Events

A mystery bombing campaign means Colombia could lose South America's biggest soccer tournament and deal a blow to President Andres Pastrana's attempts to show progress in his quest for peace.

Last month, Quokka Sports Inc, which had been broadcasting live sporting events over the internet, joined the ranks of dot-com companies to suspend operations, citing ?circumstances beyond our control.''

The World Wrestling Federation has secured new television agreements in Europe, Asia and Australia, increasing the number of countries broadcasting WWF programming to 150.

TV broadcaster ABC?s five playoff telecasts have averaged a 1.6 rating, an increase of 14 percent over last season?s first five games.

The mayor of London Ken Livingstone said he would do everything within his powers to help the British Olympic Association (BOA) win a bid for the capital city to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Pay-TV and terrestrial broadcasters will soon be battling it out to win the rights show live matches and highlights of Scottish soccer Premier League matches after current contracts run out at the end of next season.

The British Horseracing Board (BHB) yesterday said it was dissatisfied with negotiations currently going on between the Go-Racing consortium and the country?s 59 racecourses about gaining media rights to broadcast horseracing matches for the next 10 years.

English soccer fans may only be able to watch four of the 64 World Cup games on terrestrial television next year, according to Labour backbenchers John Grogan and Ivor Caplin.

Head of Sky Sports Vic Wakeling says Kirch overpaid for the European rights to the 2002 soccer World Cup and revealed that Sky will not bid for them.

FIFA has set up its own marketing company as fears grow for the future of the ISMM Group ? and said it will give the Kirch Group first refusal on TV rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups if ISL?s parent company fails to prevent bankruptcy.

The UK government may still permit the broadcast rights of certain World Cup 2002 matches to be sold to pay-TV operators ? despite a statement last week claiming all 64 matches are listed events.

Chile are to press ahead with a planned bid to host the 2010 World Cup, having described a proposed rival candidature from Brazil as "pathetic".

The UK?s Southampton City Council has appointed PMP Consultancy, a strategic solutions company for sports and leisure, to research a new multi-purpose arena for Southampton.

ABC and ESPN have bought the exclusive broadcasting rights in the US market for premier IAAF events in a three- year agreement with the IAAF and ISL Worldwide.

British experts on soccer hooliganism warned Japan on Friday to keep a tight rein on hard-core troublemakers at next year's World Cup while avoiding a heavy-handed approach that would spoil the fun for real fans.

NASCAR plans to increase its international television distribution as part of its consolidated international and domestic television package.

Sporting events across Europe are under threat as fears about the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain spread to the continent.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urged the Kirch Group on Wednesday to resume talks with public broadcasters to ensure that the 2002 and 2006 soccer World Cups can be seen on free television in Germany.