Malaysia

Malaysia, despite an economic crisis back home, wants tothe 2006 Asian Games and have appealed to other nations not to bid, saying itwould be a waste of money.

Bribery and match-fixing hamper the development of soccer in Southeast Asia, and a farcical game in the recent Tiger Cup championship has further tarnished the sport's image, coaches and officials said.

Tunku Imran, the Emeritus President of the World Squash Federation (WSF), has been elected President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia - succeeding by 66 votes to 33 the predecessor who had held the position for 23 years.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone's threat to pull F1 racing out of Europe if the EU competition authorities presses its investigation into the sport and imposes substantial fines could backfire.

The World Wrestling Federation has secured new television agreements in Europe, Asia and Australia, increasing the number of countries broadcasting WWF programming to 150.

Poor ticket sales for the Malaysian Formula Grand Prix has been blamed on hotel owners hiking up room prices, according to the circuit?s owner.

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.

Africa should host a soccer World Cup but not the 2006 tournament, said Franz Beckenbauer, who is leading Germany's bid to stage the event.

Sports Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said that Sukom 98' Bhdwere financially stable to organise the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.

Around $A2.94m worth of computer hardware has been despatched to the site of the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.

Australian Aborigines plan to invite their indigenous brothers and sisters from around the world to an Olympics-style festival in the Sydney 2000 stadium.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he will allow free-to-air television broadcasts of grand prix motor racing for as long as he can.

Athletes with intellectual disabilities will not be allowed to compete in the 2002 Paralympics.

Ticket sales for next month's Formula One race in Sepang, Malaysia, have been slow, with some industry sources blaming an "overload" of Formula One.

VTV, recently-acquired by UK-based The Television Corporation and now part of Sunset+Vine, has won a new four year contract to produce and distribute coverage of English badminton until 2005.

Brazil has told Asian nations that its bid for the 2006 World Cup combined passion and organisation and it deserved to host the tournament.