.

The jury that will decide the winner will consist of representatives from Rio 2016, the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), Rio City Hall, the Federal Government, five consultants from IAB and two international judges.

Another contest will be held to choose the design of the facilities, with the President of Rio 2016 and the COB, Carlos Nuzman adding: “The concern is we will be ready to stage the test events a year before.

“But the IOC are satisfied that we are acting within the time and have enough time to build the Olympic Park.”