Chief Executive of the London Marathon, Nick Bitel, has been named the next chair of Sport England.

According to a government official: “With his impressive credentials, Nicholas Bitel is an obvious candidate to lead the organisation in the build-up to the Rio Olympics. Well-known in the sports world, his strong commercial experience has transformed the London Marathon into a globally admired event.”

Mr Bitel, member of Norrice Lea Synagogue, is a partner in sports law firm Max Bitel Greene and has been chief executive of the London marathon since 1993. He has been a board member of the Olympic Park Legacy Company and of the London Community Sports Board.

The announcement today has caused some controversy as it was widely assumed that 11 times gold medal paralympian Baronness Tanni Grey-Thompson would receive the role.