St James’ Park stadium in Newcastle, UK, has unveiled its newly refurbished Sir Bobby Robson Suite, designed and decorated in tribute to the late England and Newcastle United manager.

The Sir Bobby Robson Suite holds up to 80 guests and is situated on level 3 of the stadium.

“Sir Bobby Robson held a very special place in the hearts, not just of Newcastle United supporters, but of football fans the world over and this suite is a lovely and lasting tribute to him,” said Samantha Doyle, sales and marketing manager for Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events, which manages conferencing and events at St James’ Park.

Along with the Sir Bobby Robson suite, St James’ Park has one of the biggest banqueting suites in the north east of England, capable of holding up to 1000 guests. Executive boxes with views of the pitch are also available for smaller meetings.

The walls of the suite, which have been lined with images of Sir Bobby from his playing days and managerial career at clubs such as Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich Town, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, Barcelona, England and Newcastle United.

St James' Park is the second biggest sports ground in England outside London. Home to Newcastle United Football Club since 1892, the stadium has also hosted international and 2012 Olympic football, as well as concerts from the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. 

In Ocotber, St. James Park is hosting three matches involving New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland, Samoa and Tonga during Rugby World Cup 2015.

Sustainability is a relatively new concept to the FIFA World Cup, which has a significant impact on the environment, but last year’s tournament set new standards that will influence other future mega events, FIFA and Brazilian officials said on Tuesday.

“Sustainability is something quite new in the organisation of the FIFA World Cup,” FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke said at the launch of a sustainability report on the 2014 World Cup.

“Brazil learned a lot with the FIFA World Cup, Rio learned a lot for Rio 2016, but we also learned a lot and we will implement these learnings in 2018 in Russia in the 11 host cities and 12 stadiums.”

The deputy sports minister of Brazil, Luis Fernandes added “The FIFA World Cup stadiums in Brazil became a benchmark for the world because they have all pursued sustainability certificates. 

“Based in this experience, a sustainability certificate has become a requirement by FIFA in the future editions of the World Cup. This is a legacy to Brazil for the world.”

Hosting the FIFA World Cup involves large transportation operations, catering for millions of spectators, managing waste as well as powering and broadcasting the event globally.

“This has inevitably had an impact on both society and the environment in the host country,” said Federico Addiechi, FIFA's Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. 

“To us, sustainability is about how we do things and trying to find a balance between the social, economic and environmental aspects. It is also about minimising risks associated with the event and reducing the negative impact of it, while maximizing the positive one.”

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil took place in 12 stadiums, seven of which were new and five of which were renovated. Eight of the stadiums integrated solar power in their designs. 

Nonetheless, preparing for and hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup is estimated to have produced 2,723,756 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

“Brazil is a developing country and we identified that the opportunity to host the FIFA World Cup was a historical window to leverage investments in infrastructure and services, which our country needed and still needs,” said Fernandes. 

“Brazil today is recognized as a country that, in spite of the scepticism, delivered the FIFA World Cup with excellence and today we have infrastructure that improved the lives of Brazilians.”

The venues were spread over all the major regions of the huge country. The 41,000 capacity Arena Amazonia, for instance, was built in the remote resort of Manaus. There is not a big footballing culture there and the only event since the World Cup to draw a capacity crowd was Boi, a local cultural festival. 

“The FIFA World Cup left us memories of great football, but also a great responsibility. Brazil has now 12 modern arenas in all five regions,” said José Maria Marin, chairman of the Brazilian Football Confederaition (CBF) and 2014 local organising committee.

“A challenge, but also an opportunity for clubs and cities to strengthen local football and offer a new entertainment option for the community beyond football matches.”

Despite the challenges of utilising this new infrastructure, FIFA is working in Brazil to continue building even more venues in more regions of the country through a US$100m legacy fund. 

“Brazil is already a giant in football, but we still need to develop infrastructure and this will be done by FIFA and CBF through the Legacy Fund,” said Fernandes. 

According to FIFA, the main areas to benefit from the fund will be football infrastructure in the states that did not host World Cup matches (60 per cent), grassroots (15 per cent) and women’s football (15 per cent). 

