MENA

Iran has barred a visit by a U.S. soccer team for friendly matches on the free trade island of Kish later this month, a Kish official said on Tuesday.

European soccer's governing body UEFA has called off an international youth tournament scheduled to be held in Israel next week, an official said.

Live coverage of raging battles in Washington and Iraq resulted in predictable viewership boosts for broadcasters but it was CBS that ended up beating the competition with its broadcast of an equally historic NFL showdown.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has settled its dispute with Iraq over the venue for World Cup preliminary matches by offering another location for some of the games.

The troubled Millennium Cup soccer tournament has suffered a fresh setback with officials canceling a third-place playoff to cut losses.

An international tournament in India which promised to boast major players has been branded "a farce" after two teams withdrew, one was ruled ineligible and another failed to play because the team's baggage was delayed.

The English Football Association and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have put the finishing touches to a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will lead to long-term technical co-operation between the two governing bodies.

Russia's soccer chiefs have sacked Sergei Khusainov, the embattled head of the country's referees' association (RA), but denied the dismissal was linked to allegations of drunkenness.

Demand for the Viagra anti-impotency drug is dropping in Israel as World Cup action heats up, an Israeli doctor said on Monday.

Security operations for the Sydney 2000 Olympics have been "sharpened" in response to the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, the Sydney Olympic security commander has said.

The National Basketball Association, which imposed a lockout on its players in July, has cancelled training camps and 24 preseason games through October 16.

The league cited a lack of progress in negotiations as the reason for the cancellations.

UEFA have thrown down the gauntlet to their own clubs, the European Commission and upstart rivals Media Partners and have announced far-reaching plans for the reorganisation of European club soccer.

This season's European Cup Final - likely to be the last under the current format - will be played at the Nou Camp Stadium, home of Barcelona.

Twelve of Europe's top clubs have asked UEFA for closer co-operation in the organisation of the European Champions' League and insisted on having more input in financial matters.

Only 6,745 athletes from 42 nations have registered to take part in next month's Asian Games by the deadline this week, compared with the anticipated total of more than 8,700, the Games organising committee said.

German media group Kirch has agreed to buy Swiss sports rights marketing company CWL Telesport & Marketing AG in a move to expand its international soccer business.