Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics organisers have revealed that they are planning a “hot snow” programme to overcome any warm weather that may affect their event.

The previous 2010 Vancouver winter games organisers were forced to fly and truck-in snow due to a shortage at the event. Fears that Sochi, apoplectic a Black Sea port city in southern Russia, enjoying a Mediterranean-type climate, may hit the same problems have been allied by organising chief Dmitry Chernyshenko.

In an interview with the BBC he stated: “We have a solid [weather] programme. The climate is a challenge, but the organisers have a strong programme to avoid any risk of cancellation of events because of the weather.”

He said that their “hot snow” programme would provide reliable snow cover in Sochi even at temperatures of up to +15 degrees.

Mr Chernyshenko said the organisers hoped to store enough snow from the previous winter season in case February 2014, when the games are being held, should prove to be unusually warm.

The organising head went on to say that there would also be much work to predict the weather, and if necessary to manage the cloud cover by artificial means.

“Rain is the enemy,” he said, but pointed out that there were numerous scientific institutes in Russia with decades of experience in tracking and observing weather patterns in mountainous areas.

“The Ministry of Defence in Moscow also has the technology to dissolve the [rain] clouds.”

International media rights agency IEC in Sports, has secured rugby media rights in Asia with two separate deals with the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU).

The agency has renewed it’s arrangement to distribute the ARFU Asian 5 Nations, and has also been appointed to distribute two test matches of the Japan national rugby team against Samoa and Italy.

As Japan prepares to host the IRB Rugby World Cup in 2019, the Asian Rugby Football Union and the Japan Rugby Football Union are working hard to boost the international interest in Asian rugby. By adding these properties, IEC in Sports further proves its commitment to rugby in the region. ARFU and IEC are entering into the 7th year of cooperation on the Asian 5 Nations. Already active in rugby with the World Club 7’s and the Japan Top League, IEC in Sports prove again its long-standing support and commitment to helping ARFU to grow the Asian 5 Nations awareness and in general to improve the exposure of Asian rugby internationally.

Along with the ARFU partnership, IEC in Sports have been appointed by the Japan Rugby Football Union to distribute Japan rugby team test matches against Samoa, on the 30th May and Italy, on the 21st June 2014.

The deal has been signed with J SPORTS Corporation, the global media rights holder, and include worldwide media distribution rights excluding Japan for the first test match and excluding Japan and Italy for the second.

“IEC in Sports is very proud to once again being trusted by JRFU and J SPORTS to handle the distribution of the Japanese test matches. Japan is going from strength to strength on the international scene and it will be very interesting to follow the development of Japanese rugby leading up to the IRB Rugby World Cup in 2019”, commented Karl Samuelsson, Managing Director of IEC in Sports in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

“Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in Asia and it is with pleasure that ARFU and IEC in Sports can continue to their long standing partnership regarding the ARFU Asian 5 Nations. The 2014 ARFU Asian 5 Nations will prove to be as exciting as ever with to reigning champions Japan taking on the South Korea, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.”

“The Asian Rugby Football Union is pleased to once again team up with IEC in Sports to distribute Asia’s premier international mens rugby tournament, the Asian 5 Nations, internationally. The 2014 edition will be more interesting than ever, as it serves as the final qualifying tournament for the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup. The winner of this year’s A5N will qualify directly for next year’s World Cup. This will ensure added focus and intensity from the participating teams and guarantees some very competitive matches,” said ARFU President Trevor Gregory. “IEC in Sports know the Asian 5 Nations property very well after having worked with us for the past six years and we are confident to continue our cooperation.”

France has confirmed that the country will not bid for the 2020 Olympics after Annecy picked up only seven votes in last week’s vote for the 2018 Winter Games.

Annecy fell well short of PyeongChang’s winning total of 63 and second-placed Munich on 25 votes. However, the French National Olympic Committee (FNOC) has not ruled out entering the race for the 2024 Games, which will mark 100 years from the 1924 Paris Olympics.

