North Africa

Cameroon's Issa Hayatou is expected to remain president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Thursday's election at the congress in Accra.

Formula One needs an African Grand Prix but the calendar must not be enlarged beyond 17 races, team owner Eddie Jordan said.

Outbreaks of hooliganism by English and German fans in France should not affect those nations' bids to stage the 2006 World Cup finals, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.

Washington and Baltimore are to announce an unprecedented joint bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, according to the Washington Post.

Ethiopia have withdrawn from the African Nations Cup qualifiers rather than play against neighbours Eritrea, the Confederation of African Football confirmed on Wednesday.

Europe's leading soccer leagues have taken on world governing body FIFA about releasing players for the controversial Confederations' Cup in January.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said that he expected England to present a strong, professional bid to host the 2006 World Cup finals - although Africa was still the logical choice to stage the tournament.

FIFA are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the Confederations Cup from January to August 1999 after world champions France withdrew last month.

Jahangir Khan, the record 10-times British Open Squash Champion from Pakistan,has been elected a Vice President of the World Squash Federation (WSF).

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has promised his government would do all it could to support Germany's bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Germany has entered the race to stage the 2006 World Cup finals after they officially handed in their initial bid document to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Olympic chief Juan Antonio Samaranch has gaven a clean bill of health to Chinese sport and said Beijing was now an example to the world of how to fight against drug cheats.

A formidable army of supporters lined up to back England's World Cup 2006 bid, are claiming that the resignation of F.A. chief executive Graham Kelly would not hurt the nation's chances.

The African Football Confederation (CAF) acknowledged for the first time that South Africa's 2006 World Cup bid could be damaged without the support of the entire continent.

FIFA will lay down strict rules to countries bidding to host the 2006 World Cup finals to avoid the sort of scandal over bribery that has rocked the Olympic movement, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has announced.

Plans to cut the number of African countries bidding for the 2006 World Cup from five to just one strong candidate have been delayed, officials said on Tuesday.