China

English Premier League club Everton has cancelled its end-of-season tour of China amid concerns about the outbreak of the deadly SARS virus.

Anheuser-Busch, the brewing company which owns the Budweiser brand, is considering signing up as a sponsor of the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing.

The official logo for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 has been approved by the IOC - but will not be officially unveiled until May.

The Hong Kong Sevens rugby union tournament will go ahead as planned despite the outbreak of a deadly disease in South East Asia.

The Sporting Frontiers Group - formed three years ago by Simon Halden, the former chief executive of Sports & Outdoor Media International (SOMI) has changed its name as it broadens its horizons.

Martin Brundle, the chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club that leases out UK motor racing circuit Silverstone, has voiced his concerns that the British Formula One Grand Prix's days could be numbered.

Italian soccer giants AC Milan have surprisingly won twice as many votes as Manchester United in a poll to find out the most popular team among Chinese fans.

Finance institution HSBC has signed a deal to become title sponsor at the World Match PlayChampionship providing a first prize of £1million - the richest winner's cheque in the history of US and European golf.

Chinese soccer club Beijing Guo'an has been renamed after securing a sponsorship deal with motor firm Hyundai.

Advertising and marketing giant WPP has unveiled a major new sport sponsorship tool.

In a bid to prevent any repeat of the Salt Lake City corruption scandal, the organising committee of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is to be audited on a frequent basis.

A leading member of the local organising committee for the FIFA Women's World Cup in China says the country is ready for the tournament - and confirmed security around the event will be tight.

Last year's FIH Women's Hockey World Cup, held inAustralia between November 24 and December 8, broke records for the sport in terms of TV audience reach.

Free-to-air Chinese broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) has signed a multi-year rights deal for coverage of Formula One including the inaugural Grand Prix in the country in 2004.

Headed up by the soccer governing body's president Sepp Blatter, a series of FIFA committee meetings kicks off next week with a status report on preparations for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the potential for a FIFA Club World Championship in 2005 among the issues on the agenda.

Leading Chinese sporting goods company, Beijing-based Li-Ning, has signed a major marketing agreement with English Premier League star Li Tie - worth an estimated $1m and believed to be the biggest such endorsement deal in Chinese history.