Poland

The tiny South Pacific island republic of Nauru has been awarded the 2001 world weightlifting championships, beating some of the sport's giants, Nauru's Director of Sport has said.

Les McDonald, president of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the world governing body of the Olympic sport, has been forced into a court case in Vancouver, British Columbia, over allegations that recent elections to his organisation were fixed, with some national federations being denied their right to vote.

The president and other officials of the International Boxing Federation have been indicted for bribery, charged with selling rankings to boxers over the past 14 years for as much as $100,000.

The volleyball world championship's fashion police have struck, fining seven teams $3,000 each for ignoring its new dress code.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch has praised Athens for accelerating progress in its preparations for the 2004 Olympics.

Warsaw is ready to campaign for the 2016 Summer Olympics - more than seven years before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) starts considering official bids.

Polish Sports Minister Jacek Debski has renewed hostilities with the national soccer federation (PZPN) by declaring that its statute violated the law and its management was therefore illegal.

Celta Vigo's Russian international Valery Karpin is hoping to finish the season with the status of a European Union national after taking his case to a Madrid court this week.

Poland's Soccer Federation (PZPN) may have to declare bankruptcy or withdraw teams from European competition if it is forced to pay the $3.5 million it owes in unpaid taxes, PZPN chief Michal Listkiewicz has said.

The Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) faces a government probe into its financial affairs which has already cost it one official and which could lead to suspension of its operations.

Fifteen days after its official launch, the new sports information channel, Eurosportnews, has unveiled its first national version in Poland.

European soccer body UEFA says it is to plough 35 million Swiss francs ($23.57 million) back into the sport this season.

Udinese have informed the Italian Football League that two Brazilian team members caught in possession of fake Portuguese passports should no longer be considered European Union (EU) players.

The IOC has annunced an autumn programme of evaluation visits to cities hoping to stage the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Turin officials have identified Swiss rivals Sion as potential winners when the IOC votes this Saturday to decide the venue for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Heavyweight Mike Tyson will return to the United States after two fights this year in Britain to face Poland's Andrew Golota on October 20, the promoters have confirmed.