South-East Asia

A shortage of cash has forced the Philippines to pull out of the South East Asian (SEA) Games soccer tournament, the Philippines Football Federation (PFF) has stated.

Sporting group Royal Clicks Ltd said on Thursday its new joint venture with Sports Equipment (Far East) Pte Ltd had secured exclusive distribution and licensing rights for soccer brand Umbro for nine countries.

The National Sports Council has invited the country's business elite to discuss a program to raise funds for the team competing in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.

An international tournament in India which promised to boast major players has been branded "a farce" after two teams withdrew, one was ruled ineligible and another failed to play because the team's baggage was delayed.

It's a mammoth task for Sukom Ninety-Eight, the Kuala Lumpur CommonwealthGames organisers, to raise the final 10 per cent of the RM310 million budgetwith less than 100 days to go, the New Straits Times reported.

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

Malysian Youth and Sports Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has welcomed theFootball Association of Malaysia (FAM) decision to stop foreign imports in the Malysian League and Cup tournaments from next season.

Malaysia?s Selangor State Government is launching a major sports tourism thrust by highlighting the many golf courses in the state.

With the event less than five months away, the organising committee of the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is facing an allegation of tender irregularities.

Manchester United will play three games on a summer tour of Asia next year to consolidate their popularity there.

India's federal cabinet has approved the staging of the 2006 Asian Games in New Delhi if the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) bid is successful.

The Thailand Football Association has written to FIFA to request a change of venue for their Asian World Cup qualifying match scheduled for Baghdad on Friday, a Thai official said on Tuesday.

The Singapore Sports Ministry has unveiled a budget of S$500 million over five years for sports, and outlined plans for a new complex that aims to turn Singapore into a hub for world-class sporting events.

Manchester United and Arsenal have led criticism from English clubs over European Commission plans to scrap the present transfer system in soccer.

Amidst growing concern that the Muang Thong Thani sport complex might not be completed in time for the 13th Asian Games, the Olympic Committee of Asia has given Bangkok Land a final deadline of October 15 to finish the seven sports facilities there.

Three days before Asia's biggest sporting event kicks off, harried Thai organisers are still battling bugs that threaten to turn the 13th Asian Games into a farce.