Nordics

Sweden has pulled out of the running to host the 2018 Ryder Cup, leaving five countries in the race.

International sports federations are looking for host cities with a clear sports strategy, and believe bidders could save time and money by undergoing training in sports strategy, according to a survey by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES).

Madrid’s bid to organise the 2018 Ryder Cup has received a major boost from a survey conducted amongst 1,000 UK golf fans.

Swedish-based media rights agency IEC in Sports has agreed a multi-year deal with Finnish public-service broadcaster YLE for IAAF World Athletics events.

Greece and Portugal are the latest European territories where the IEC in Sports agency has agreed television deals for the athletics’ World Championships in 2011 and 2013.

Sports rights agency Kentaro has extended its agreement to represent the media rights for the Swedish Football Associations Svenska Fotbollförbundet (SvFF), Föreningen Svensk Elitfotboll (SEF) and Elitföreningen Damfotboll (EFD) from 2011 to 2015.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has tabled a bid for ailing General Motors-owned carmaker Saab. Ecclestone is bidding along with Genii Capital, majority owners of the Renault Formula One team.

Sweden and Norway have been forced to abandon plans to bid to host football’s Euro 2016 after governments in both countries denied $1.4 billion (€950 million) for stadia improvement.

Golfers Padraig Harrington and Michelle Wie are going to Copenhagen to be present at the International Golf Federation’s final pitch for the sport to be included in the 2016 Olympics.

Two Swedish entrepreneurs are investing €200 million to create a research, development and training centre entirely devoted to women’s sports located in Malmö, Sweden.

Mikkel Kessler´s fourth-round TKO victory over Gusmyr Perdomo drew an impressive peak market share of 72 per cent on Danish free-to-air broadcaster TV2.

ISC, the promoter of the World Rally Championship, has secured the position of Rally Finland on the calendar for five years in the first of a raft of new deals designed to strengthen the series.

Sports goods retailer Intersport Finland has agreed a deal with UEFA to become a National Supporter and the Official Sports Shop of football’s Women’s Euro 2009 tournament.

Denmark has been appointed as host for UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2011 by UEFA.

Innsbruck in Austria and Kuopio in Finland have been shortlisted to compete for host city rights for the 2012 Youth Olympic Winter Games.

Modern Times Group (MTG), acquired the exclusive media rights in Denmark, Norway and Sweden for the UEFA Champions League from UEFA.

The leading newspaper in Norway, Aftenposten, reports that 51 per cent of Norwegians are against giving state guarantees of between NOK 15 and 20 billion ($4-5 billion) to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Copenhagen will not bid to host an Olympic Games, according to the city's mayor, Ritt Bjerregaard.