Italy

Manchester United has been crowned the richest soccer club in the world for a third consecutive year.

America's Cup holders, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, accepted the Swiss challenge for yachting's biggest prize on Monday after a month of legal wrangling.

Fox Kids Europe, the pan-European children?s entertainment company, and interactive sports content provider Sportal have signed a long-term agreement to launch dedicated children?s sports sites.

Hamburg-based sports marketing agency Global Sportnet has signed a five-year contract with Italian Serie A soccer club Juventus FC.

Debt-ridden Argentine champions River Plate have promised that they would not go touting their best players for sale.

Italy's upper house of parliament, the Senate, has given final approval to a law making sports doping an offence punishable with up to three years in prison and fines of up to 100 million lire ($44,230).

Italy?s Telecommunications Authority has threatened to revoke the licenses of the country?s two pay-TV operators, Tele+ and Stream, after the latest ultimatum for adopting a single digital decoder standard expired on November 6.

Asian soccer promoter ProEvents Management Ltd has formed a new joint venture company with Manchester-based sports management company World Sports Solutions Ltd (?WSS?), to represent top European clubs and players in Asia.

FIFA says its has no plans to sanction Italian club Perugia for going to court to obtain a ruling which enabled Argentine Pablo Guinazu to play in a Serie A match at the weekend.

Sportal and Ford of Europe have signed a deal to make Ford a key sponsor of the Sportal Network.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Lennart Johansson said on Monday they were delighted with the support of British Prime Minister Tony Blair in their fight for a better deal with the European Commission over a new soccer transfer system.

Serie A club Perugia defied a FIFA ruling and played Argentine Pablo Guinazu, currently the subject of a transfer fee wrangle, in their team against Napoli on Sunday.

National football association official?s from the countries at the heart of the proposed ?Atlantic League? have met today for further discussions with club representatives.

The NFL is offering European television stations free access to game highlights with a new Sunday-night highlights service.

Manchester United, the world?s best supported club team, will be playing for big bucks in Wednesday?s Uefa Champions? League.

Rivals.net is sponsoring a package of interactive initiatives across Channel 4's Football Italia programming, magazine and website.