An FNOC statement said: “There will not be a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralaympics. The French committee will define the conditions for a future project by the end of 2011. A new Olympic bid must have the vision of the sports movement for the sport of the future. It must be worked out sufficiently in advance and be carried out in total harmony by the sports movement, the bid city and the state.”

The Italian capital of Rome remains the only city to have officially submitted a bid for the 2020 Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) having set a deadline of September 1 for applicant cities to register their interest. Bid confirmations are expected from Tokyo, while a Middle Eastern country is also expected to enter the running for the Games.

Istanbul and Madrid have today confirmed that they will bid for the 2020 Games, which will be the Spanish city’s third bid in a row, similar to PyeongChang’s efforts in the Winter Games which culminated in the South Korean city being awarded the 2018 edition last week.

There is also speculation that South Africa could change its original decision against bidding for the Olympics after IOC president Jacques Rogge declared the country as “ready” to host the Games after last week’s IOC Session in Durban.

The IOC will vote on the 2020 host city in 2013.

It has been revealed that David Bedford, London 2012’s Olympic marathon chief, has stepped down after expressing his “frustration” with organisers of the Games.

It took until yesterday, April 4, that Bedford, also race director of the London Marathon, who was marathon manager for the 2012 event, had quit back in February.

Bedford told the London Evening Standard: “I quit my role; I resigned. We (London Marathon) are a professional business run by professionals and it was very difficult to work for another organisation who in the main have never organised an event of their own.”

London Marathon chief executive Nick Bitel said Bedford’s decision was “personal” and the organisation would continue to work with Games organisers on the marathons and race walk events.

In an interview with the Press Association, Bitel stated: “David has decided not to work on the Olympic events any more. That’s his personal choice and I very much regret his decision. The decision was due to his frustration with LOCOG’s (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) approach to event management.”

Bitel, who would not expand on what had caused Bedford’s frustration, added: “He has incredible knowledge and experience so we regret the fact he’s not working on the events, but we are continuing to work closely and harmoniously with LOCOG and we are confident that they will be great events.”

Sports media agency Infront Sports & Media and the German Ski Association (DSV) have extended their partnership until the 2020/21 season.

The collaboration includes the international media rights of all FIS World Cup events taking place in Germany.

Under the agreement, discount approximately 25 annual FIS World Cup events held in Germany will be included across the disciplines of Alpine Skiing, Ski Jumping, Cross-Country, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard; including the most popular German Ski Jumping events of the Vierschanzentournee and the FIS Alpine Downhill Skiing event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The DSV will continue to market the media rights for the German market independently.

“We have been working for seven years very successfully and reliably with Infront”, said DSV President Dr. Franz Steinle. “Due to Infront’s broad international network and long-term experience in the winter sports market, we have not only increased the value of our World Cup events, but also developed emerging FIS disciplines such as Ski Cross. At the same time, Infront’s comprehensive marketing strategy has guaranteed us great exposure, reaching audiences of up to 200 million for our FIS World Cup events. We are therefore particularly pleased to extend this valuable partnership ahead of time through till 2021 and to continuing this successful journey together.”

Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront, added: “With their long tradition, the FIS World Cup events of the German Ski Association are some of the most prestigious races of the season for many athletes and fans and are an essential element of our high-quality FIS World Cup portfolio. We thank the DSV for the continued confidence and encouragement for our collective marketing approach, which guarantees a sustainable and long-term media presence.”

The “whistleblower” behind corruption allegations involving FIFA Executive Committee (ExCo) members regarding Qatar 2022’s World Cup winning bid victory has revealed she fabricated the claims.

Phaedra Al Majid, a former international media officer for Qatar 2022, said she wanted to exact revenge after losing her campaign job.

She decided to go public after she said her “lies had gone too far”.

Al Majid has now signed a legal affadavit retracting the allegations.

The claims became the subject of an inquiry by the parliamentary select committee for culture, media and sport.

She says she is deeply sorry for the trouble she has caused World Cup officials in Qatar and the three FIFA Executive Committee members she accused of accepting bribes.

She said: “I was very upset after I left the bid and wanted to basically hurt the bid back. My intentions were to make a few headlines, I never expected that my lies would be carried on and discussed in parliament.

