Greece

A year before the Euro 2000 soccer championships, organisers received a possible taste of things to come as hooligans linked to Rotterdam's Feyenoord fought with police and wrecked the centre of their own city.

Melbourne has tabled a bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games in anticipation of the International Olympic Committee moving to a system of rotating regions when awarding future Games.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch has said he is happy Greece had secured the 2004 Games and could now afford to pay for them.

The International Olympic Committee has summoned Australian IOC member Phil Coles to appear before an inquiry panel to explain allegations of misconduct.

The most important case since the Bosman ruling in the European Court of Justice revolutionised players rights will be made in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne next week.

The Organising Committee for the 2004 Olympic Games hope to make 100bn drachmas ($326m) from the licensing of the new Athens 2004 logo, according to a Financial Times registered source.

European athletics chiefs have agreed to stage a new indoor European Cup in 2001, an athletics source said recently.

Action Sports International, a multi-dimensional company that manufactures, distributes and licenses Generation X and Y products have signed a distribution agreement with Trans National Sports one of the largest Eastern European distributors of sporting goods and apparel.

Stratis Stratigis, President of Athens's 2004 Olympic Games organising committee resigned citing personal reasons, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

A unit of Johannesburg listed television and software group, MIH Holdings, has said its Greek pay television operation had invested $6.25 million in a popular Greek football club.

British leisure company ENIC Plc has announced it has sold part of its interest in the Greek football club AEK PAE (AEK Athens) to NetMed BV, a subsidiary of US-listed media group MIH Limited .

IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch is to visit Greece this week amid reported concerns over delays in preparation for the Athens 2004 Games and the resignation of the event's chief organiser Stratis Stratigis.

Panagiotis Thomopoulos has been appointed chairman of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games organising committee.

Eidos plc, developers and publishers of entertainment software, have signed an exclusive six year agreement with International Sports Multimedia (ISM) to publish computer and video games based on a license from the International Olympic Committee.

President Fidel Castro has thrown his weight behind Cuba's ambitious bid to host the 2008 Olympics, saying it was merited both because of the island's athletic record and as a right for the Third World in general.

Soccer clubs under common ownership will not be allowed to take part in UEFA competitions starting next season, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Monday.