Japan
Events

IOC delegates have heaped praise on Toronto's plans to stage the 2008 Olympics, saying they were impressed with the city's athlete-oriented focus and dismissed detractors who sought to cast a pall on Toronto's squeaky-clean reputation.
Stadia

Canadian athletes should expect better funding from the government to ensure a good showing if Toronto hosts the 2008 Summer Olympic games, a former Canadian Olympian has said.
Events

While Beijing sprayed its grass green to impress Olympic Games inspectors, Toronto is about to greet the officials with a thick blanket of new snow as it makes its pitch to host the 2008 Summer Games.
Events

Germany's Kirch Group and public broadcasters ARD and ZDF have reached a television rights agreement for the next two World Cups after Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder asked them to work out a deal.
Stadia

Gold and silver coins commemorating soccer's 2002 World Cup finals have been minted in South Korea, which is gearing up with Japan to co-host the biggest event in world football.
Business

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.

France's world-beating soccer team will come out on Tuesday in support of Paris's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Stadia

Internet applications for 2002 World Cup tickets were suspended for the second time in 24 hours on Monday due to new technical problems.
Business

A cabinet minister and kimono-clad young women turned out to greet Olympics inspectors when they arrived on Sunday in Japan's western metropolis Osaka to evaluate its bid to stage the 2008 Summer Games.
Business

China bid farewell to Olympic Games inspectors on Sunday, brushing off human rights concerns and vowing to make Beijing the clean, green and modern city it promised in its bid to host the 2008 Games.
Sponsorship & Marketing

Sportswear firm Puma has signed Dutch international soccer player Phillip Cocu.
Events

Germany's main state television channels ARD and ZDF said they had pulled out of talks with media group Kirch over the broadcasting rights for the next two soccer World Cups.
Business

China has sentenced an activist to two years in a labour camp for urging the International Olympic Committee to use Beijing's bid for the 2008 Games to press Chinese authorities to free jailed democracy activists.

China's banned Zhong Gong meditation group issued an appeal on Monday to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to press Beijing to release its jailed leaders, a Hong Kong`-based human rights group said.
Events

China urged International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegates arriving on Monday to assess Beijing's bid for the 2008 Games to focus on its credentials as a "sports superpower of 1.2 billion people", not its human rights record.
Stadia

Ticket sales for the 2002 World Cup had an inauspicious kick-off on Thursday as internet applications in host nations Japan and South Korea were delayed and fans grumbled about their slim chance of seeing a live game. For the full story see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

China have barred transfers of their soccer players to foreign clubs this year to ensure they are available for World Cup qualifiers, said a China Football Association spokesman.
Business

Even the most experienced Olympic observers cannot agree on which city will win the battle to stage the 2008 Summer Games as the deciding vote draws near.