Originally staged in 1966, it has been consistently revived for two reasons. First off, it was conceived, choreographed and directed by Bob Fosse and remains a testament to his unique talent; but secondly, the combination of Coleman's ballsy music and Dorothy Fields' smart lyrics is dynamite. He was called `the new Gershwin', and at 68 he is still putting on hit musicals. Now Cy Coleman is back in London with his most popular show, `Sweet Charity'.

Cy Coleman doesn't write songs, he writes 24-carat, solid gold hits Never heard of him? Tony Bennett has And Barbra Streisand. Not to mention the late greats, Sammy Davis Jnr, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra Elvis Presley even sang one of his songs And then there's Shirley Bassey. There's barely a person on the planet who doesn't know her signature tune, "Hey, Big Spender". This blowsy, superbly sleazy come-on is the defining number from Coleman's most popular show, Sweet Charity. "We're determined 1998 will mark the relaunch of Britain's main Olympic sport," Moorcroft said.Pascoe sees his task as creating what he describes as a "rebranding" of the sport. With the Amateur Athletic Association, who many have regarded as a reactionary body, now maintaining that they are on board the Moorcroft road show, the sport appears to be pulling together for the first time in years.. The Federation's headquarters in Birmingham is on the brink of being sold for around pounds 250,000, but the one remaining problem for the administrators is legal action being taken by Diane Modahl, who is attempting to sue the Federation for a reported pounds 750,000 after a successful appeal against a doping ban.Overall, however, there is a feeling of optimism in British athletic circles.

"Sometimes I think we are so close to athletics that we forget how strong it is in relation to other sports in this country."But while Pascoe and Moorcroft look to the future, the creditors of a sport which revealed debts of pounds 2m last year are still waiting for any money to be released. Any profits will be ploughed back into the sport.Dave Moorcroft, chief executive of the interim body UK Athletics '98, said that the commercial rights to the sport had been secured permanently by paying the administrators currently overseeing the sport a sum of pounds 400,000. This money, which came out of a British team sponsorship by Reebok, has secured ultimate control over the commercial operation for the main administrative body in British athletics. With this safeguard in place, they have contracted out the operation to someone who has worked in that area with success for more than a decade.It was also confirmed yesterday that an agreement has been reached with the AAA of England that the AAA Championships will be a combined UK trials for at least the next four years. UK Athletics '98 and Fast Track will work in partnership with Channel 4 who will remain the television partner for the next three years at least.While Pascoe faces the commercial challenge, Moorcroft is half-way through a wide-ranging exercise at club level to decide the sport's best future structure. Kevin Miles of the FSA, who will staff the mini-bus, said: "I think there is a tiny minority of so-called fans who use football as a focus for organising violence I think the police have that situation under control. I don't think our role is to act as a ticket agency but we will give people advice about what the dangers are."Fans' hotline: 0870 6060721 FSA Mobile Embassy: 0956 121314..

BRITISH athletics, brought to its knees by bankruptcy last October, has picked itself up, dusted itself down and entrusted its commercial future to the expertise of Alan Pascoe. Yesterday the former European and Commonwealth 400 metres hurdles champion explained how he had sold (for pounds 5m) his 40 per cent stake in API, the sports marketing company he founded in 1984, in order to concentrate on running Britain's five annual televised meetings. Pascoe, who will be assisted by the former British Athletic Federation promotions officer, Ian Stewart, will stage events and arrange sponsorships through a new company, Fast Track. Although he will receive the commission for bringing sponsors into the sport, the meetings themselves will be organised on a non-profit basis. Gascoigne and the other players will be reminded that they are still on England duty."He doesn't have to go to a night-club or a pub He can do something else," Hoddle said.

"If not, I'll take him home with me - and then I can go out for a good time.". THE Football Supporters' Association yesterday rejected the Government's advice for supporters not to travel to the World Cup finals in France without a ticket. The Government had warned fans not to travel if they did not have a valid ticket from either the Football Association or through the telephone hotline. However, the FSA said it was unrealistic to expect supporters not to travel and said it would be giving advice on the pitfalls of buying black market tickets. They denied that this approach was likely to cause problems and told the Government it should have consulted them before launching its "no ticket, don't travel" campaign. The FSA will be operating its mobile "Fans Embassy" mini-bus to follow England supporters around France giving advice and assistance and liaising with the local authorities. He took relief from the fact, though, that they would not be around to lead him astray in France - "unless we get Rod in for a little concert in the hotel," he joked.The dangerous time for Hoddle is the five days following England's training camp at La Manga in Spain, when the players will be allowed to return to their friends and families before setting off for France.