LONDON: The BBC will broadcast the next five Olympics – summer and winter – on its television, radio and online platforms after a new deal with overall new rights-holder Discovery.

The deal does mean that BBC’s coverage in 2022 and 2024 will not be as all-embracing as its broadcasting breadth in the already-secured 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, said: “The Olympic Games is one of the nation’s most treasured sporting events.

“This is an extensive package of rights that ensures we can offer the best of the Games, across TV, radio, online and digital, maximising the reach and impact of the BBC.

“This ground-breaking partnership also shows how the BBC can collaborate and work with others to continue to bring the very best in sport to licence fee payers.”

The next four Olympics take place in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Pyeongchang (2018), Tokyo (2020) and Beijing (2022). A venue for 2024 is yet to be decided.

Director-general Tony Hall said: “The BBC prides itself on bringing the biggest sporting moments to the public.

“I’m delighted that through our new partnership with Discovery, the BBC will continue to carry the torch for great sporting coverage right through to the 2024 Games.

“While the BBC has had to take some tough financial decisions, this partnership underlines our commitment to making world class sport available to all.”

As part of the agreement, Discovery will sub-license from the BBC exclusive pay-TV rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games.

David Zaslav, president and chief executive officer of Discovery Communications, said the deal was “a win for UK sports fans”.

He added: “For 30 years, our two organisations have charted new frontiers with co-production partnerships in factual and natural history programming.

“Now we join together once again to bring the most compelling stories of human ambition, sacrifice and achievement to people across the UK.”

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