Organisers of the Vitality North London Half Marathon have announced that double Olympic, World and six time European Champion Mo Farah will be the official ambassador and race starter for this year’s inaugural event taking place Sunday 15th March 2015. 

The race promises a unique “stadium to stadium” sporting experience, with a route that takes runners through Wembley Stadium, the iconic home of English football, as well as finishing at Allianz Park, home of the mighty Saracens Rugby Club. 

As well as starting the race, Mo will be on hand to meet and greet runners on the day and will be presenting the men’s, women’s and wheelchair race winners with their trophies.

He said: “Growing up in London, I know what a great city London is. I’m excited to be involved in a race that celebrates the London legacy and offers runners the chance to fully embrace some of our most iconic venues in North London. The interest in running has grown at an incredible rate over the past few years, and events like the Vitality North London Half Marathon offer a great entry platform to encourage even more people to get active, and take on a personal challenge!” 

Jamie Warren, Head of Marketing and Commercial at GO2, said: “The Vitality North London Half Marathon is an event designed with race experience in mind; we want to appeal to regular runners, as well as those new to the sport looking for a once in a lifetime experience.

“We are thrilled that Mo Farah, one of Great Britain’s most loved running stars, has agreed to support the race and I am sure this mixed with running stadium to stadium, will ensure this is a race that will live long in the memory! Places are going quickly so we’d urge people to sign up soon to avoid disappointment.” 

Speaking for PruHealth and PruProtect, title sponsors of the Series, Neville Koopowitz, CEO, Vitality added: “We are delighted that Mo Farah has agreed to start the Vitality North London Half Marathon. Having  a double Olympic and double World champion start this inaugural race will not only raise its profile but will also provide a fantastic memory for all our runners on the day.”

Netherlands top soccer league, ed Eredivisie, order has renewed their media rights deal with IMG Media for the next four seasons until the end of the 2017/2018 campaign.

IMG, troche who began working with the Eredivisie in 2000, will market all international media rights for the top league in the Netherlands, won last year by AFC Ajax Amsterdam.

Alex Tielbeke, Director of the Eredivisie, said: “The Dutch Premier League is very pleased with the relationship we have enjoyed with IMG for many years. Their professionalism and reliability are of great importance to us. There is growing interest in the Eredivisie internationally and IMG has made an important contribution to this.”

Michael Mellor, Senior Vice President and Head of Football, IMG Media, said: “The Eredivisie is admired the world over for the entertaining and attractive style of play and producing top players. We have always enjoyed an excellent relationship and will continue to endeavour to expand the market for Dutch football across the globe.”

Euroleague Basketball have announced that the 2015 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four will be held at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid in the historic basketball city of Madrid from May 15 to 17, 2015.

The Final Four returns to Madrid, the Spanish capital, for the first time since 2008, when CSKA Moscow captured its sixth continental crown. Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu was joined by the Community of Madrid’s sports and youth general director, Pablo Juan Salazar, to make the announcement prior to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Championship Game Press Conference at Mediolanum Forum in Milan. 

“This year had many candidates interested in welcoming the Final Four, but we have decided to return to Madrid, because it fulfils all the requirements of being a great host city,” Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. “It is a European capital with easy access in a well-connected central location. Madrid has a great arena in the city center. It is a basketball city with a huge basketball fan base, which has filled the arena for every Turkish Airlines Euroleague game played there. And Spain is one of our strategic markets.” 

Madrid is home to Real Madrid who lost their second consective Championship Game in the Final Four to Israel’s Maccabi Electra 98-86 on Sunday.   

“It is a great joy to confirm that the Comunidad de Madrid will host the next final Four. I want to thank the Euroleague and its president Jordi Bertomeu in particular the great support he gives Comunidad de Madrid to organize this great event,” Madrid’s sports and youth general director, Pablo Juan Salazar said. “The 2014 FIBA World Cup is in Spain this summer and its final stage will be in Madrid, at Palacio de Deportes. Therefore, it is a matter of joy to offer all people in Madrid the chance to watch the best national teams this summer and the best teams in Europe next year… With Madridians’ trademark hospitality, we want to host this event with open arms, with the same reception that the beautiful City of Milan gave us.” 

The Euroleague final will be played in Madrid for the sixth time since 1958 and the city will host its third Final Four. Madrid hosted the second ever Final Four in 1967 before the concept was shelved for two decades. 

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FIFA have confirmed another worker has died while working on the construction of a World Cup stadium in Brazil.

Officials have confirmed that a 32-year-old was killed after receiving an electric shock at the Arena Pantanal venue in Cuiaba.

Emergency services chief Rosenil Moraes revealed that Muhammad Ali Maciel Afonso was pronounced dead after efforts from paramedics to revive him were unsuccessful. He is the eight worker to die from stadium construction related injuries.

“Our workers followed all the protocols and tried to revive him for more than 40 minutes. But he didn’t survive,” said Moraes.

Afonso was an employee for Etel Engineering, the company responsible for the installation of information and communication networks at the stadium.

The arena, which is scheduled to stage four group matches in this summer’s showpiece, is nearing completion with the final seats set to be installed this week.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke wrote on Twitter: “Saddened by the death of worker Muhammad’Ali Maciel Afonso at Arena Pantanal. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues.”

Promoters of the Indian Grand Prix has vowed to meet with Bernie Ecclestone and try to get the New Delhi race back on the 2015 calendar.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone said this week he does not plan to reschedule the race, which will also not take place this year, for 2015.

“At the moment, India won’t be on for next year for sure,” Ecclestone said. “Probably 2016.”

Sameer Gaur, boss of the race’s non-governmental promoters Jaypee, said that in the wake of Ecclestone’s comments, he will arrange a meeting with the 83-year-old.

“I will soon set up a meeting with Mr Ecclestone and talk to him directly over the matter,” he told the Hindustan Times.

“As I have said earlier, I would want the race to return next year but let us see what comes out of the meeting with Mr Ecclestone.”

The National Football League have announced the fixtures for next year’s NFL games at Wembley with four new teams to touch down on English soil.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Falcons will host the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders will host the Miami Dolphins at London’s Wembley Stadium next season.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the match-ups today at a luncheon with sports journalists in London.  The dates and times of the games will be announced at a later date.

“Our fans in the UK continue to demonstrate their passion for more football,” Goodell said. “Next year for the first time we will play three regular-season games in London.  We have scheduled three attractive games with four teams playing in their first International Series game.  The growing enthusiasm for the NFL internationally is exciting and we look forward to continuing to respond to this interest in our game.”

The Jaguars, who face the San Francisco 49ers in London on Sunday, committed to playing a home game in the UK in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, all at Wembley.  Miami will make its second visit to London for a regular-season game after hosting the New York Giants in the inaugural International Series contest in 2007.  Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, and Oakland will all play their first international regular-season game next season.

The International Series has increased NFL fan interest in the UK, with a current fan base of more than 12 million, including 2.5 million avid fans, a 30 percent increase in avid fans in the past two years.

The Minnesota Vikings’ 34-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in London on September 29 drew a crowd of 83,518 to Wembley.  The day before, more than 520,000 people attended a football festival on London’s famed Regent Street, enjoying football-themed games and attractions, including visits from Vikings’ and Steelers’ players and coaches.

Television ratings have shown substantial growth in the UK since 2006 – with Sunday viewership of NFL games almost doubling and the Super Bowl audience having increased 75 percent.  The league also has developed new and stronger business partnerships.