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The London Olympics and Euro 2012 soccer tournament will be shown on free-to-air television in Britain after the government deferred until 2013 any changes to the rules on broadcasting sports events.

Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said that changes to the broadcasting landscape, including the completion of a switchover to digital transmission in 2012, meant it was not the right time to review the list of protected events.

"The current economic climate also points to us not making a decision at this time which could adversely impact on sport at the grassroots. I have therefore decided to defer any review until 2013, when we will look at this again," Robertson said in a statement.

England's home cricket test matches are not protected and migrated to Sky following the hugely popular 2005 England victory over Australia in the Ashes.

A review by former Football Association Executive Director David Davies in 2008 proposed adding home Ashes test matches to the list, as well as the home countries' soccer qualifiers for major tournaments.

In a separate statement, Robertson said he wanted sports governing bodies to pass as much as 30 per cent of their revenues from broadcasting deals to the grassroots of their games.

Under a voluntary code of conduct, governing bodies, including the Football Association, the Lawn Tennis Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have agreed to invest a minimum of five per cent to promote sport at the lowest level.