Oceania
Business

A Japanese-owned sportswear company has snubbed American sprinters and chosen to back British athletes instead after the U.S. relay team's "arrogance" at the Sydney Olympics last year.
Media

Ken Livingstone, the outspoken mayor of London, will hold final approval for any London Olympic bid, the British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman has said.
Stadia

UEFA Cup and European Super Cup winners Galatasaray and European champions Real Madrid will represent Europe at the second World Club Championship from July 29 to August 12 in Spain, FIFA said on Thursday.
Events

British Olympic chiefs will meet government ministers today to decide whether London can launch a bid to bring the Olympic Games back to Britain for the first time since 1948.
Business

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRFU) is out to win a share of the money generated when its national team, the All Blacks, play overseas.
Events

Greece has launched its Olympic volunteer programme, appealing for 60,000 people to help make the troubled 2004 Athens Games a success.

Australia's Seven Network, which lost the tender for the Australian Football League free-to-air rights from 2002, are to concentrate on broadcasting rugby and soccer.
Events

The new sports channel that the BBC and cable broadcasters NTL plan to launch this year will be free to existing subscribers of BSkyB, ONdigital or NTL.

India's cricket authorities have switched the venues for the second and third tests of the forthcoming series against Australia.

The Indian cricket team has acquired a new computer software product that will allow quicker and more accurate analysis of players' performances, national coach John Wright said on Thursday.

English rugby union players are demanding changes to next season's calendar in order to reduce the number of games they play for club and country.

Sports-mad Australia is now looking to make its mark off the sports field, according to a survey published on the country's national day.
Business

Seven Network Limited has advised the Australian Football League that it would not accept its offer to match the News Limited led consortium bid for broadcast television rights for seasons 2002-2006.

Australian cricketer Mark Waugh has agreed to meet anti-corruption investigators following a warning from the Australian Cricket Board that he risked ending his international future if he did not co-operate.
Stadia

International Olympic Committee (IOC) representatives completed a seven-day visit to East Timor on Wednesday aimed at helping the tiny country establish its own National Olympic Committee.
Business

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has signed a three-year, #11m ($16m) Test match sponsorship deal with services provider npower.

Australian test batsman Mark Waugh will be dropped unless he agrees to take part in a worldwide investigation into corruption in cricket.
Business

The Australian Open, the year's first grand slam tennis tournament, is looking for a new major sponsor after car maker Ford, its major backer for the past 16 years, decided to pull out.