Japan

In the wake of the recent test case ruling involving the Independent Television Commission (ITC), 2002 World Cup TV rights holders the Kirch Gruppe could decide not to part with the rights, meaning UK viewers would be unable to watch the tournament to be held in Japan and South Korea.

A US government official has stated that President George Bush will not block Bejing?s bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, despite the current political unrest between the US and China.

Swedish international television agency IEC in Sports has acquired the worldwide TV rights for two IAAF Athletics meets in Japan ? the IAAF Grand Prix in Osaka on May 12 and the IAAF SuperMeet in Yokohama on September 15, 2001.

The World Cup became the latest casualty of Japan's economic slump when organisers said they were slicing $22 million off the budget for the 2002 event.

Toronto claimed a perfect 10 from a visiting team of inspectors from the International Olympic Committee, but said the city's rivals to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games might match that score.

China urged International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegates arriving on Monday to assess Beijing's bid for the 2008 Games to focus on its credentials as a "sports superpower of 1.2 billion people", not its human rights record.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA resolved a ticketing row between South Korea and Japan by ruling the title of the 2002 World Cup will stay the same,.

Japan has no plans to launch a new investigation into allegations the central Japanese city of Nagano bribed International Olympic Committee (IOC) executives to host the 1998 Winter Games.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said he was confident the Japanese government and organisers of the 2002 World Cup will find a solution to tax problems that may have delayed the start of ticket sales.

Mugen-Honda, the Formula One engine suppliers, may stay in the sport next season contrary to widespread speculation that they were pulling out, team boss Hirotoshi Honda has said.

The race to host the Olympic Games in 2008 has now begun in earnest following the announcement of the shortlist by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sportasia.com, the Asian internet sports content producer, syndicator and distributor, has appointed Ikuya Tanaka of Dentsu?s Sports Marketing Division as a board director.

Japan has begun the official two-year countdown to the 2002 World Cup, unveiling a display indicating the number of days to go until the first match in the tournament it is co-hosting with South Korea.

European soccer fans can prepare for some early-morning starts in the summer of 2002 when Japan and South Korea co-host the next World Cup.

The Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) grudgingly accepted a playoff format for an added berth in the 2002 World Cup on Saturday, but remained at odds with FIFA, the sports world governing body.

Critics of South Africa's bid to stage the 2006 World Cup are making too much fuss over the country's crime statistics, campaign officials have said.