Middle East

The WTA Tour has signed a major multi-million dollar commercial deal with Dubai Duty Free.

The French government’s Minister for Sport, Jean-Francois Lamour, has become the latest heavy hitter to speak at a major sports conference taking place in Qatar next month.

Interactive sports marketing and technology firm Sportvision has recruited Tom Fox, senior vice president of sports marketing at Gatorade, to its board of directors.

More than 20,000 people attended a special festival in Bahrain to mark the countdown to the staging of the Middle East’s very first Formula One Grand Prix.

The first Sportel market to take place in Dubai has proved a big hit - with all available stands, screening kiosks and meeting boxes selling-out weeks before the event takes place.

Organisers of next month’s Sportel – held for the first time in Dubai – say more than 125 companies from 42 countries have so far registered to attend the event.

Two of the most powerful men in world sport met in Switzerland yesterday – with the issue of doping taking centre stage.

Sri Lanka has been chosen as the host nation for the revival of the sub continent's flagship limited-over cricket tournament the Asia Cup.

The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that it will hold its major council meetings to coincide with the Qatar Sports International (QSi) event in Doha on April 5-7.

Organisers of the first Formula One Grand Prix to be staged in the Middle East have appointed one of the sport’s best-known names to ensure the project is delivered on time and is a success.

Sport marketing consultancy IraqiSport has signed an agreement with ICTAS, the precursor administration to the National Olympic Committee of Iraq (NOCI), to assist in the development of sport and the management of rights and other commercial interests.

Financially troubled English Premier League soccer club Leeds United may be able to extend a crunch deadline in its bid to avoid going into administration.

The Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC) is to repeat its successful business event Qatar Sports International (QSi) in April.

Bernie Ecclestone has once again spoke out in defence of the first Formula One Grand Prix to be staged in the Middle East – and played down reported terrorist threats to the event.

Dubai-based international airline Emirates has appointed German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer as its global ambassador for sport and social activities.

Construction on the new Formula One Grand Prix race track in Bahrain is ahead of schedule prior to the circuit's FIA inspection date of March 7.