Vietnam
Blatter plays down ISL demise
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has stated that the fallout from the collapse of ISL, FIFA's marketing partner for more than 20 years, was not as bad as was perceived. Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Vietnam on Sunday, Blatter stated that there were no dangers to the staging of the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.
NIKE FACE ACTION OVER ‘ASIAN SWEATSHOPS’ ALLEGATIONS
US LAWYER Alan Caplan says he and his colleagues have launched court action in California against Nike, alleging that it is deceiving consumers over the working conditions in its Asian factories, The Australian reports.
NIKE UNVEILS ASIAN LABOUR REFORMS
Phil Knight, CEO of the Beaverton Oregon based sporting goods manufacturer, bowed to pressure and announced that the company would raise the minimum wages for workers in it's Asian plants.
VIETNAM TV SHOPS GEAR UP FOR WORLD CUP BONANZA
Television shops in soccer-mad Vietnam are gearing up for an expected bonanza during the upcoming World Cup in France that starts June 10.
ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS HITS S’PORE LEAGUE
Asia's economic crisis has begun to bite into Singapore's professional soccer league, with players being forced to take a pay cut, a source close to the island state's national team has said.
INDONESIA, THAILAND COULD FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Indonesia and Thailand could be disciplined by the Asian Football Federation following the bizarre behaviour of their teams in a Tiger Cup group match.
GRAFT, UNPROFESSIONALISM HAUNT SE ASIA
Bribery and match-fixing hamper the development of soccer in Southeast Asia, and a farcical game in the recent Tiger Cup championship has further tarnished the sport's image, coaches and officials said.
INDONESIA AND THAILAND BANNED AFTER TIGER CUP FARCE
Thailand and Indonesia were banned from international soccer by Asia's governing body on Friday following their farcical match in last month's Tiger Cup.
FORMER THAI COACH HOPES AFC BAN SHORT TERM
Former Thai soccer coach Withaya Laohakul said he hoped a decision by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to ban the country from international competition would only be a temporary punishment.
U.S. AGENTS CRACK COUNTERFEIT GOLF CLUB RING
U.S. agents have arrested three Taiwanese and a U.S. citizen on charges of smuggling millions of dollars worth of counterfeit golf equipment into the United States, the U.S. Customs Service has said.
HORSES HEAD TO HANOI
Communist-ruled Vietnam has approved Hanoi's first horse racing track.
PEPSI IN FEDERATION CASH BOOST
Cola giant Pepsi has presented the Vietnam Football Federation with a cheque for VND500million.
SOCCER GIANTS SIGN ASIAN MERCHANDISE DEAL
Retailer FJ Benjamin has scored an exclusive deal with English soccer champions Manchester United to sell club merchandise and set up a chain of theme stores and cafes across soccer-crazy South-east Asia.
BRUNEI UNDER SPOTLIGHT AS SEA GAMES HOST
The 20th Southeast Asian games begin on Saturday with attention focused as much on the tiny sultanate of Brunei as the actual competition itself.
LOGO ROW BLOCKS VIETNAMESE SOCCER START
Millions of soccer crazy Vietnamese missed the start of the English Premier League season at the weekend after Vietnam Television (VTV) failed to reach an agreement with the company holding distribution rights for Asia.
CHINESE CONSORTIUM WINS HANOI STADIUM CONTRACT
A Chinese-led consortium has won the contract to build a new stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam, as the venue for the 2003 Southeast Asia Games.
VIETNAM TO BUILD STADIUM FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES
Vietnam has signed a contract with a Chinese consortium to build a $52.9 million (?59m) main stadium for the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, an official said.
ESPN STAR ACQUIRES PREMIER LEAGUE RIGHTS
Asian sports broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has acquired the exclusive terrestrial, cable and satellite television broadcast rights of the English Premier League for the next three seasons beginning August 2001.