“For the Legacy Fund, we agreed it should go to developing women's football, grassroots and to regions where there were no FIFA World Cup matches,” said Valcke.

“On women’s football, there is potential to do more in Brazil. We work together with CBF so they can establish a dedicated structure for female football through the legacy fund,” said FIFA Director of Member Associations and Development, Thierry Regenass.

“There should be good grassroots programmes. The idea is also to work in partnership with local government and other partners in order to publicise more women's football and make it sustainable.”

Valcke stressed that the awarding of contracts will be carefully monitored. “FIFA is supporting CBF in order to identify and make sure we are working in the right projects. We have a permanent audit system that monitors our member associations, certifying everything is under clear rules and regulations. 

“Not a single pay will be made without FIFA having a look at the way it will be used and making sure we are part of the decision process.”

VINCI Stadium has been appointed to manage the former Olympic Stadium at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for a 25 year period, starting before the England 2015 Rugby World Cup. 

The deal with London is VINCI’s first stadium contract outside France. 

The contract was awarded by E20, a joint venture between the London Legacy Development Corporation and Newham Council. 

“The E20 Stadium LLP awarded the contract to run the former Olympic Stadium to VINCI Stadium in recognition of VINCI's expertise and the business model it has developed for the operation of multi-purpose arenas, including the Stade de France,” said Pierre Coppey, Chief Operating Officer of VINCI.

“In addition to broadening the range of events offered at this amazing venue, VINCI Stadium will work with the E20 Stadium Partnership to develop and revitalise East London for the benefit of citizens.”

The venue, designed by Populous in a modular way that enables it to be repurposed for legacy use, is currently being transformed into a multi-use stadium. 

“This marks another step forward in the long-term future of the Stadium. VINCI have a great track record and a wealth of experience in managing world-class venues,” said David Goldstone, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation. 

“We are looking forward to working with them and delivering a multi-use stadium capable of hosting a range of different sports and events, including this autumn’s Rugby World Cup.”

The stadium will host five matches of Rugby World Cup 2015, starting with France vs. Romania on 23 September and ending with the bronze final match on 30 October.

The venue will not fully reopen until 2016. Premier League football club West Ham United are to take up tenancy of the stadium, which will also act as the national competition venue for UK Athletics.

VINCI Stadium currently operates a network of stadia in France including the Stade de France in Paris, the Allianz Riviera in Nice, the New Bordeaux Stadium and the MMArena in Le Mans. 

The Olympic stadium is currently being transformed into a multi-use venue. It will host five matches of Rugby World Cup 2015 before fully re-opening in 2016 when it will become the home of West Ham United.

“Managing the basic day-to-day operations at a Premier League football stadium is a unique challenge, so we will be passing on our extensive experience and expertise to Vinci to ensure they provide the same high levels of service our supporters have become accustomed to at the Boleyn Ground,” said Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United.

“While Vinci will manage the functional aspects of the matchday operation, we will still be overseeing the overall supporter experience to make sure watching West Ham remains one of the very best days out in the Premier League.”

The stadium will also be the national competition venue for UK Athletics and will be the venue for the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships and 2017 IPC Athletics World Championships.

"The Olympic Stadium will be the new home of British Athletics, staging a wide range of events from mass participation runs to elite track and field meetings,” said Ed Warner, chairman of UK Athletics and London 2017.

“We look forward to working closely with VINCI to deliver all of these events, and in particular the twin World Championships in the summer of 2017, in London's most iconic sporting venue."

As well as running the stadium, VINCI will manage the London Marathon Charitable Trust Community Track and events on the south park lawn, below the ArcelorMittal Orbit. 

They will also work with the E20 Stadium Partnership to promote sport and healthy living in the local area and deliver mass participation events such as the Great Newham London Run.

“This is more good news in our goal to deliver a long-lasting legacy from London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Boris Johnson, mayor of London.

“VINCI is a world-class operator and set to be a key partner in the creation of a spectacular stadium offering a dynamic range of sport and attractions for Londoners to enjoy.”

