France

Chile is to bid for soccer's Confederations Cup 2003 it was announced by the Chilean National Association of Professional Football (ANFP) yesterday.

Watch manufacturer Rolex has agreed to be a sponsor at golf?s next two Ryder Cups within Europe and of the 2003 European team when the matches are played in the United States.

Soccer fans in the UK are spending more than twice the money of their European counterparts on soccer merchandise, according to a football merchandise report carried out by Cologne-based market researcher Sport+Markt.

Former Olympique Marseille chairman Bernard Tapie will return to the club as "minority shareholder and sport manager", a club spokeswoman said.

Australia's world champion Wallabies are planning an extensive end-of-season tour of Canada and Europe to prepare their defence of the World Cup in 2003.

Arsene Wenger wants other managers to speak out about the controversy surrounding the abolition of football's transfer system.

Following the acquisition of the Eurosport channel by the French TV station TF1, Jean-Pierre Paoli, 52, has been appointed chairman of Eurosport France. Paoli previously held the post of managing director at Eurosport International.

One of France's greatest players, Michel Platini has been elected as vice-president of the French Football Federation (FFF).

Canal Plus, the pay-TV subsidiary of newly formed French media giant Vivendi Universal (VU) is to sell its 49.5% stake in European sport channel Eurosport to launch a rival sports channel.

Representatives of around 70 leading European rugby clubs met in Lyon yesterday to create a new organisation to promote their interests.

America's Cup holders, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, accepted the Swiss challenge for yachting's biggest prize on Monday after a month of legal wrangling.

Asian soccer promoter ProEvents Management Ltd has formed a new joint venture company with Manchester-based sports management company World Sports Solutions Ltd (?WSS?), to represent top European clubs and players in Asia.

Toronto's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games picked up momentum this week with a timely convergence of enthusiastic public support and a C$1.5-billion ($1 billion) pledge by government to redevelop Toronto's waterfront - the centrepiece of Toronto's Olympic vision.

The Japanese city of Osaka has pressed its claim to stage the 2008 Olympics against current favourite Beijing, saying it could outdo the Chinese capital in experience and facilities.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson has welcomed a move by the French soccer club Strasbourg to take legal action against some supporters for incitement to racial hatred.

Orad Hi-Tec Systems has signed an agreement to acquire Numeric Video S.A. of France.