Japan
Business

The outcome of a test case hearing could determine the long-running dispute over whether the UK television rights to the 2002 soccer World Cup are awarded to terrestrial broadcasters – BBC and ITV – or if the rights owner, German media group Kirch, is allowed to sell them to a satellite or cable platform.
Business

As Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games enters the home strait, Big Business is drooling at the prospect of the largest marketing event ever in the world's most densely populated country.
Sponsorship & Marketing

European licensing agency Copyright Promotions Group is once more a fully independent company following a management buy-out from its parent company ISMM Group.
Business

Beijing officials defended China's human rights record on Wednesday but conceded it faced a challenge persuading world opinion that the Chinese capital should stage the 2008 Olympic Games.
Business

Osaka Olympic bid organisers stressed the quality of the Japanese city's venues and a government pledge of unqualified financial backing in its final submission to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday.

The potential return of meteorological phenomenon 'El Nino' could pose a serious threat to the staging of next year's soccer World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
Business

Swimming's top doping expert has questioned the reliability of tests used to detect erythropoietin (EPO), one of the most dangerous banned drugs in sport.
Business

The English Football Association (FA) has confirmed that it is in talks with soccer’s governing body FIFA in an attempt to ensure that next year’s World Cup is broadcast on UK terrestrial television.
Business

Angry football supporters wearing red noses protested outside headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Tuesday after the four-times world champions' shock defeat by Honduras the day before.
Events

Human rights groups, backed by China's best-known exiled dissident and Tibetan activists, have launched a campaign against awarding the 2008 Summer Olympic Games to China.
Events

An estimated 425,000 people are expected to travel to Japan for next year's World Cup, Japanese government officials were quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Business

South American Football Confederation (CSF) president Nicolas Leoz, whose organisation staged the Copa America at only six days' notice, says his dream is for every country in the Americas to take part in the future.
Sponsorship & Marketing

Research group, Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS) has opened an office in South Korea, the venue for soccer’s 2002 World Cup.
Business

Osaka is putting a positive spin on its status as underdog in the race to stage the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Business

Turkey's Olympic chief looks disdainfully upon the report that may crush Istanbul's bid to host the 2008 Olympics.
Events

In the wake of the recent test case ruling involving the Independent Television Commission (ITC), 2002 World Cup TV rights holders the Kirch Gruppe could decide not to part with the rights, meaning UK viewers would be unable to watch the tournament to be held in Japan and South Korea.
Business

Win or lose, Toronto plans to show the world that it can throw a party of Olympic proportions.
Media

UK broadcaster Channel 5 attracted nearly 3.5 million viewers to its coverage of the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, held in Japan.