5,500 tonnes of steel and 6km of cabling are being used in the transformation of the stadium. The 14 floodlight panels were removed to make way for the new roof. 

During renovation, the existing running track is being protected by a 75cm deep mat of recycled concrete.

The rebuilt Olympic Stadium will include 21,000 retractable seats, which are said to allow closer pitch-side viewing during football matches while allowing the running track to remain in place.

Full capacity will be 54,000 seats in football mode, 60,000 in athletics and 80,000 for concerts.

Alongside the main stadium, a new floodlit 400m community athletics track, funded by the London Marathon Charitable Trust will be built for use by the local community, schools and will host a resident athletics club – the Newham & Essex Beagles. 

Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales said “We look forward to working with VINCI to ensure the Stadium is a world class visitor attraction that delivers job opportunities, community benefits and increased sports participation that transforms the lives of those living in London’s East End, but especially the residents of Newham.”

On its final coordination commission visit, the European Olympic Committees concluded that Baku European Games Organising Committee (BECOG) still has much to do but is on track to deliver an outstanding first European Games that will act as a blueprint for future hosts. 

“BEGOC is entering the final phase of preparations now, and every day counts,” said Spyros Capralos, Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission.

“But they have delivered on all their construction targets so far and I am very confident that Baku will be ready in good time. 

"In addition, these Games will be innovative, which will act as a great blueprint to guide future European Games host cities. I am very much looking forward to coming back in June for the Baku 2015 Opening Ceremony."

Innovations adopted by Baku 2015 include the use of cloud-based technology for both infrastructure and software applications, a model that is set to be adopted by future major sports events.

All of Baku 2015’s venues will be connected by a new 600km optical fibre network, in addition to more than 1,000 kilometres of cabling inside the venues.

The EOC inspection included a tour along the Games Route Network and visits to venues including the Baku Shooting Centre, Mountain Bike Velopark, Heydar Aliyev Arena, as well as a “drive-by” of the European Games Park.

Azad Rahimov, CEO of Baku 2015 and Azerbaijan’s minister of youth and sports said “We now have a little more than four months until the Opening Ceremony. There remains much to do, but the momentum we have built will not falter for a second. 

“We will spare no effort in ensuring that the first European Games are an inspirational celebration of sport and friendship for the whole continent.”

Baku was awarded the right to host the Games in December 2012. 

“This EOC visit to Baku ahead of the first European Games has confirmed that the city is fully prepared to host an unforgettable event,” said Patrick Hickey, president of the European Olympic Committees. “Baku 2015 will be the perfect launch-pad for the European Games.”

“To have achieved so much in two years is a testament to Azerbaijan’s dedication to hosting the Games, and Europe’s athletes and sport fans will be delighted with the high standard of venues and facilities which await them.

Baku 2015, the first ever European Games will take place from 12 – 28 June 2015.

“With 126 days to go before the start of the European Games, we are now entering the final straight, and the visit by the EOC Coordination Commission has been an excellent opportunity to update members on our progress and take stock of what we have achieved so far,” said Simon Clegg, chief operating officer of Baku 2015.

“The Games will be a historic occasion for Azerbaijan and Europe, and we intend to continue working hard to deliver on our commitment to stage a world-class event until the very last guest leaves after the Closing Ceremony.”

The EOC delegation also attended the opening ceremony of the Baku 2015 Uniform Distribution and Accreditation Centre, where participants in the Nar Mobile-supported Flamekeeper volunteer programme will register and collect their uniforms.

Games branding on Atletico Madrid shirts

In another boost to Baku 2015, it was announced shortly after the EOC visit that Spanish football champions Atletico Madrid will feature the Games logo on the club’s jersey for the rest of the 2014-15 domestic and UEFA Champions League.

Atletico Madrid’s sponsor logo currently features Azerbaijan’s ‘Land of Fire’ tourism slogan, but was changed to the Baku European Games branding in time for Atletico’s derby game against Real Madrid on Saturday.

