Latin America

The release of players for the Confederations' Cup has topped discussions at the recent FIFA executive committee meetings, pushing the threat of a European super league and doping concerns onto the back burner.

Chelsea's outspoken chairman Ken Bates called on UEFA and FIFA to end "meaningless matches" at both national and club level by segregating teams from smaller countries into pre-qualifying competitions.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter repeated his belief that Africa should stage the soccer World Cup finals in 2006, in an interview published on Monday.

The Pan American Games torch will be lit at a major pre-Hispanic ruin outside Mexico City on June 23 to begin a month-long, three-country journey to Winnipeg, host for the 1999 Games, organisers said.

Major League Baseball could swing into the Far East as part of a plan to increase its international profile.

The Asian Football Confederation is to meet FIFA president Sepp Blatter this week to push for another seat at the 2002 World Cup.

Egypt's national soccer manager Mahmoud el-Gohary and the board of the Egyptian Football Association have resigned following the national team's defeat last week in the Confederations Cup Championship in Mexico.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Peter Velappan, head of the Asia Football Confederation, have said they are optimistic that an Asian boycott of the 2002 World Cup would be avoided.

Al-Dahshouri Harb has been appointed the new head of the Egypt Football Association (EFA) following the resignation of the EFA board.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter reaffirmed on Sunday that soccer's governing body would not meet Asia's demands for an automatic fifth berth at the 2002 World Cup finals.

President Fidel Castro has thrown his weight behind Cuba's ambitious bid to host the 2008 Olympics, saying it was merited both because of the island's athletic record and as a right for the Third World in general.

Broadcaster Grupo Televisa said on Tuesday it was looking for buyers for one of the three Mexican first division soccer clubs it owns.

ESPN International and the National Football League (NFL) have agreed to extend their existing worldwide distribution agreement through the 2002 season.

Preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games are in full swing after the initial delays that worried the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Games broadcasting supremo Manolo Romero said on Thursday.

CART has signed a deal with a local promoter to stage a round of its FedEx Championship Series in Mexico City.

Talks between the NFL and the Referees Association have broken off, making it likely that replacement officials will be used in six pre-season games on Thursday.