New Zealand

Mi Services Group, the IT solutions and services organisation, has become associate sponsor of the Newcastle Falcons rugby club throughout the 2000/2001 Zurich Premier Season.

Sky Network Television is not interested in purchasing the Auckland Warriors rugby league team despite a media report saying that it was considering a shareholding, stated chief executive Nate Smith.

Paul Cayard?s AmericaOne, the top-placing United States team for America's Cup XXX, is to sell off its prime physical assets to a new race team led by fellow St. Francis Yacht Club member, Larry Ellison

Four foreign soccer players in Singapore have been arrested in connection with a local match-fixing probe, according to a local media report.

Australia's most senior cricket official has attacked the International Cricket Council (ICC) over its handling of an inquiry that cleared Australian fast-bowler Brett Lee of having a suspect bowling action.

FIFA will not change the result of the vote that gave the 2006 World Cup finals to Germany despite an appeal being mounted by narrow losers South Africa, a FIFA official said on Thursday.

Pakistan cricketers, dogged by allegations of corruption, will have an undercover agent assigned to spy on them during home and away tours, according to local media reports.

New Zealand Cricket has extended its sponsorship agreement with Clear Channel, the Texas-based media company.

FIFA has confirmed that the controversial vote that awarded Germany the 2006 World Cup ahead of South Africa was valid and would stand, despite increasing calls for a rerun.

The chairman of South Africa's World Cup bid committee has supported New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark's call for a rerun of a controversial vote which awarded the 2006 tournament to Germany.

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) officials are predicting a world record crowd of 109,000 for Saturday's Tri-nations rugby clash between Australia and New Zealand at Sydney's Olympic Stadium.

Oceania's FIFA representative, who created an international storm after he abstained from a close vote that gave the 2006 World Cup to Germany, has said he would retire at the end of September.

A meeting of the southern hemisphere's top rugby officials has ended with a decision not to expand next year's Super 12 competition.

South Africa has said it would investigate a controversial vote by soccer's world governing body FIFA which denied Africa its best chance yet to host the World Cup.

The decision to abstain from the last round of voting in the 2006 World Cup decision has left Charles Dempsey of New Zealand facing a backlash both at home and abroad ? see SportBusiness.com `FEATURES? section for the full story of how one man changed the destiny of soccer?s biggest prize.

A German satirical magazine has said it had sent hoax faxes to FIFA delegates this week urging them to vote for Germany as the host of the 2006 World Cup in return for a gift.