Ireland

Former state-owned telecommunications company eircom plc is the new official sponsor of Ireland's national soccer team, the Football Association of Ireland has confirmed.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson has welcomed a move by the French soccer club Strasbourg to take legal action against some supporters for incitement to racial hatred.

Irish public television broadcaster RTE has seen off a rival bid from satellite giant BSkyB to clinch the television rights to the Six Nations rugby tournament.

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.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) will wait for the findings of a feasibility study before deciding whether to make a bid to host the 2008 European Championship.

Ticketmaster International, a division of Ticketmaster USA, has appointed Brian Kabatznick to the post of Executive Vice President, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

UK sport and leisure clothing retailer Blacks Leisure Group Plc has agreed to sell its 40 percent stake in Fila UK Ltd to Fila International for 12 million pounds ($18.16 million) cash.

A call has been made for a moratorium on the development of the National Stadium in Abbots town, Dublin, until a Dail (Irish parliament) committee examines the costs involved. Fine Gael's Tourism, Sport and Recreation spokesman, Mr Bernard Allen, demanded the moratorium after claiming in the Dail that the stadium would cost E500 million rather than the E280 million projected.

Paddy Power, Ireland?s largest bookmaker, is to launch an online betting service and plans to open betting shops in the UK?s big city centres.

NHL International, in conjunction with ESPN International, will distribute the 2000 NHL

England and France have emerged as the front runners in the bid to hosts the Rugby World Cup in 2007.

Last year?s rugby union World Cup made a #47m surplus ? an increases of nearly #30million on the tournament in South Africa in 1995, The Observer newspaper reported ahead of this week?s publication of the tournament accounts.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has rejected plans for a Celtic League involving teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Lifestyle designer Kathy Ireland and Greens.com, the online specialist in providing free

Adidas UK has appointed Gordon Baird as managing director with sole responsibility for the company's UK and Ireland operations.

Prima Television International has been appointed exclusive international media rights representative for the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup 2000.