I understand that Baroness Tanni will be offered the Sport England chair because of her empathy with grass roots sport.

Then pioneering Paralympian, 43, had made it known she would be applying for both part-time roles but said at the time: "I'm not sure if it's going to go in my favour or against me that I couldn't decide which box to tick.

"I'd be flattered to get either post."

Recommendation made by the interviewing panels are currently being reviewed by the Culture Secretary Maria Miller, who must endorse the respective appointments, and Sports Minister Hugh Robertson  who, like Campbell and Sebastian Coe, is a big Thompson supporter.

But the Ministers consider Sport England the key appointment because the need to cement a 2012 legacy at participation level and oversee the Government's £150 million ($228 million/€177 million) infusion of cash into school sports has become a post-Games priority.

Also, Baroness Tanni's high profile persona, both as sporting icon and emerging politician, would boost the sagging image of an organisation whose future has been under threat.

Top sports lawyer Bitel, already on the Sport England Board, could now become its vice-chair with Britain's former yachting supremo Rod Carr, financier and Gulf War veteran Mark Hanson, a Cambridge modern pentathlon blue who once worked for MI6, and former England hockey chief  Phillip Kimberley in contention for Campbell's UK Sport chair.

All are current members of the UK Sport Board.


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April 2013: Alan Hubbard - Baroness Tanni is a no-brainer for the role of UK Sport chair