Scandinavia

English Premier League soccer club Charlton Athletic will be the first team to test the Football Association’s new laser system to help assistant referees judge offside decisions more accurately.

Jonas Persson scooped Sweden’s Stockholm and Gotland Entrepreneur of the Year award yesterday for his work as chief executive of licensing company IEC Sports.

The outcome of a test case hearing could determine the long-running dispute over whether the UK television rights to the 2002 soccer World Cup are awarded to terrestrial broadcasters – BBC and ITV – or if the rights owner, German media group Kirch, is allowed to sell them to a satellite or cable platform.

In the wake of the recent test case ruling involving the Independent Television Commission (ITC), 2002 World Cup TV rights holders the Kirch Gruppe could decide not to part with the rights, meaning UK viewers would be unable to watch the tournament to be held in Japan and South Korea.

Mercedes-Benz USA has signed an endorsement deal with LPGA professional Annika Sorenstam.

UEFA chief Lennart Johansson launched an astonishing attack on FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Tuesday in the continuing fallout from the collapse of FIFA's marketing partner ISMM/ISL.

New Balance Athletic Shoe, the Boston, USA-based footwear provider, has renewed its four-year sponsorship of modern pentathlon until the Athens 2004 Olympic Games for an undisclosed amount.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter faces the toughest fight of his career this week when delegates from around 200 national associations meet in Buenos Aires for FIFA's Extraordinary Congress.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) plans to step up its fight against drugs in sport by helping to finance testing for the stamina-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO).

Sports Resource Group plc is to acquire Sweden-based IEC in Sports International Events and Communications AB for an initial consideration of up to £17.5million ($25.04m/B

The September 8 fight between former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and Denmark's Brian Nielsen has been finalised, Danish promoter Mogens Palle has confirmed.

The two clubs who reach the European Cup Final next May will each receive up to 25,000 tickets for the match at the Stade de France in Paris, UEFA has announced.

Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has bought Copenhagen soccer club Hvidovre, where he made his debut in 1984. No price for the deal, announced on Wednesday, was given by the club but it confirmed Schmeichel had bought a 100 percent shareholding and that Swedish telecoms carrier Telia would act as Hvidovre's main sponsor.

Toyota Motor Corp has announced it would return to the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race this year after developing its new Toyota GT-one.

Sepp Blatter's bid to become FIFA president was given a significant boost on Friday when England declared it would vote for him in Monday's election.

The Malaysian Open badminton championships starting on Wednesday have fallen victim to the Asian economic crisis which has cut prize money by $60,000 and deprived the event of some big names.