Oceania

Australian architectural practice Bligh Voller Nield, whose designs were integral to the 2000 Olympic Games, has received the International Award in this year?s Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) National Awards for the WestpacTrust Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.

Sportsworld Media Group (SMG) and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) have agreed plans for a 5-year exclusive media and marketing partnership, intended to re-launch pro' surfing as a globally competitive sports and lifestyle property.

Online ticket requests for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games may soon exceed the record total tickets sold through the internet for the recent Summer Games in Sydney.

Sportsworld Media Group, the sports TV production, sponsorship and event marketing company, has acquired Infinite Management Solutions Ltd. (IMS) for A$850,000 ($442,000 ), of which A$450,000 ($234,000) will be paid in Sportsworld shares.

UK Athletics has unveiled a multi-million pound sponsorship package with sporting goods manufacturer Reebok.

There have been negative results in Sydney, following the Olympic Games boom, as far as business is concerned according to the National Bank (NAB) monthly business survey.

ESPN Star Sports has appointed Bob Kemp as vice president, production.

Telstra Corp Ltd, Australia's dominant telecommunications group, wants to capitalize on its success in wiring the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games by penetrating the world's biggest potential market, China.

U.S. drug control chief Barry McCaffrey has said that improved random dope tests and wider global research would help beat cheats at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch has said he believes the Olympic movement was not permanently damaged by last year's corruption scandal.

Northern hemisphere rugby union will enter a new era during Saturday's test between Scotland and Australia when conversations between the referee, touch judges, players and a video official will be available to fans for the first time in an international in Europe.

Australian regional television company Prime Television Limited has reported it had made a loss based on it?s Sydney 2000 Olympics coverage.

Sunday's world heavyweight boxing match between New Zealand boxer David Tua and Britain's Lennox Lewis looks set to become the biggest event in New Zealand's sports betting history.

International Management Group have added to their portfolio of rugby union clients by entering into a five-year agreement with South African side Natal Sharks. IMG will represent the Super 12 club in future commercial deals.

Melbourne, which already boasts the leading facilities in Australia for tennis and Formula One racing, may soon become the home of a new world-class ice skating facility.

IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and 150 of Europe's Gold medal winners from Sydney attended the new Eurosport 'SportStar Awards' in Monaco last week.

Sportel exhibitors, Kingston MediaSTream, the international satellite and broadcast arm of the Kingston Communications Group, has won two major international contracts.

Synchro Systems? branded ticket management system Venuemaster has been taken up by three major new sporting clients in Australia.