Australia

Victoria state sports minister Tom Reynolds has refused to guarantee that Melbourne would host the traditional Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Phil Coles will fly to Seoul on 18 June 1999 to receive the verdict on his future with the International Olympic Committee organisation.

A new organisation of athletes has demanded a more "inclusive, democratic and accountable" International Olympic Committee (IOC) - the tarnished governing body of the Summer and Winter Games.

Australian Olympics official Phil Coles said on Monday his resignation from the Sydney Olympics organising committee SOCOG was best for the 2000 Games.

The attraction of English soccer giant Manchester United is spreading yet further with news that both Sydney and Melbourne in Australia are to have a merchandise store devoted to the club next year.

The 10 Australian Football League clubs in Victoria want the league to look into telecasts competing against the gate.

Sydney's 2000 Games chief Michael Knight raised the hackles of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, lecturing its members on the need for reform just two days after cutting millions of dollars in IOC perks from the Sydney budget.

Australia's greatest ever Olympian, swimmer Dawn Fraser, has warned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of a possible athletes' protest at next year's Sydney Olympics if the organisation refused to reform itself properly.

Around 1,000 people gathered on Bondi Beach in Sydney at the weekend to protest at plans to build a 10,000-seat beach volleyball stadium.

Construction of venues for the Sydney 2000 Olympics is on track to be completed on time and within budget, New South Wales Treasurer Michael Egan has said .

Australia's Seven Network is set to reap a lucrative reward for its investment in the Docklands Stadium in Victoria.

Australian cricket's MCG has vowed not to follow in the footsteps of other major stadia across the world and sell its naming rights.

The Australian soccer league is set to be expanded to 17 - if it gets approval from world governing body FIFA.

An Australian entrepreneur has offered to pay for David Beckham and Posh Spice's honeymoon if the English soccer star agrees to play for Manchester United on their pre-season tour of Australia.

Pay per view television events in Australia are set to rocket to the same levels as in the States, according to Foxtel chief executive Tom Mockridge.

Britain's first online tax-free betting service has launched into National Football League betting in the United States.