Latin America

South American soccer authorities have said that there had never been any doubt that this year's Copa America would be held in Colombia, one of the world's most violent countries.

The Confederation of South American Football countries (CSF) has confirmed that Columbia will remain as host to the Copa America.

South American Football Confederation (CSF) president Nicolas Leoz has said that he wanted the Copa America to go ahead in Colombia despite recent violence there.

Colombians are furious over Ameriko, the multi-cultured mascot for this year's Copa America which the Andean nation hosts in July.

Paraguay soccer captain Jose Luis Chilavert was fuming on Saturday after discovering that his photograph was on the match tickets for a 2002 World Cup qualifying match against Colombia.

FIFA has fined the Peruvian Football Federation $14,400 and ordered Peru to play its next home World Cup qualifying match at a neutral venue after Peruvian fans threw stones at the Chilean team when it arrived at Lima airport for a match on March 27.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) is pushing on with the "world-first" indoor series against South Africa in Melbourne in August, despite concerns over the venue's playing surface.

Morocco, which reaffirmed its bid to stage the 2006 World Cup finals this week by dismissing South African calls to quit the race, has despatched a delegation to Paraguay to lobby for South America's support.

Reebok has won an important trademark legal battle in South America.

The 2000 WNBA All-Star Game will reach viewers in 154 countries around the globe in 23 different languages via 37 telecasters, according to NBA sources.

Olympics boss Juan Antonio Samaranch has launched a scathing attack against media critics who have called for him to quit over the Salt Lake City corruption scandal.

A senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official has said he expected the Games to be held in Africa in the next 10 years.

A new, independent study comparing the effect of virtual advertising and conventional arena advertising on viewers of televised sports reveals that TV audiences had better recall and greater brand recognition with virtual ads.

Championship Auto Racing Teams has entered into a three-year agreement with fuel supplier elf Race Fuels and its exclusive agent in the U.S. and Mexico, Competition Fuels, Inc. to become the Official Fuel Supplier for the FedEx Championship Series.

The Pan-american Sports Network (PSN), a new, 24-hour, all sports cable and satellite digital television network directed at sports fans throughout Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, will debut on Tuesday, February 15 with the live, exclusive broadcast of Copa Libertadores, the region's most important football event.

Ticketmaster Online, including its sports ticket operation, sold 522,926 tickets worth $19.5 million over its internet site during the first quarter ended April 30, 1998.