MENA

The United Nations investigator for children's rights has reported that professional soccer had joined the list of sectors shamed by child trafficking from underdeveloped countries.

European soccer has expanded its reach even further after the UEFA Champions League signed a joint TV rights deal with two Middle Eastern broadcasters to show simultaneous coverage of the competition in Arabic and English every Wednesday night.

Turkey wants to build a Formula One circuit in Istanbul within three years, the head of the Turkish Automobile Federation said on Thursday.

United Arab Emirates cricket authorities demanded yesterday that all of their team's matches in the ICC Trophy be replayed because two of their top players were refused entry into Canada.

The future of Go Racing, the UK broadcasting consortium run by BskyB, Arena Leisure and Channel 4, was still looking fragile today after Dubai horse breeding family the Maktoums voiced concerns over the group?s #307m ($435m) horseracing media deal.

Moscow may be on the Formula One Grand Prix map as soon as 2003, if the International Automobile Federation (FIA) gets its way.

Emirates Airline is to sponsor the London and Wales rugby union World Sevens Series this season. The airline will fly in the 16 competing teams to play in the event on May 27 and 28 at the Stoop Memorial Ground and Twickenham in London and at Rodney Parade, Newport and the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on June 2 and 3.

Dubai's Emirates airline has dismissed any suggestion it will pull out of its sponsorship of English soccer club Chelsea after it failed to qualify for Europe.

Two investigators from the International Cricket Council (ICC) were flying to Sharjah today to continue enquiries into match-fixing.

Three Australasian race horses have been ordered into quarantine immediately on return to Australia from the Dubai World Cup race meeting amid foot-and-mouth disease fears.

The United Arab Emirates minister of information and culture has called on the UAE Football Association to implement professionalism in UAE soccer.

The opening leg of the UIM Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, will be used as a benchmark for other venues of the 14-round UIM world championship

IMG has opened its first office in the Middle East, based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Online ticket company ts.com has scooped the award of `best application service provider? at a Euro-wide award ceremony.

Ken Bates, chairman of London soccer club Chelsea, has defended ticket prices for the new West Stand at Stamford Bridge where fans could pay #197 ($287) per match next season.

Tim Clarke, chief director airline, Air Emirates, the new $36million shirt sponsors of Premier League club Chelsea, has told sportbusiness.com why the west London club was chosen as ?one of the cornerstones of the Emirates global portfolio of sponsorships?