Eastern Europe
OLYMPIC BIDDERS SET FOR FINAL RUN
Six European cities desperate for their two weeks in the world spotlight will pledge their undying loyalty to the Olympic movement next week as the contest to host the 2006 Winter Games reaches its climax.
INVESTORS TAKE MAJORITY SHARE IN HUNGARIAN SOCCER SIDE
A group of private investors is set to take a 90 percent stake in Hungarian first division Ujpest in a deal worth 150 million forints ($630,500) - just a week before the new soccer season begins.
EURO HOSTS TO BE NAMED IN OCTOBER SAY UEFA
European soccer governing body UEFA says it will announce the winner of the bid to host the 2004 European Championships in October.
LISBON LIKELY BIDDERS FOR 2008 OLYMPICS
Lisbon is expected to launch its second bid this year to host a major sports event.
SOCCER ADMIN CHAOS IN HUNGARY AFTER CHIEFS DISMISSED
Hungarian soccer has been plunged into disarray after its football association (HFA) dismissed its president and presidium after a report into apparent financial irregularities.
SOCCER CHIEFS ANNOUNCE TOURNAMENT TEAMS
At least 11 foreign teams will take part in a soccer tournament beginning in Dhaka on August 27, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has announced.
FOTEX BUYS HUNGARIAN CHAMPIONS FERENCVAROS
Hungarian retail group Fotex bought a majority stake in first division soccer champions Ferencvaros on Saturday in a deal worth 2.4billion forints ($8.38m), commercial television station RTL Klub said.
HUNGARIAN FA RAISING $30M TO REORGANISE THE GAME
Hungary's Football Association is raising almost $30 million to help reorganise soccer so the professional game can finance itself.
AUSTRIA AND SWITZERLAND MEET TO DISCUSS EURO 2008 BID
Austrian and Swiss soccer officials will meet in Bern on March 9 to discuss a possible joint bid to host the 2008 European Championships, officials said on Tuesday.
POWERBOAT STANDARDS SET AS SERIES GETS UNDERWAY
The opening leg of the UIM Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, will be used as a benchmark for other venues of the 14-round UIM world championship
CANADA CONSIDERING 2010 WORLD CUP BID
Canada said it might submit a bid to host the 2010 World Cup as a way of sending a message to the world that it was serious about one day hosting the world's premier soccer tournament.
TOBACCO BAN TO HIT HUNGARIAN F1
A proposed ban on cigarette advertisements in Hungary has shocked tobacco producers and could jeopardise Formula One races in the country.
AUSTRIA AND SWITZERLAND DISCUSS EURO 2008 JOINT BID
Austrian and Swiss soccer federation officials met in Vienna on Tuesday to discuss a possible joint bid to hold the 2008 European championship finals.
AUSTRIANS AND SWISS SET TO TEAM UP FOR SOCCER EVENT
Austria's soccer federation has been approached by Switzerland's head of state Adolf Ogi to discuss a possible joint-bid for Euro 2008, according to local media reports.
HUNGARIAN FA SECURES NEW TV DEAL
The Hungarian FA has sold the TV rights to first division matches for the next three years to Hungarian TV channel MTV and Dutch cable firm UPC, in a HUF3.1bn (#7.5m) deal.
AUDIOFINA, CLT-UFA AND PEARSON TELEVISION TO MERGE
On the day that News Corps and Vivendi have proposed a joint shareholding of their digital businesses, European media big-hitters Bertelsmann, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and Pearson (PTV) have agreed to merge CLT-UFA, Europe's leading commercial television and radio broadcaster, with Pearson Television, the independent television production company.
DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR UK ATHLETIC BIDS
The central England city of Birmingham has been awarded the 2003 world indoor athletics championships beating off the opposition of Budapest.
HUNGARY DIVISION IN UPHEAVAL
Hungary's first division soccer league has been given a new look after the fifth-placed club was taken over and promoted Szeged folded.