 “The inaugural European Games represent a great step forward in our continent’s sporting development, and as one of the leading Spanish and European football clubs, we are delighted to be associated with the Games and to promote Baku 2015,” said Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, CEO of Atletico Madrid.

Charlie Wijeratna, commercial director of Baku 2015, said: “Atletico Madrid are the Spanish champions and one of the best-known teams in the world. Having the Baku 2015 logo on the club’s jerseys is an innovative way to raise awareness of the European Games, add value to our brand, and continue to increase the momentum we are building.”

HBK Contracting Company has laid the first concrete above ground at Al Wakrah stadium, the first of five new venues being built to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“We have started laying the foundation of 168 m3 of structural concrete in our east slab,” said Abdulla Al-Marri, senior project engineer at the Al Wakrah Precinct. 

“This is an important achievement, being the first above-ground casting of concrete at the site which will incorporate the structural elements to begin vertical construction.”

To lay the concrete slab at double the usual speed, HBK is using two pumps that work simultaneously.

The foundations of the stadium will feature 84 concrete piles, measuring 19 m by 1.2 m. Enabling works contractor HBK has poured 55 of these so far, the first pile being cast in December 2014, a year after the designs and location of the first new venue for the 2022 World Cup were made public.

According to the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the organisation responsible for hosting the World Cup, a top priority now for the enabling works contractor is to cast the remaining foundations to allow the Main Work Contractor to start building the stadium on these foundations. 

The Supreme Committee also identified completing drainage works and excavations around the stadium as a priority for HBK.

According to the Supreme Committee, HBK has completed over one million Lost Time Accident (LTA) free man-hours. 

“We observe that all safety measures are in place before works starts and we reward safety practices every month,” said Al-Marri. 

The Al Wakrah site is to hold a “safety fair” in March as part of regular safety training across all Supreme Committee sites. 

The stadium will have 40,000 seats during the World Cup, with 20,000 seats on the upper tiers to be removed after 2022 and sent to developing countries in need of sporting infrastructure.

The stadium will be the future home of Al Wakrah Sports Club. It will be surrounded by approximately 560,000 m2 (60 ha) of legacy precinct with a new sports centre and community facilities including a park, mosque, school, hotel, wedding hall, vocational training centre and retail outlets. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission’s eighth visit to the “Marvellous City” of Rio de Janeiro gets underway on Monday, ahead of the IOC Executive Board meeting in the Olympic host city later in the week. 

The Coordination Commission, chaired by IOC vice president Nawal El Moutawakel, is working with the local Organising Committee and its government partners over the next three days, the IOC said, “to see how Rio’s preparations are advancing ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games”.

The inspection comes shortly after the vice president of the International Golf Federation (IGF) said construction on the golf venue is almost complete – a marked turnaround from the situation last year when concerns over venue infrastructure reached crisis point.

The IOC noted that, with the Games now just over a year-and-a-half away, Rio 2016 now has a number of Games-time initiatives underway, such as its ticketing programme, volunteer training programme and the Olympic Torch Relay. 

As well as hearing about these initiatives on the visit to Rio, the Coordination Commission will visit some of the Games venues and listen to reports on a number of key operational areas such as athletes’ services, sport, venues, National Olympic Committee services, International Federation services, accommodation, transport, marketing, media services and preparations for the Paralympic Games.

The progress of Rio 2016 came under intense scrutiny last year, reaching its nadir in April when IOC vice president John Coates described the Games preparations as “the worst I have experienced”. 

In less than a year, Rio 2016 appears to have turned the ship around - at least with respect to the golf course, which has received a vote of confidence from IGF vice president Ty Votaw.

"The construction aspect of it is virtually complete," he told Reuters on Friday. "There are a few items that need to be completed, some infrastructure things, but as far as the golf course itself and the design elements and the grassing of the golf course, that is virtually done.

"We just need to continue to impress upon everybody in Rio, the 2016 organisers and the land owners, that all resources need to be brought to bear to get the golf course in the condition that it needs to be to host a competition of this nature."

