MENA
FORMER THAI COACH HOPES AFC BAN SHORT TERM
Former Thai soccer coach Withaya Laohakul said he hoped a decision by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to ban the country from international competition would only be a temporary punishment.
SPORTAL AND RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP IN ACCESS CLASH
Sportal, the European sports content portal, has clashed with Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) organisers over journalistic access at one of the tournament?s matches.
SOCCER TOURNAMENT TO GO AHEAD DESPITE MIDDLE EAST TENSION
Asia's premier soccer competition, the Asian Cup 2000, will go ahead in Lebanon, despite rising tensions in the Middle East.
NASR PULL OUT OF ASIAN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Al Nasr of the United Arab Emirates have become the latest side to withdraw from the Asian Club Championship, pulling out of their first round clash with Iraqi side Al Zawra.
BOO.COM?S LOSING INVESTORS IDENTIFIED
The losing investors in the failed online sportswear e-tail venture Boo.com have been identified by the Financial Times.
MALAYSIA WANTS 2006 ASIAN GAMES
Malaysia, despite an economic crisis back home, wants tothe 2006 Asian Games and have appealed to other nations not to bid, saying itwould be a waste of money.
NIGERIA READY FOR WORLD YOUTH SOCCER
Nigeria's organising committee for next year's world youth soccer tournament said on Sunday they were confident FIFA would be satisfied by the country's preparations after an inspection this week.
FIFA HEALTH TEAM TO INSPECT NIGERIAN FACILTIES
FIFA officials are expecting Nigeria on Monday to inspect facilities for next year's world youth cup, a spokesman for the Nigerian tournament organisers said on Sunday.
NIGERIA NEED MORE MEDICAL FACILITIES – FIFA
A FIFA health team inspecting Nigerian facilities for next year's World Youth Cup has cited inadequate emergency and laboratory facilities at match venues.
FIFA TEAM DESCEND ON NIGERIA FOR HOTEL CHECK
A team from world soccer governing body FIFA has begun inspecting hotels in eight Nigerian cities to decide if they are good enough to be used at the World Youth Cup in April, organisers have announced.
FIFA "SATISFIED" WITH YOUTH CUP FACILITIES IN NIGERIA
A FIFA delegation was reported to be satisfied with facilities in Lagos as it began a final inspection to decide if Nigeria should host the World Youth Cup.
GERMANY VISIT QATAR FOLLOWING NEW FIFA GUIDELINES
Germany's Football Association still plan to visit Qatar next month following new FIFA guidelines aimed at avoiding any trace of scandal in the bid to stage the 2006 World Cup.
FIFA CRITICAL OF NIGERIA STADIA
A FIFA team on a final inspection of Nigerian facilities for the World Youth Cup has criticised the stadiums at two venues.
DENTSU OBTAINS ASIAN GAMES MARKETING RIGHTS
Japanese advertising giants Dentsu has obtained the exclusive marketing rights for the fourteenth Asian Games in Busan (Pusan), Korea.
HINGIS TAKES ONE SMALL STEP FOR FEMINISM IN GULF
Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce did not exactly blaze a trail for feminism when they played in the first women's tennis tournament in the Gulf region this week. But they were part of a quiet revolution taking place in the area.
MALAYSIA AMAZED AT LOSING ASIAN GAMES TO QATAR
Malaysian sports officials were dumbfounded after the country lost its bid to host the 2006 Asian Games to Qatar.
INDIA BIDS TO HOST ASIAN GAMES
India has made a bid to stage the 15th Asian Games in 2006.
ASIAN GAMES COMMITTEE VISITS HONG KONG
The four-member Olympic Council of Asia's Evaluation Committee has arrived in Hong Kong's to scrutinise Hong Kong?s bid to host the 2006 Asian Games