Events

A FIFA delegation was reported to be satisfied with facilities in Lagos as it began a final inspection to decide if Nigeria should host the World Youth Cup.

An Australian IOC member alleged to have taken his family on four free holidays to Salt Lake City has angrily denied any wrongdoing and accused the city's Board of Ethics of defamation.

Eleven responses have been received by the International Olympic Committee to its request for evidence of corruption in the bidding process to host the Olympic Games since 1996.

With less than 100 days to go before the opening ceremony of the 1999 Pan American Games, lagging ticket sales have become the primary concern of Games organisers.

Rupert Murdoch's TM3 women's channel, fresh from its success in winning the rights to broadcast Champions' League soccer in Germany, is gearing up to go after its next conquest - the German Bundesliga.

The German government's media commission, the Landesmedienanstalten has decided to regulate on virtual advertising.

British motor racing tycoon Bernie Ecclestone has said a $1.4 billion asset-backed bond sold by his Formula One company was intended to pave the way for F1's stock market flotation.

South Africa's chances of hosting the 2006 World Cup has received a giant boost when First National Bank (FNB) bankrolled the Bid Committee with a sponsorship and threw its financial weight behind their attempt to bring the showcase event to Africa for the first time.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) has awarded Pepsi-Cola exclusive carbonated soft drink pouring rights and sponsorship at Meadowlands Sports Complex.

Terry Planell has been appointed senior vice-president, sales of GlobeCast America, a unit of France Telecom.

Lighthouse Holdings, investors in an international portfolio of marketing services companies, has acquired the Honolulu-based sports marketing company Sports Producers Hawaii (Sports Pro).

The lawyer of the ex-hockey star bidding to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins says a deal is imminent.

Quokka Sports, Inc., the online sports entertainment programmer, have launched an initial public offering of 5m shares of common stock at a price of $12.00 per share.

A majority of sports fans remain reluctant to pay high ticket prices for women's sporting events, despite the heavy promotion and marketing surrounding the recent Women's World Cup Games.

Morocco have staked their claim to be Africa's first choice for the 2006 World Cup.

Ford has decided to promote the Jaguar brand as it prepares for its return to Formula One motor racing.

Dutch soccer team Feyenoord Rotterdam is looking at ways of offering virtual advertising to its sponsors. The move comes amid a wave of Asian interest in the sport since the signing of Japanese star Shinji Ono from Urawa.

KirchMedia has reached agreement with a group of Korean broadcasters for the domestic broadcasting rights to the 2002 and 2006 World Cups in a deal believed to be in the region of $55-60million (?60.63-66.14m).