The course was originally scheduled for a test event in November 2015 but questions have been raised about whether the grass would be ready. Votaw said a test event would take place before Rio 2016 but did not confirm the timeframe.

"We want to get a sense of how the grow-in season goes over the next 60 to 90 days to determine what the chances are of a late '15 or early '16 test event.

The IOC Coordination Commission runs from 23 to 25 February and is followed by the Executive Board meeting, which takes place from 26 to 28 February.

It seems fitting that Japan, which hosted Asia’s first Olympic Games in 1964, will host the continent’s first Rugby World Cup in 2019, a year before the Olympics return.

Few countries could expect to host two of the world’s biggest sporting events in consecutive years but the Land of the Rising Sun has few equals in getting things done.

When 20 nations begin competing for the Rugby World Cup in September 2019, Japan will have had a decade to prepare since winning the right to host it.

The Tokyo Olympic Games, involving more than 200 countries and 28 sports, will begin on July 24 2020 – just seven years after the host city was announced.

Fujio Mitarai, President of Japan Rugby 2019, expressed delight when his country was awarded the Olympic Games, saying “the two events will work very well together”.

Excitement about the Olympics could encourage more Japanese to watch rugby, while the earlier tournament will provide valuable logistical and security experience.

Such benefits may largely be limited to the Olympic Stadium and surrounding area, however, given the lack of shared venues and difference in scale between the two events. 

Rebuilding the Olympic Stadium

The focal point for the World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the new 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. 

It will be built on the site of the 57,000 capacity Kasumigaoka National Stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field at Tokyo 1964, but is due to be demolished in the near future.

British architect Zaha Hadid’s original design has been revised but the Olympic Stadium will still be twice the size of London 2012’s stadium following an estimated $1bn of works. It will feature a retractable, arching 70-metre high roof.

It will host the World Cup’s opening match and final, as well as the opening and closing Olympic ceremonies, athletics, football and rugby sevens.

Both rugby semi-finals in 2019 and the third-place playoff are also likely to be played in it after Yokohama chose not to put forward its International Stadium – venue of the 2002 football World Cup final.

Japan Sport Council will own the stadium, which will be used for international football, national track and field championships, concerts and other cultural events post-2020.

Where will the rugby matches happen?

Most of the other matches at the 2019 tournament will be played in grounds with capacities between 20,000 and 45,000 used by teams in the J.League, Japan’s top football division. 

Japan’s World Cup bid said Hong Kong and Singapore would each host some matches, but both cities later withdrew in a blow to the goal of raising rugby’s profile across Asia.

Organisers insist they will still select host cities that can create excitement about the sport from 14 that have applied, ranging from Sapporo in the north to Nagasaki in the south. 

The final 10 to 12 confirmed venues will be announced in the first half of 2015.

Other than the Olympic Stadium, the biggest bidding venue is the 50,889 Shizuoka Stadium, home to Jubilo Iwata and Shimizu S-Pulse football clubs.

The smallest, with a proposed capacity of 15,000, is the Kamaishi Unosumai Reconstruction Stadium in an area devastated by the 2011 tsunami.

In addition to Yokohama not bidding, another surprise was authorities in Osaka putting forward the Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Japan’s oldest dedicated rugby ground.

The 30,000-seat venue opened in 1929 and the World Cup could offer an ideal opportunity to refurbish it and raise the capacity.

Games Foundation Plan

In February 2015 the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will submit its Games Foundation Plan to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), setting out a detailed vision.

There are 37 proposed competition venues, of which 22 need to be built and 15 already exist (including two needing major refurbishments).

Exactly half those to be built are due to become permanent legacies for the city, while the other 11 are either temporary or can be relocated.

The 1964 Games acted as a catalyst for Japan to make an extraordinarily rapid rise, from a country recovering from the devastation of World War Two to a beacon for development in Asia.

Projects included the Tōkaidō Shinkansen bullet train railway line between Osaka and Tokyo, 22 new highways, eight expressways and two subway lines.

Japan’s outstanding transport infrastructure was an important part of its 2020 bid at a time when the IOC may have wanted a ‘safe bet’ amid global economic uncertainty.

