Central America

A Colombian soccer director is demanding sanctions against Argentina for missing last month's Copa America, which went ahead in the Andean nation at six days' notice after earlier being postponed until 2002.

Les McDonald, president of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the world governing body of the Olympic sport, has been forced into a court case in Vancouver, British Columbia, over allegations that recent elections to his organisation were fixed, with some national federations being denied their right to vote.

A Colombian soccer director is demanding sanctions against Argentina for missing last month's Copa America, which went ahead in the Andean nation at six days' notice after earlier being postponed until 2002.

The first person to be convicted on federal charges of running an illegal offshore Internet sports gambling operation has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison.

The Brazilian championship, which has been in doubt due to a judicial battle, has been given the green light, just a week before its scheduled start.

Costa Rica has set itself up as the offshore gambling capital of the world with large quantities of US cash entering the country in the lead up to the start of the American football season

Angry football supporters wearing red noses protested outside headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Tuesday after the four-times world champions' shock defeat by Honduras the day before.

Soccer outsiders Barbados, who shocked Costa Rica in their first 2002 World Cup qualifying match, may be forced to abandon their campaign because of lack of money.

UEFA Cup and European Super Cup winners Galatasaray and European champions Real Madrid will represent Europe at the second World Club Championship from July 29 to August 12 in Spain, FIFA said on Thursday.

Dominican government leaders have applauded Santo Domingo's selection as host city for the 2003 Pan American games, but some opposition leaders dismissed spending on the sports event as inappropriate during recovery from a vicious hurricane.

Facts about the FIFA vote to decide who stages the 2006 World Cup finals, which will take place on Thursday in Zurich.

The Netherlands were named the team of the year by FIFA, soccer's ruling body, on Thursday.

Roberto `Mano de Piedra? Duran has squandered more than $25m (?28.395m) in his career which is why he needs to keep fighting at the age of 50.

Sportingbet.com, the Channel Islands-based bookmaker, has acquired Betmaker.com, a Costa Rica-based internet gambling site, in a deal worth about #15million, reports the Financial Times.

Brazil has withdrawn its threat to have Barcelona thrown out of the European Champions League if they do not release Rivaldo for international duty.

Univision, the leading Spanish-language television broadcast company in the United States, is to broadcast the "Copa Oro 2000" (Gold Cup) tournament, beginning on Sunday, February 13.