Events

The BBC has secured the UK television rights for the European Cup and the European Shield in a four-year deal worth #24m ($45m).

Sports Dome 2001, the consortium made up of businesses and sporting bodies which aims to turn the site of the Millennium Dome in London into a complex dedicated to sport, have met up to finalise their proposals.

The first test of enhanced security measures for next year's European soccer championships caused long traffic tailbacks at the weekend and led to complaints from local residents.

A threatened Asian boycott of the 2002 World Cup looks likely to be averted after the Asian Football Confederation cancelled an emergency meeting and asked member countries to enter the Cup's qualifying competition.

Italian broadcaster Mediaset has sold its television rights for Serie A soccer club Lazio's Champions League matches to Canal Plus unit Telepiu.

European soccer governing body UEFA is to examine a possible US-style salary cap to keep under control the spiralling wages of Europe?s top soccer stars.

The Dutch government has topped up its security spending for next year?s Euro 2000 championship it is co-hosting with Belgium, bringing the total budget to $6.75million.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been vindicated by the country's top court when it reversed an earlier defeat for the government in a controversial case over rugby.

South African World Cup 2006 bid officials are planning a charm offensive in Europe later this month, trying to convince European members of the FIFA executive committee of the merits of their candidacy.

NBC Quokka Ventures, has announced that Randy Falco, the president of NBC Television Network and chief operating officer of NBC's Olympic broadcast group, has joined its board of directors.

The four big television networks are in a tight bidding race to win broadcast rights for stock-car racing, and appear willing to pay as much as $400 million annually, almost four times what Nascar races have brought in each year.

The world athletics federation has accused cash-strapped Sydney Olympic organisers of selling unauthorised Games tickets to "make cash".

English Premier League club Derby County has emerged as the latest club to be the target of BSkyB, the satellite broadcaster which already has stakes in both Manchester United and Leeds Sporting, the owner of Leeds United.

Russian football bosses are demanding extremely tight security at all domestic league matches after two bomb blasts in Moscow killed more than 130 people in four days.

Thousands of people who bought tickets for next year's Sydney Olympics will be offered refunds following the International Olympic Committee's decision to change the athletics timetable.

Reebok has won an important trademark legal battle in South America.