Events

Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio has called for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss hosting the 2004 European Championships after problems over revamping the stadiums that will stage matches at the tournament.

A German soccer league said it expected cash-strapped media group Kirch to honour its contract for television broadcast rights until 2004 and not try to renegotiate lower fees.

The NBCOlympic.com website hit new visitor records but still suffered from weak technical performances during its coverage of the Winter Olympic Games, according to internet research firms Jupiter Media Metrix and Mercury Interactive.

Canada's good showing in the Salt Lake Games continues to reap benefits for the country, as highlighted in the latest of our special reports looking at the impact of this year's Winter Games.

A total of seven candidates have confirmed their interest in hosting UEFA's soccer showpiece - Euro 2008.

Preparations for hosting the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies are on track, the chief executive of the company planning the event said yesterday amid rumours that it could lose the event because of poor playing facilities.

Italian sporting goods company Fila Holding SpA has reported another full-year loss in its preliminary unaudited results for 2001.

German-based advertising solutions company Gladvert has signed a soccer deal with 14 European newspapers including The Times, La Figaro and Die Welt in time for the next Champions League season.

The Houston Astros smacked the disgraced Enron Corp. right out of their ballpark on Wednesday, buying back the naming rights for the stadium from the fallen energy trader for $2.1 million (EUR2.4m).

All of the 64 games of this summer's World Cup in Japan and South Korea will be broadcast, even if German media giant Kirch fails to resolve its current debt problems, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

Stadium advertising and signage company O'NeillMovingMedia (OMM) has unveiled a new "moving backdrop board" to increase sponsors' exposure during TV interviews with players and managers.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed his confidence in security measures for this year's World Cup at a FIFA workshop for the 32 competing nations.

The West Indies may lose the 2007 World Cup because of poor playing facilities, former West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Pat Rousseau has said.

UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB will not release ratings or subscription details for its pay-per-view coverage of the Melbourne Grand Prix until at least five weeks after the event on March 3.

Teams travelling to this summer's World Cup in Japan and South Korea may not be allowed to travel on the same flights to and from the Far East or during the tournament because it would pose too much of a risk to insurance companies.

US motor sports track operator Dover Downs Entertainment has reported increased turnover for the year-ended December 31, 2001.