“It just went too far. I never expected it to come to this point. There was never anything suspicious or any wrongdoing on Qatar’s part.

“I cannot tell you how sorry I am. I have hurt reputations of three members of the Fifa ExCo, I have hurt their reputation, and more importantly I have hurt my colleagues on the Qatar bid.”

Al Majid originally said African Football Confederation president Issa Hayatou, Ivory Coast Fifa member Jacques Anomua and Nigeria’s suspended exco official Amos Adamu were paid US$1.5m to vote for Qatar.

The allegations were denied by all three men but were made public under parliamentary privilege when the Sunday Times submitted evidence from their investigation into Fifa to the select committee in May. She was then invited to back up her claims in a meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, but no meeting ever took place.

Al Majid also says she “tampered” with a Qatar 2022 bid strategy document which she then leaked to journalists.

She insists she was placed under no pressure or paid any money by Qatar 2022 to change her story.

Her decision to retract her story could be embarrassing for the select committee who last week published a report on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids in which the MPs accused FIFA of treating corruption allegations with an “approach bordering on contempt”.

An announcement made yesterday, April 6, by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the inclusion of six new events on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi 2014.

The events that have gained instatement into the quadrennial event are ski half-pipe (men and women), women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay.

A report presented by the Olympic Programme Commission (OPC) to the IOC Executive Board (EB) in Acapulco in October last year, provoked the decision to include the new events. The OPC studied the proposal of the individual International Sports Federations and, at the request of the EB, compiled a detailed analysis of all candidate events at their respective world championships this winter.

The key positive factors as to whether the events inclusion would add value to the games included whether the changes would increase universality, gender equity and youth appeal. Other considerations included the cost of infrastructure, and the impact on the overall quota and the number of events.

IOC President Jacques Rogge stated: “The inclusion of these events on the Olympic Winter Games programme is sure to be appreciated by athletes and sports fans alike. These are exciting, entertaining events that perfectly complement the existing events on the sports programme, bring added appeal and increase the number of women participating at the Games. I look forward to watching the athletes compete in these events in Sochi 2014.”

The news, unveiled at a media briefing during the SportAccord Convention in London, was welcomed particularly by the women ski jumpers who have fought a long-running battle for inclusion alongside their male counterparts. Women’s ski jumping was not included in the programme for last year’s Vancouver Games and the lead-up to the event saw athletes unsuccessfully sue organisers on the grounds of alleged gender discrimination.

2009 ski jumping world champion Lindsey Van told Reuters: “I am thrilled the IOC decided to add our sport. Women’s ski jumping has been growing for the past 10 years, but inclusion in the Olympics is what our sport needed to take the next step.”

Five other events under consideration — ski slopestyle (men and women), snowboard slopestyle (men and women), and Alpine team parallel competition — are subject to a further feasibility study. A decision on the inclusion of these five events will be made within the coming weeks.

German Bundesliga teams Hamburg SV and Hannover 96, have extended their media partnerships with NDR 2.

The media partnership with Hamburg, who are set to compete in a two-legged playoff to remain the top division, will include marketing and promotion, and social sponsorship initiativea for HSV.

“NDR 2 is a reliable partner, even in turbulent times like these,” said Joachim Knuth, program director of the radio NDR. “We stand by the traditional club Hamburger SV – regardless of the outcome of the play-offs.”

“We are delighted to work with our long-standing and trusted partner NDR 2 continue,” said HSV-Executive Joachim Hilke, “both partners combines, for many people in northern Germany to be an integral and important part – and we are happy that this further we can be together in the coming years. “

Hannover Continue NDR2 Partnership

Also NDR 2 will remain the exclusive media partner of Hannover 96.

The contract is between Hannover 96 and the NDR Media GmbH, the advertising subsidiary of the NDR, has been closed until the end of the season 2017/18. Is financed from funds of cooperation not broadcast contribution, but from advertising revenue; journalistic independence of the NDR remains unaffected.

“Hannover 96 and NDR 2 Niedersachsen are successful, strong brands that fit well together,” says Joachim Knuth, NDR radio program director. “We are delighted to stay connected 96 in the coming years with the traditional club Hannover”.

