Balkans

Greece?s soccer authorities braced themselves on Thursday for FIFA's decision on whether to ban Greek teams over government interference in the sport.

Greece rejected claims by soccer's world governing body FIFA that the government was meddling in Greek soccer, risking a ban from international competition.

Old Trafford will host England's World Cup qualifier with Greece on October 6, the Football Association announced on Friday.

The BBC is understood to have paid around #3m ($4.3m) for exclusive live TV and radio rights to England's World Cup soccer qualifier against Greece in June.

Newcastle United's St. James' Park will host England's World Cup qualifier against Albania, the FA has said.

Greek weightlifter Pyrros Dimas, one of only a trio of competitors to win three Olympic golds in the sport, was appointed to the 2004 Athens Games organising committee on Thursday.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has promised Albania financial aid to improve the country's impoverished football stadia.

Yugoslavia's three teams competing in the UEFA Cup will play their "home" matches in the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Macedonia.

The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has had its licence revoked and been ordered to replace several leading

Colombian leftist guerrillas toasted Brazil's and Mexico's World Cup victories and vowed to fight for the right of every Colombian to enjoy "happiness, fiesta and football."

Crvena Zvezda Belgrade has said they planned to ignore an order by UEFA to play a European match at a neutral venue because of political tension.

Sofia mayor Stefan Sofianski has said he wanted to help Bulgarian soccer out of its chaotic state by becoming leader of the sport's governing body in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian arm of Russian oil firm LUKOIL is in talks to buy a majority stake in Bulgarian soccer club Neftochimik Bourgas, Neftochimik's president said on Tuesday.

World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. has renewed key distribution deals in Australia and the UK and signed a new deal in the Czech Republic.

Portugal have rejected a proposal to play a friendly against a Catalan "national" team at Barcelona's Nou Camp because of the hostile reception given to Real Madrid?s Luis Figo by Barcelona fans, Spanish newspapers have reported.

The World Wrestling Federation Entertainment has signed new television distribution deals in Russia and Bulgaria.