Russia

French President Jacques Chirac, promoting the Paris bid to stage the 2008 Olympic Games, has told Russian Olympic officials that the organisation of the Games would be problem-free if they were held in the French capital.

About 200 Tibetans marched through the Indian capital on Wednesday in protest at Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games and China's poor human rights record.

After a campaign which will be remembered for human rights demonstrations and a few ill-chosen words about cannibalism, Olympic chiefs will decide the venue of the 2008 Summer Games this week at what is expected to be an historic meeting.

The British Formula One Grand Prix could be scrapped unless Silverstone bosses can convince the International Automobile Federation (FIA) that it can run the event successfully.

Russian football bosses are demanding extremely tight security at all domestic league matches after two bomb blasts in Moscow killed more than 130 people in four days.

Russian soccer was "a disaster" at home and abroad in 1999, the long serving president of the Russian Football Union has said.

Japan has thrown its hat into the ring to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, officially entering Osaka as its candidate and vowing a "clean" campaign to win the right to hold the games.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has issued a stiff warning to top European clubs tempted to join a breakaway league.

Russian flagship carrier Aeroflot is seeing a passenger boom on flights from Rio de Janeiro to Moscow as Brazilian soccer fans seek a cheap way of travelling to Europe for the World Cup soccer finals.

Star Brazilian striker Ronaldo, world soccer player of the year, has joined a United Nations campaign to slow the spread of the HIV virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among youth, a U.N. statement said.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation has said it will still stage the Golden League-Grand Prix final in Moscow on September 5 despite calls for the venue to be changed.

The Goodwill Games are only half way to their ticket sales goal with the launch of the multi-sport extravaganza just four days away, but the top Games organiser is not concerned.

Brisbane's selection to host the Goodwill Games in 2001 would provide the city with its biggest event since the 1988 Expo, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has said.

Packaged television sport for a global cable audience has ensured the immediate future of the Goodwill Games.

The Polish Sports Ministry has welcomed a proposal by the country's top soccer clubs to stave off the threat of an international ban.

Saturday's Grand Prix final will be staged in Moscow as planned despite security fears among leading competitors, the International Amateur Athletic Federation has said.