Middle East

Artificial turf can be used for official international matches outside the finals of FIFA competitions, world soccer's governing body has said.

The four-member Olympic Council of Asia's Evaluation Committee has arrived in Hong Kong's to scrutinise Hong Kong?s bid to host the 2006 Asian Games

Peter Velappan, the general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, has attacked the decision by Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli to withdraw from the semifinals of this year's Asian Cup Winners' Cup.

The United Nations investigator for children's rights has reported that professional soccer had joined the list of sectors shamed by child trafficking from underdeveloped countries.

London Premier League club Chelsea confirmed they had signed a four-year deal with Dubai-based airline Emirates worth #24 million ($35 million).

More than a dozen countries have declared an interest in hosting either of the next two editions of the World Club Championship, FIFA said on Thursday.

Israel's government has reached a $4 million settlement to compensate an Australian athlete injured in a 1997 sporting event near Tel Aviv, an Israeli source said on Tuesday. Sasha Elterman of Australia was seriously injured when a pedestrian bridge rigged for athletes competing in the Maccabiah "Jewish Olympics" collapsed and swept them into the polluted Yarkon River.

Formula One needs an African Grand Prix but the calendar must not be enlarged beyond 17 races, team owner Eddie Jordan said.

Fund management group Warburg Pincus is to take a financial stake in the Jordan Formula One team.

A variety of investment groups have submitted bids to acquire the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the city's future sports arena from Ascent Entertainment Group Inc.

e-comsport Group plc, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)-listed sports marketing business, has announced a loss for the year ended 31 December 2000 of #4.5m ($6.41m).

Mark Smith, the chief designer of Jordan, has left the Formula One team to join Benetton two months before the start of the new season.

The world championship returns to "the brickyard" for the first time for 40 years on Sunday.

Less than a week after the most exciting Super Bowl finale in years, the World Wrestling Federation has announced the formation of a competing professional football league.

Thailand and Indonesia were banned from international soccer by Asia's governing body on Friday following their farcical match in last month's Tiger Cup.

Facts about the FIFA vote to decide who stages the 2006 World Cup finals, which will take place on Thursday in Zurich.