Belgium

The following profiles show the strengths and weaknesses of the five candidates seeking to take over from Juan Antonio Samaranch when he retires after 21 years in charge of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July.

The IOC cannot be expected to help China with any internal issues or foreign disputes during the build-up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, IOC president Jacques Rogge has said.

Could new TV deals make euro soccer a circus? James Swanwick went to Brussels to find out The European Union’s competition authorities may go ahead with a major shake-up in the way big sporting events can be marketed to television despite warnings by members of the European Parliament, MEPs and sports officials that a legal challenge over the sale of TV rights could have implications as wide as the Bosman ruling, which the soccer players’ transfer market into disarray.

Alternative Investment Market (AIM)-listed sports player management and marketing agency Proactive Sports Group has reported a total of 36 player transfer deals in its football division since being admitted to AIM in May this year.