Oceania

Sydney's Olympic environmental watchdog has said the city would stage the "greenest" Games in Olympic history.

International Olympic Committee money man Dick Pound has launched an extraordinary attack on Sydney Games chief Michael Knight, accusing him of consistently underselling the success of his own Olympics.

Australian media group Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (PBL) has confirmed its Nine Network has been selected by Indian broadcaster Doordarshan to produce television coverage of international cricket played in India.

The three nations with clubs in the Super 12 rugby competition have agreed to test a system for television officials to assist match referees this season, the New Zealand Rugby Union has confirmed.

A ragtag coalition of Australian leftists started an anti-Olympic protest campaign this week with some of its more radical members hope will turn the Sydney Olympics into another Seattle.

The International Olympic Committee has signed a doping control agreement with the Australian government covering the Sydney Olympics.

Last-minute negotiations are underway to ensure the introduction of video referees for the Super 12 rugby union competition, starting later this month.

The 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City is to be the first in Olympic Games history to offer realtime ordering of tickets over the Internet and online ticket auctions.

U.S. insurance group John Hancock has agreed to renew its Olympic sponsorship for a further four years, despite its president's forceful criticism last year of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

IOC Coordination Committee chairman, Jacques Rogee, has given SOCOG a glowing endorsement for their work in the lead up to the Sydney Olympic Games 2000.

IOC leader Jacques Rogge has tried to douse concern about organisational problems within the 2000 Olympics, by saying Sydney had no real worries compared to some predecessors as host city.

International one-day cricket is set for a return to Wales after the ECB announced Australia and Pakistan would play in Cardiff as part of the triangular tournament which will also include England.

Cricket?s governing body has given New Zealand the go-ahead to use a portable pitch for international one-day matches, New Zealand Cricket has announced.

President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, will arrive in Sydney on Friday for a series of meetings - and will immediately be greeted by protesters, unhappy at the direction the event is taking.

German athletics officials have launched a bid to host the 2005 world athletics championships in Berlin even though the deadline for entries was January 31.

Europe's top clubs have unveiled a comprehensive blueprint for the future of football, including a two-week winter break and only two blocks of international matches per year.