Sub-Saharan Africa

The German Football Federation says it is considering taking legal moves against a magazine which sent out hoax letters offering to bribe FIFA officials the night before the all important vote in Zurich last week.

Zimbabwe soccer chiefs are to hold emergency talks on how a dozen soccer fans died in a stampede after police fired tear gas at a World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

A meeting of the southern hemisphere's top rugby officials has ended with a decision not to expand next year's Super 12 competition.

India's sports minister has said he has information that five or six Indian cricketers were involved in alleged match-fixing.

Charles Dempsey, the FIFA executive committee member who abstained from voting in the final round of the 2006 World Cup decision, has spoken about the circumstances surrounding his decision.

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) president Charlie Dempsey has said he had permission to vary his vote at the FIFA meeting that decided Germany would host the 2006 World Cup, not South Africa.

South Africa has said it would investigate a controversial vote by soccer's world governing body FIFA which denied Africa its best chance yet to host the World Cup.

A German satirical magazine has said it had sent hoax faxes to FIFA delegates this week urging them to vote for Germany as the host of the 2006 World Cup in return for a gift.

Brazilian soccer chiefs will be left stunned after South Africa failed in its bid for the 2006 World Cup ? and then announced it would be mounting a campaign to stage the 2010 tournament.

South Africa sighed with grief and hit out at European soccer powers on Thursday after losing out to rival Germany in its bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

Moroccan officials said they felt betrayed on Thursday after falling out in the first round of voting to stage the 2006 World Cup ? and then faced further humiliation when their support for South Africa failed to bring the tournament to the continent.

England World Cup 2006 bid officials have spoken of their extreme disappointment at their second round exit during today?s FIFA executive committee vote.

South African stocks slumped in line with the nation's spirits after a decision by the world soccer governing body FIFA to give the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament to Germany.

Speculation is mounting that the FIFA executive committee member who abstained from the last round of voting in today?s 2006 vote was New Zealand?s Charles Dempsey.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is pushing for the introduction of a rotation system for future World Cups ? a move which would leave Europe unable to bid for the next four tournaments

South Africa and Germany are neck-a-neck as the vital FIFA poll enters the third round of voting.