While Japan’s economy has its own difficulties, the nation’s developed status and pledge to host an “athlete-focused and compact” Olympics helped it defeat Istanbul in the final round vote.

The successful bid said 28 of Tokyo’s 33 competition venues would be within eight kilometres (5 miles) of the Olympic Village with many situated around Tokyo Bay.

But this pledge was thrown into doubt when the IOC recently urged Tokyo to consider more existing venues outside the capital due to rising labour and construction costs.

Impressively, three of the 1964 venues will once again host some of the world’s leading athletes.

Yoyogi National Stadium, which hosted swimming and basketball in 1964 and sport, concerts and conferences since, will host handball in 2020.

Masato Mizuno, CEO of Tokyo 2020’s bid, described it as “a fabulous venue combining traditional Japanese design with visionary innovation”.

Nippon Budokan, described by organisers as being to Judo “what Wimbledon is to tennis”, will again host Olympic Judo 56 years after it first did.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, situated next to the Olympic Stadium, will see table tennis action in 2020, having staged gymnastics and water polo in 1964.

Beyond the Games

Legacy planning has taken into account the social, developmental and sustainability agenda in the city’s long-term urban plan ‘Tokyo Vision 2020’. 

The Olympic Stadium lies in one of four large sports areas being developed under the vision, as does Musashino Forest Sport Centre in western Tokyo.

Due for completion in 2016, its gymnasium will host Modern Pentathlon and after the Games it will stage concerts, cultural events and local sports competitions.

Tokyo residents will also be able to enjoy facilities at the Olympic Aquatics Centre after the Games.

The centre will be remodeled and the number of seats reduced from 20,000 to 5,000 before it is opened to the public. It will still be used for national and international swimming events. 

Tokyo Metropolitan Government will own a number of venues, including the Aquatics Centre and Musashino Forest Sport Centre.

While the number of countries, competitors and venues in the Olympics dwarfs any other sporting event, it lags behind the Rugby World Cup in one respect – lasting 17 days, compared to 45 days for the latter.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2014/15 issue of HOST CITY magazine

The International Olympic Committee’s coordination commission has concluded that Rio de Janeiro is making solid progress on preparing to host the Games, but there is an “intense year ahead” with operational activities coinciding with a series of test events that pose “very aggressive timelines” for some venues.

IOC president Thomas Bach led a delegation to meet Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who pledged full support for the Games from “every level and ministry of [her] government as well as from State and City authorities.”

Bach also met with Rio State Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes and Brazilian Minister of Sports George Hilton, and joined the commission on a tour of the Barra Olympic Park.

Speaking at the end of the visit, commission chair Nawal El Moutawakel said: "We were pleased to be able to show President Bach that good progress has been made on the Rio 2016 Games. The advancements made on both the Barra and Deodoro Olympic Parks were very encouraging, with both areas on track to leave fantastic legacies to the people of Rio and the athletes of Brazil.

“However, the Rio team is now entering the most intense phase in the preparation for the Games, as they reach a new level of detail while planning numerous test events.”

Rio de Janeiro’s Games venues are set to host 21 test events in 2015.

“Rio 2016 will have a lot to deliver while still preparing for the Games,” said El Moutawakel.

“We were pleased to see that Rio and its government partners have put in place structures that will allow them to deal with what will be an intense year ahead, filled with thousands of details that will need to be dealt with before the Games. They will also need to ensure that the venues are delivered in time to host the test events.

“The golf course, velodrome and equestrian cross-country venues all have very aggressive timelines that will need to be met over the coming months.”

Carlos Nuzman, president of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, said “As we move at high speed from the planning to the execution phase of the project, we are dedicated to delivering on our vision for the Games.

“In a project of this magnitude, some obstacles will always exist, but with the help of our partners at the IOC and the three levels of government, we will overcome them. Our joint commitment to deliver excellent Games with memorable celebrations is stronger now than ever.”

The IOC coordination commission was pleased with the level of unity shown by government partners with the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, “which emphasised the importance of having an integrated approach to the delivery of the Games, especially during a period which is as intense as the coming 17 months.”

