United Kingdom

The G14 group of elite soccer clubs has called on UEFA to introduce a "fair and open" tender for the marketing rights to the Champions League.

The latest English soccer player?s agency to be floated on the stockmarket, Proactive Sports Group, made a sparkling debut on the junior AIM market yesterday. Shares were offered at 25p but soon rose to 42p before settling down to end the day at 40.5p, valuing the company at just under #40m ($57.3m).

TalkSport, the UK radio station run by the former editor of The Sun newspaper Kelvin McKenzie, has filed a complaint against the BBC with the Office of Fair Trading over the radio rights to the England versus Greece World Cup qualifier next month.

Royal Troon has been awarded Britain's Open golf tournament for an eighth time in 2004.

In an attempt to assert just how British it is, the Post Office is to sponsor the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.

Wimbledon tennis chiefs have rejected demands to adhere to the ATP rankings, despite a number of threats from top players to boycott the championship.

UK commercial network ITV has slammed International Rugby Board chairman Vernon Pugh over his claims it is still interested in securing the rights for the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.

Octagon Marketing has expanded its team to enhance their music and entertainment offerings.

The Culture, Media and Sport select committee report into the staging of international sporting events has called for the Sports Minister to be given increased powers in the new Government.

The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) will meet with top clubs next week to discuss the latest proposals for the professional game's future.

Sydney-based clothing manufacturer Classic Sportswear has signed a major kit deal with Great Britain?s Rugby Football League.

Juventus has launched an Asian marketing and merchandising drive, which the Italian soccer club hopes will earn up to $40 million over three years.

Malaysia has a raw deal in being forced to stage two Formula One races in six months, triple world champion Jackie Stewart has said.

The Cheltenham Festival has been postponed because of Britain's foot-and-mouth crisis, the BBC quoted the British Horse Racing Board as saying.

English premier league club Saracens is threatening not to release players for international duty if Six Nations matches are rescheduled for May because of the foot-and-mouth crisis in England.

Britain's foot-and-mouth crisis hit the Six Nations on Tuesday when the game between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday was postponed in an effort to help prevent the spread of the disease.