Australia

FIBA, the international governing body for basketball, has created a pre-Olympic competition, the FIBA Diamond Ball, which will take place every four years to promote basketball globally.
Events

The Sydney Olympics minister has said he felt the city's transport system could cope with an expected crush of passengers during the Games, but added he was not completely sure.
Business

NHL Interactive CyberEnterprises (NHL ICE) has named Phase2Media, the online marketing and sales organisation, the exclusive advertising sales representative for NHL.com.
Media

IBM has begun a new version of its Olympic fan-mail service (www.fanmail.olympic.ibm.com), expected to handle 1million e-mails for athletes during the Sydney Games.
Stadia

AFL club Melbourne will play two matches in Brisbane each year for the next five years after shifting its home game to the Gabba for financial reasons.
Business

Barcelona has emerged as the favourite to host the Davis Cup final between Spain and Australia.

As Australia keys up for the biggest sporting event in its history, advertisers need to take extra care with their campaigns or face the consequences. Check out the FEATURES section of SportBusiness.com for analysis of the situation.
Business

South African soccer officials have landed in Australia to meet Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) members in a quest to challenge the award of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.

Australia's top Olympic official Kevan Gosper has confirmed that if he had the support he would stand to replace the retiring International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Media

Major Japanese Internet investor Softbank Corp has affirmed that its affiliate will start an online sports news service in a joint venture with Rivals.com Inc, a U.S. operator of Internet sports news.
Media

Foreign security forces accompanying athletes to the Sydney Olympics will not be allowed to carry guns to protect their delegations, according to Australian attorney-general Daryl Williams.
Events

Australia?s National Rugby League finals series has secured a new sponsor.
Sponsorship & Marketing

Sydney Olympic Games marketeers have cruelly ignored the two animals most associated with Australia in their choice of Olympic mascots. Kangaroos and Koala Bears have been sidelined to make way for a new cast of animal stars: the duck-billed platypus, the kookaburra and the echidna (a spiny anteater).
Business

Texaco has been named an "Official Sponsor" of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), the national governing body for amateur soccer in the United States, and the U.S. Soccer National Teams.
Events

The Australian states of Victoria and Western Australia are battling it out to host Rally Australia, which has been held in Western Australia for the last 12 years.
Media

The Australian Olympic Committee and host broadcaster Channel 7 have created a web address, olympics.com.au, in competition with the official Games site, olympics.com, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
Business

Communications giant Vodafone has paid A$65m for the naming rights to a new sports stadium in Australia.
Business

USA Swimming's Board of Directors have voted 15-6 to lift a ban on full bodysuits for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Swimming.