Czech Republic

ESPN International has acquired a package of more than fifty 2002 World Cup qualifying matches from the European group, including matches involving England, Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Norway, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Denmark and Portugal.

A three-year agreement between the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the NHL over compensation payments for players leaving IIHF-federations to find their fortune in the big money US league, is on the verge of being ratified.

Investment company ENIC is on the verge of securing a #22m ($35m) deal to take over English Premier League soccer team Tottenham Hotspur.

A number of leading video game manufacturers are facing legal action brought by several leading European soccer clubs.

International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch says he will welcome NHL players at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Anshutz Sports & Entertainment Group (AEG), the owners of the National Hockey League team the Los Angeles Kings and Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy, will invest in two Swedish clubs to expand its sporting assets outside the US.

sportbusiness.com has learned this morning that ENIC is hoping to announce the company?s expected buy-out of Sir Alan Sugar?s share-holding in Tottenham Hotspur Plc.deal today.

Enic, the UK-based sports, media and leisure group with controlling interests in European club?s Slavia Prague and Vicenza as well as minority stakes in Glasgow Rangers, FC Basel and AEK Athens, has reported greatly increased half-year profits. The company made substantial gains on player trading, and the sale of part of its holdings in AEK and Autonomy, the new media company.

ENIC Plc, which controls three European soccer clubs, has said that European soccer authority UEFA's decision to block clubs with common ownership from playing each other in European competition is in breach of European Union law.

A new crowd-pleasing motor-racing Grand Prix series featuring cars racing in the livery of Europe?s top soccer clubs is aiming to reach one billion viewers in its first season, sportbusiness.com can reveal.

Eleven doping control laboratories were shown the "yellow card" by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for failing to comply with guidelines.

NHL International, in conjunction with ESPN International, will distribute the 2000 NHL

PR company Bell Pottinger Communications has a new role in sport.

France stayed ahead of Brazil atop of the FIFA world soccer rankings for a third straight month, while Germany climbed three places to fifth.

The English National Investment Company (ENIC) has reported a pre-tax profit of #11million for the year ending 30 June 2000 on a turnover of #47.2m, up 15.9% from last year.

News Corp and Liberty Media has announced that its joint venture Fox Sports International is to launch a sports television channel targeting viewers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.