Events

John Prescott, the Secretary of State for the Environment, has approved an extension to St James' Park, the home of Newcastle United Football Club.

A record-breaking 26 million people in Britain watched England crash out of the World Cup in a penalty shoot-out against Argentina, broadcasters said on Wednesday.

About a quarter of a million people will paint the streets of Amsterdam pink during the first week of August when the Dutch capital play host to the world's fifth Gay Games.

The Sydney Cricket Ground has been declared smoke free.

Sepp Blatter, chief of the world soccer body FIFA, says he will step down as chairman of the committee seeking the 2006 Winter Olympics for the Swiss city of Sion.

NEC Australia has signed a sponsorship deal with the Western Bulldogs AFL team.

Timex have re-signed a sponsorship deal for the London Triathlon.

British leisure group Enic Plc is poised to join in the bidding for British soccer club Manchester United Plc, according to the Financial Times.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has denied accusations that he chose October 3 as the date for a general election in order to cash in on a welter of sports events expected to divert the sports-mad nation's attention.

Australia is to phase out tobacco sponsorship of international sports events by 2006.

Twelve of Europe's top clubs have asked UEFA for closer co-operation in the organisation of the European Champions' League and insisted on having more input in financial matters.

A Chinese domestic soccer match is to be transmitted live on the internet for the first time, an official of Shanghai Webtv Co Ltd said on Wednesday.

A senior FIFA official has said that the decision to allow a co-hosting of the 2002 World Cup by Japan and South Korea should not be challenged.

Yankees majority owner George Steinbrenner has said that should he sell his stake in the team to media giant Cablevision Systems Corporation, he and his family would remain in control of the club.

The 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea may be three days shorter than this year's 33-day tournament in France, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

Leading Olympic official Marc Hodler said he had gone public with his allegations that agents tried to rig votes on the hosting of Games because he did not want Salt Lake City to be seen as "villains".