Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) President Tsunekazu Takeda has formally requested that the city of Tokyo launches a bidding campaign to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

The Japanese capital, which lost out to Rio de Janeiro of Brazil in the race for the 2016 Games, had no potential rivals to become Japan’s bid city after Hiroshima abandoned its bid because of the potential cost.

Takeda claimed that the bid would help Japan recover from the earthquake and tsunami in March that killed more than 15,000 people.

He said: “It will serve national interests that the people of the nation unite as one to bid for the Olympics as a symbol of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.”

Takeda claimed that there are considerations to stage Olympic football matches in the North East region of the country, an area that was particularly damaged by the disaster, with JOC believing that any potential dangers from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant crisis will have been allayed by 2020.

Takeda said: “I believe it will be possible to have North East Japan stage Olympic soccer games in three to five prefectures nine years from now.”

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara has spoken positively of bidding for 2020, despite receiving criticism for spending an estimated US$175m on Tokyo’s failed 2016 bid, whereby the city was eliminated in the second round of voting at the International Olympic Committee Session in Copenhagen in October 2009.

Ishihara said: “Let’s walk arm in arm towards this goal.”

All candidate cities must officially declare their interest in bidding for 2020 before the September 1 deadline later this year.

JOC officials hope to make an announcement when Jacques Rogge, the President of the IOC,  visits Tokyo on July 15-16 to attend a series of events to mark the centenary of the JOC.

Double Olympic women’s wrestling gold medallist Saori Yoshida joined Takeda in urging Tokyo to launch a campaign.

She said: “The Olympics would be a chance to give courage and energy to the Japanese people.”

The Iran National Olympic Committee has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a threat to boycott the London 2012 Olympics after claiming the Games’ logo is “racist”.

The nation’s Olympic Committee secretary general Bahram Afsharzadeh, sent the letter to the IOC claiming that the emblem resembles the word ‘Zion’ – a biblical term for Jerusalem.

The letter also urged other Muslim states to oppose the “racist logo”, but a statement from the IOC said: “The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else.”

Afsharzadeh, in his letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge, stated: “There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the games, especially Iran which abides by commitment to the values and principles.”

A statement from the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) said: “(The logo) was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation. We are surprised that this complaint has been made now.”

Supersport will broadcast all 64 soccer matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, prostate | taking place from 12 June to 13 July in Brazil.

The games will be displayed on DStv’s SuperSport channel, with live matches available to viewers on the SuperSport HD channels.

Felix Awogu, General Manager of SuperSport said, “In addition to the world-class broadcast quality that is our trademark and which our subscribers will enjoy, they will also have access to insightful football analysis and thrilling magazine programmes which will showcase the stories outside the field of play.”

South Korean energy supplier Gangwon City Gas (SK E&S) has donated US$90, viagra order 000 to support the PyeongChang 2018 winter Olympics bid.

The deal comes after the PyeongChang 2018 bid team set up the “Official Bid Sponsors” system to boost nationwide support through corporate marketing activities, denture in which more than sixty companies are participating.

PyeongChang are competing with Annecy and Munich opportunity to host the 2018 winter Games and Paralympics. The final decision will be made on July 6.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) have admitted that British athletes are facing a funding shortfall of up to US$8m which could affect their preparations for next year’s Olympics in London.

The BOA plans to support at least 500 athletes in the country’s biggest Olympic team in more than a century with extra athletes featuring in sports where Britain has not previously been represented but can take part next year as host nation.

BOA chief executive Andy Hunt told the BBC: “We’ve still got a gap to close.

“I’m absolutely certain we will have a full team at the Games and the money will not affect that.

“The level to which we can support the team is where the challenge comes.”

The BOA, which will provide help with training and medical treatment for athletes, does not receive any money from the Government, getting funding from commercial sponsorship.

The BOA is understood to be in talks with its partners, including London 2012, the Government and sponsors about ways to fill the gap, with Hunt adding: “We need to make sure we can really do our best to make sure the team can compete on a level field of play.

“The British public will judge the success of the Games on the success of the team.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to have actors to go on that stage. 

“It’s a bit like creating a theatre. 

“The actors are the athletes and that’s why it’s so important they are properly supported.”

A spokesman for the BOA went on to say: “We always knew that the funding needs for Team GB would be greater in 2011 and 2012 as we will be sending a team to the London 2012 Olympics that is going to be twice the size compared to what we had in Beijing – 550 athletes for London versus approximately 300 in Beijing.

“We delivered a balanced budget in 2009 and 2010 and we are confident we will meet our financial requirements in 2011 and 2012.

