China
IOC PRAISES TORONTO’S 2008 OLYMPIC PLANS
IOC delegates have heaped praise on Toronto's plans to stage the 2008 Olympics, saying they were impressed with the city's athlete-oriented focus and dismissed detractors who sought to cast a pall on Toronto's squeaky-clean reputation.
CHINA BARS TRANSFERS ABROAD THIS YEAR
China have barred transfers of their soccer players to foreign clubs this year to ensure they are available for World Cup qualifiers, said a China Football Association spokesman.
BEIJING AIMS TO BE CLEAN FOR 2008 OLYMPIC BID
Beijing plans to spend 100 billion yuan ($12.08 billion) cleaning up its heavily polluted air to improve its bid to host the 2008 Olympics, a government minister said on Friday.
WAP PHONES SHORT OF CONTENT IN CHINA
China Mobile Communications, China's largest mobile communications operator, has announced that customers who use the company's WAP phones will be charged beginning December.
OSAKA CHALLENGES BEIJING AS OLYMPIC HOST BATTLE HOTS UP
The Japanese city of Osaka has pressed its claim to stage the 2008 Olympics against current favourite Beijing, saying it could outdo the Chinese capital in experience and facilities.
BIGFANOF.COM LAUNCHES GLOBALLY
A new web site hosting the official web sites for a string of top sports men and women has been launched.
TAIWAN `MAY BACK BEIJING BID?
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has said the island might back rival Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
OLYMPIC BID CITIES ATTEND IOC SEMINAR
The 10 cities hoping to host the 2008 Summer Games left International Olympic Committee headquarters this week confident they would all clear the first hurdle in the bidding process.
ASIAN SPORT SET TO GET NEW ONLINE SERVICE
French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Internet company China.com Corporation have announced that they have created a joint online information service devoted to Asian sports news.
GRAFT, UNPROFESSIONALISM HAUNT SE ASIA
Bribery and match-fixing hamper the development of soccer in Southeast Asia, and a farcical game in the recent Tiger Cup championship has further tarnished the sport's image, coaches and officials said.
SAMARANCH SAYS CHINA NOW LEADS ANTI-DOPING BATTLE
Olympic chief Juan Antonio Samaranch has gaven a clean bill of health to Chinese sport and said Beijing was now an example to the world of how to fight against drug cheats.
CHINA DEMANDS OVERHAUL OF IOC
China demanded on Tuesday an overhaul of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the methods by which it selected Olympic host cities.
UNITED LOOK TO CHINA FOR NEW OUTLETS
English Premier Leauge soccer club Manchester United is involved in talks with three potential Chinese partners with a view to setting up more club shops in the country.
ESPN TO OFFER ASIAN VERSION OF SPORTS NEWS SHOW
US sports broadcaster ESPN is launching an Asian version of its flagship news show SportsCenter on its network in the region, ESPN Star Sports (ESS).
BEIJING HOTELS FLOODED WITH CALLS
Beijing?s hotels were flooded with calls just minutes after the Chinese capital won their bid to host the 2008 Olympics.
BEIJING FACES TEST WITH 2008 EVALUATION REPORT
China's hopes of staging the Olympics for the first time in 2008 face a severe test on Tuesday when the IOC publishes an evaluation report on the five candidates in the race for the Games. For more on this see FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.
CANADIAN OLYMPIANS SAY GOVERNMENT FUNDING NEEDED
Canadian athletes should expect better funding from the government to ensure a good showing if Toronto hosts the 2008 Summer Olympic games, a former Canadian Olympian has said.
BIDDING CITIES AWAIT IOC JUDGEMENT
Even the most experienced Olympic observers cannot agree on which city will win the battle to stage the 2008 Summer Games as the deciding vote draws near.