Hungary

On the day that News Corps and Vivendi have proposed a joint shareholding of their digital businesses, European media big-hitters Bertelsmann, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert and Pearson (PTV) have agreed to merge CLT-UFA, Europe's leading commercial television and radio broadcaster, with Pearson Television, the independent television production company.

Till Lufft, general secretary of the European Athletic Association has declared the organisation `very pleased? with the level of sponsor support for the European Championships which start tomorrow.

European soccer governing body UEFA says it will announce the winner of the bid to host the 2004 European Championships in October.

The central England city of Birmingham has been awarded the 2003 world indoor athletics championships beating off the opposition of Budapest.

World athletics chief Primo Nebiolo has assured British Sports Minister Tony Banks that London would have a good chance of staging the 2003 world championships if proposed renovations to Wembley Stadium are completed.

Lisbon is expected to launch its second bid this year to host a major sports event.

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.

UEFA has said it expects three candidates to submit bids to host the 2004 European championship.

Hungarian soccer has been plunged into disarray after its football association (HFA) dismissed its president and presidium after a report into apparent financial irregularities.

Hungary's first division soccer league has been given a new look after the fifth-placed club was taken over and promoted Szeged folded.

Crvena Zvezda Belgrade has said they planned to ignore an order by UEFA to play a European match at a neutral venue because of political tension.

At least 11 foreign teams will take part in a soccer tournament beginning in Dhaka on August 27, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has announced.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has dismissed claims New York should be automatically handed the 2012 Olympic Games in the wake of the suicide plane attacks in America.

IOC president Jacques Rogge has dismissed claims New York should be automatically handed the 2012 Olympic Games in the wake of the suicide plane attacks in America.

The following profiles show the strengths and weaknesses of the five candidates seeking to take over from Juan Antonio Samaranch when he retires after 21 years in charge of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July.