“With NDR 2 we have a strong media partner at our side. The channel reaches with his informative, varied program not only the many 96 fans in Hanover, but in the whole of the north, “said 96 president Martin Kind.

The core of the cooperation remains “NDR 2 fanshow” before the home games of the first division in the HDI Arena. NDR 2 presenter Stefan Kuna will support Hannover 96 in the coming years, right on the sidelines.

“The long-term extension to the season 2017/18 highlights the success of the partnership. With the NDR 2 fanshow ‘in the HDI Arena and detailed sports coverage of the transmitter is the best media platform for Hannover 96, “says Felix von Löbbecke, team leader of SPORTFIVE in Hanover.

“By extending the cooperation we are the image of NDR 2 as number 1 in the north continue to consolidate,” says Andrea Bruns, director of the NDR Media GmbH. “The cooperation has proven itself as a platform to increase the popularity of the program that we market.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge believes South Africa is “ready” to host the Olympic Games even though the country’s government recently claimed that the nation would not bid for the 2020 Games.

Rogge, speaking in Durban after the conclusion of last week’s IOC Session, highlighted the country’s capabilities as a potential future host of the Olympics.

He said: “I respect the decision of the government to focus on other tasks, but I felt a genuine desire, speaking to politicians and the president (Jacob Zuma), that they want to bid in the future. South Africa proved during the World Cup that they are ready for a major event. As a nation they are ready to host the Olympic Games.”

Rogge was referring to the South African government’s announcement in May thatit would not support an Olympic bid, opting instead to concentrate on delivering “basic services to all South Africans”. However, there is increasing speculation that the original decision could be reversed.

South African National Olympic Committee (SASCOC) chief executive Tubby Reddy said that he expected Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to lead a campaign to have the 2020 Games decision reversed.

Reddy said: “Minister Mbalula is still lobbying his colleagues and maybe it will change. It seems that this is the opportune time to at least bid, there are no guarantees that we would win, but everything points in that direction.”

He added: “The IOC president has gone on record as saying that there is no reason why we cannot bid (and) President Zuma said the same thing after the World Cup. Personally I think the government will come back and say ‘no’ simply because they said no in the first place because of different priorities and that has not changed. Perhaps 2024 is more realistic.”

The Italian capital of Rome is so far the only city to confirm its bid for the 2020 Games, although Tokyo in Japan is close to confirming its candidature. Additionally, the Turkish city of Istanbul “will bid” for the Games, according to IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrion. National Olympic Committees have until September 1 to nominate applicant cities for the Games.

The chairman of the London 2012 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission, Denis Oswald, has lauded the on-going preparations for the Games and its organisers for their ‘fantastic job’.

Oswald, a member of the IOC Executive Board, claimed that everything possible has been done to ensure that there will be no white elephants after the Games, speaking at a press conference following the conclusion of the eighth IOC Coordination Commission.

Oswald stated: “It surprises me when I come to England and read the newspapers and see negative reports about the legacy from the Games.

“Following our visit, I can categorically state London has fantastic legacy plans in place and that legacy is a key part of the 2012 Games.

“No other Olympic host city has ever given as much consideration to legacy as London has and I am sure that there will be no white elephants from these Games which is very pleasing for the IOC to see.

“There is an Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) in place for the first time in the history of the Olympics and I am sure that these will be truly remarkable Games.

“Everything is on track and on budget and we could not be more impressed with what we have seen in our latest visit.”

The Commission is set to return to London on two more occasions before the Games begin and Oswald says the lack of visits illustrates just how advanced the city’s preparations are, adding: “When I was chairman of the Athens 2004 IOC Coordination Commission, I had to visit the city 25 times with just a year to go because preparations were so far behind.

“With a year to go to London 2012, we will come here just two more times and I think that shows you how advanced the preparations are and how confident we are about the London Games.

“I think these visits are very valuable though as we can offer LOCOG important advice and our also our experience but there is no doubt that they are doing a fantastic job and we are very pleased.”