Europe

Portugal may not be able to host soccer’s European Championships in 2004 unless it begins building three stadiums by the autumn, according to a report.

Preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games are in full swing after the initial delays that worried the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Games broadcasting supremo Manolo Romero said on Thursday.

With the European club soccer season drawing to a close, how have the winners and losers insured against the financial implications of success and failure? Sportbusiness.com asked Jonathon Ticehurst, managing director, sports and international divisions, of London-based Windsor insurance brokers, what insurance measures can be put in place to steady club finances at the sharp end of the season.

Welsh soccer chiefs may call in soccer’s world governing body FIFA over a row with Ukrainian embassy officials who have refused to grant striker John Hartson a visa ahead of next Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in the former Soviet Union.

London stock exchange-listed 365 Corp has reported a loss of £16.9 million ($23.9m) for the year ended 31 March 2001, under-performing by nearly £5m ($7.1m) on consensus forecasts.

Sports trading cards and memorabilia firm The Upper Deck Company, has signed an exclusive product agreement with English soccer club Manchester United.

British Eurosport has secured the live rights to the England versus Greece UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifier.

Brian Stocks has been appointed director of sport for the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.

Socialists on Madrid city council launched a stinging attack on Spanish soccer club Real Madrid's sale of their training ground La Ciudad Deportiva in yesterday's vote approving the move.

Gibraltar, obliged to play at last week's Sudirman Cup under the neutral flag of the International Badminton Federation (IBF), hit out at the federation's annual general meeting on Sunday.

Jaguar chief Bobby Rahal has threatened to sue McLaren after failing to secure the services of his Formula One rivals' technical director Adrian Newey, according to UK newspaper reports this Sunday.

The Indian cricket team have secured a record sponsorship contract for the next three years. The deal with the Sahara Group - which has interests in airlines and media - will guarantee the Indian cricket board 690m ($14.7m) to 720m ($15.3m) rupees.

Betting duty could come back to the UK, just three months after the chancellor Gordon Brown said he would get rid of the nine per cent tax on gamblers to encourage bookmakers to close their tax-free betting operations overseas.

Hundreds of football hooligans have been banned from leaving Britain for tomorrow's World Cup qualifying clash against Greece, the Home Office said.

Australian soccer teams the Brisbane Strikers and Canberra Cosmos have vowed to take legal action over their axing from the National Soccer League.

The British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia will make its U.S. television network debut on Fox Sports World beginning with the June 8 match against Western Australia.