MUMBAI: The Global BBC iPlayer has secured the rights to the Virgin London Marathon. The news follows the announcement of The Xchanging Boat Race as the first ever sporting event for the pilot VOD service.

This month, coverage of both will be made available to international subscribers within days of the original broadcast in the UK. London will host the elite marathon runners from around the globe on 22 April.

Global BBC iPlayer GM Matthew Littleford said, “Our subscribers wanted iconic British sport, and here they have it. The Grand National and London Marathon are packed with action, heritage and some of the sporting year’s biggest talking points, and I’m glad that we can bring them to our users around the world.”

Virgin London Marathon joint race director David Bedford said, “I’m happy that the Virgin London Marathon can be given an even bigger international audience through the Global BBC iPlayer. The Marathon attracts a diverse range of runners, from elite athletes to social runners and celebrities, and this in turn appeals to many, many spectators around the world.”