Nordics
Media

UEFA has ordered the Moldova soccer federation (MSF) to close down the main stadium in the capital of the tiny, impoverished ex-Soviet republic for safety reasons.
Business

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Wednesday it had summoned Amore Vita cycling team director Gianluigi Barsottelli to a hearing on January 7 over doping allegations. CONI said in a statement its anti-doping commission had summoned Barsottelli after studying documents from Bologna magistrates who have been conducting a wide-ranging investigation into alleged doping in cycling. A spokesman for the Italian Professional Cyclists' League said Barsottelli's team was affiliated to the English cycling federation this year.
Events

Setanta.com, the Irish sports content provider, has signed two contracts worth #1million ($1.45m) with mobile phone companies in Norway.
Business

The Salt Lake City bid scandal has claimed a second International Olympic Committee (IOC) victim when Bashir Mohamed Attarabulsi of Libya resigned as a member today.

Events

Australia's oldest living Olympic athlete, who competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Games, opened the village for the Sydney Olympics as the first of an eventual 10,000 competitors moved in on Saturday.
Media

The bitter battle for control of Russian football has heated up with the head of the league questioning the veteran federation boss about allegations that large sums were diverted from soccer into banks abroad.
Business

Sepp Blatter's bid to become FIFA president was given a significant boost on Friday when England declared it would vote for him in Monday's election.
Events

Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will face Denmark's Brian Nielsen in a 10-round fight on September 8 at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, cable television carrier Showtime has said.
Business

The European Triathlon Union (ETU) says it is prepared to take legal action to recover the debts owed by the eight national triathlon federations, which last week announced the unsanctioned formation of the breakaway Triathlon Council for Europe.
Media

Less than a week after UEFA's chief executive Gerhard Aigner accused the media of exaggerating the violence at the UEFA Cup final its executive board agreed on Tuesday to investigate "sensationalist" coverage of the showpiece event.

The U.S. women's World Cup winning soccer team will boycott the Australia Cup next month because of unresolved contract negotiations. Instead, The U.S. Soccer Federation will send young players to the four-nation tournament.
Business

Olympic leaders said on Friday they would be holding immediate talks on whether Salt Lake City broke Olympic rules in its campaign to win the race to stage the 2002 Winter Games.

Media

Sweden?s answer to Rupert Murdoch, Jan Stenbeck, has bought a 17 per cent stake in soccer team Djurgarden. Stenbeck's company, Modern Times Group (MTG), owns several media companies, including the free commuter newspaper Metro which was introduced in the UK two years ago.
Events

Internet TV company Kamera is to broadcast the ATP Scania Stockholm Open online next week.
Business

The World Cup short-course swimming series has been cut from 12 meetings to 10 and will offer more prize money.
Sponsorship & Marketing

Canadian Olympic gold medalist Myriam Bedard has announced she is suing Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. for C$725,000 ($500,000).
Sponsorship & Marketing

Newcastle United's St. James' Park will host England's World Cup qualifier against Albania, the FA has said.
Business

Sydney and Salt Lake City Olympic officials have sought to reassure potential sponsors and spectators that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was dealing effectively with the biggest scandal in its 104-year history.