“We always knew that 2011 and 2012 would be exceptionally challenging due to the financial constraints which we inherited with regards to the Joint Marketing Programme Agreement with the London 2012 Organising Committee: this sees us receive $30.9m in cash over seven years compared to the $115.5m that the Canadian Olympic Committee received for a much smaller Olympic Winter Games.

“Despite this the BOA has lived within its means, has strengthened the organisation to be world class and continues to work with our supporters and partners to select and support a full team in London 2012. We are confident we will succeed.”

British broadcaster ITV has extended its broadcast agreement with British Superbikes into 2018 season.

ITV will continue to showcase free to air highlights coverage of the UK’s premier motorsport series to the end of the 2018 season. 

The new agreement maintains MCE BSB coverage on ITV4 on a Wednesday evening following all twelve rounds of the season with an hour-long programme showcasing the UK’s most spectacular racing Championship. Each programme will be further repeated on ITV4 and ITV will also be available on the ITV Player on itv.com. 

In recent weeks ITV Sport has added the MotoGP World Championship to its strong motorsport portfolio which also includes the Isle of Man TT races, the BTCC, BRDC Formula 4 and FIA Formula E Championships. 

ITV’s Director of Sport Niall Sloane said: “The MCE British Superbike Championship delivers great action on every occasion and together with the unique personalities of the riders provides for compelling viewing. We are looking forward to a great season ahead and welcome the new commentary team of Toby Moody and Niall Mackenzie.”

MCE British Superbike Championship Series Director Stuart Higgs said: “I am delighted that we have extended our partnership with ITV to 2018, which in doing so will confirm ten consecutive years of MCE British Superbikes being broadcast free to air on ITV4.  

“As we continue to develop the championship, ensuring that it remains accessible to as many people as possible is extremely important.  This long term broadcast commitment with ITV is great news as we start what looks set to be an epic 2014 MCE BSB Championship season starting this weekend at Brands Hatch.”

New Zealand Olympic Committee has re-elected Mike Stanley as President for a second term by member sports in Auckland today.

Simon Wickham, store current deputy chair, order selector and NZOC representative on the HPSNZ board was also reappointed to a second term. New board member Trevor Taylor, current CEO of Outward Bound New Zealand took the second available board spot.

Simon Wickham outlined his on-going commitment to an emphasis on games time planning and operations, noting the organisation needed to add ‘lift, not drag’ to National Sporting Organisations and athletes.

Trevor Taylor said he was delighted to have been elected to the New Zealand Olympic Committee board. Father of Olympic bronze medallist rower Peter Taylor, the newly elected board member cited the important role athletes play in inspiring young New Zealanders as a driver for his candidacy.

Taylor brings senior executive and governance experience to the New Zealand Olympic Committee board. Governance roles include Southern Petroleum NZ,L & M energy, Wellington Free Ambulance and Life Flight Trust as well as executive roles with Petrocorp, Fletcher Challenge and currently Outward Bound.

In a statement the NZOC said: “All three candidates had been recommended to the New Zealand Olympic Committee membership by the Board Appointments Panel which comprised member representative Sir John Wells, NZOC Board representative Barry Maister and independent Jane Huria.”

It has been reported that former Annecy 2018 bid chief and Olympian skier Edgar Grospiron will be heading to Durban for the IOC session and the final vote, try lobbying for support for the campaign that he resigned from at the end of last year.

Grospiron left the Annecy bid in December after revealing his concerns over the budget, medic however the bid has always sustained that he continued backing as an athlete supporter for the bid plan.

Grospiron will be supporting the bid which he doomed to failure upon his resignation, sale ed before new bid chief and French businessman Charles Beigbeder was appointed in his place.

The Annecy bid team confirmed that he will be in Durban as an athlete ambassador and not in any official role.

ParalympicsGB have confirmed that chief executive Phil Lane is to leave is post with immediate effect after 10 years in the job.

In his time with the team, pills Lane has overseen a hugely successful regime, with GB finishing second in the medal table at the 2004 Athens and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. 

The news leaves ParalympicsGB looking for a new head with just 18 months to go until the 2012 London Paralympics.

Lane spoke of his decision, stating: “The staff team at ParalympicsGB is well-placed to deliver fantastic support to British Paralympic athletes and ensure their continued success. I am looking forward to watching them compete in what promises to be the best Paralympic Games ever.”

Tim Reddish, ParalympicsGB chairman added: “I would like to thank Phil, on behalf of myself and the board, for the work he has done over the last 10 years promoting the Paralympic movement and his significant contribution in successfully taking GB teams to the last five Winter and Summer Paralympic Games.”