Accommodation and transport were also highlighted as areas that the organisers need to focus on.

“A significant amount of work needs to be completed this year to ensure that the Games experience is delivered at the highest level for the athletes, participants and spectators,” the IOC said.

The commission was pleased to see that a number of engagement initiatives have been launched in Brazil since its last visit, such as ticket sign-up, volunteer recruitment, mascots and the Olympic Torch Relay.

Ticket sales are set to begin in late March. Volunteer training, torchbearer applications, and the cultural programme are due to get underway later in the year.

FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke has requested that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Qatar 2022 World Cup propose the number of venues to be used as a “next important step” to be confirmed by the end of 2015, along with the timings of the tournament. 

He also commended progress on infrastructure works and evident progress on improving the welfare of construction workers. 

Speaking at the end of the LOC’s first board meeting in Doha on Tuesday, FIFA’s secretary general Jérôme Valcke said “We had a very constructive first LOC Board meeting and are pleased with the work accomplished to date by the LOC, especially in delivering a first customised operational plan to the specifications of the host country. 

“As we have done with previous hosting partners, we will help find solutions that work best locally including considerations for beyond the event itself. 

“Next important step will be for the LOC to provide FIFA with feasibility studies to identify the best number of venues to ensure perfect playing conditions for the teams. We aim to have a confirmation of dates, length of tournament and final number of stadia to be used by end of this year.”

On Monday, a FIFA task force recommended that the 2022 World Cup should take place in late November until late December , with a slightly shortened timeframe than the usual four weeks. 

The CEO of the LOC, Hassan Al Thawadi said “We are ready to host anytime depending on the wishes of the global football community.”  

Valcke was shown around the building site of the first stadium being built for the World Cup. “It was very encouraging to see yesterday the Al-Wakrah stadium construction site as well as the respective workers living facilities,” he said.

“I am no expert on these issues but I can see that progress is being made, particularly with the standards introduced by the Supreme Committee related to 2022 infrastructure. At the same time, recognising this is a complex issue that is vital for the Qatari authorities to continue to work on with labour experts to ensure that the initiated measures on welfare standards are sustainably implemented for all workers in Qatar and not limited to 2022 projects.”

The main focus of the meeting was for the LOC to present to FIFA its Tournament Operation Master Plan (TOMP), which it describes as a “unique hosting concept based on the compact World Cup”.

The Qatar 2022 LOC will focus on operational planning, tournament preparedness and coordinating with FIFA on all competition related matters. 

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) – the organisation tasked with delivering infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup and its aftermath – also gave a presentation on the development of stadiums and extensive transportation network links which will connect these and other venues across the country. 

“Today’s meeting was a significant milestone as we continue to make progress towards hosting an outstanding FIFA World Cup which will leave a lasting legacy for future generations in the Middle East,” said Thawadi. “This was an opportunity to demonstrate our operational preparations and ensure we are ready to deliver the tournament as early as possible.

“The first LOC board meeting is a symbol that this World Cup is not simply a concept for a tournament that will be held in the distant future. It is evidence that we are working every single day to deliver a unique tournament that will bring people in the Middle East together and build bridges between East and West.”

The organising committee of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro has announced nine tenders. 

The work covers a range of specialisms, with application deadlines ranging from November 2014 to February 2015. 

Rio 2016 wishes to hire companies in the following fields and timeframes:

IT Outsourcing. Application deadline: 13th November. 

Barriers and Fences. Application deadline: 27th November.

Temporary Arena with Overlay. Application deadline: 28th November.

Medical Supplies and Products. Application deadline: 4th December.

Commentators Positions & Tribunes. Application deadline: 4th December.

Venue Hospitality. Application deadline: 4th December.

Stands and Seating. Application deadline: 10th December.

Cleaning and Waste Services. Application deadline: 22nd January 2015.

Waste Services. Application deadline: 21 February 2015.

UK companies interested in bidding should contact fabio.alves@fco.gov.uk