In London, Tom Cary reports F1 Management Chair BERNIE ECCLESTONE yesterday was "formally accused for the first time of paying $44 million in bribes" to state-owned German bank Bayerische Landesbank "relating to the last sale of the sport in 2006." Ecclestone is "alleged to have received $41.4 million in commissions" from the bank, while his family trust Bambino Holdings "was paid a further $25 million." It "remains unclear whether Ecclestone will actually be forced to stand trial either in Germany or the UK." It "seems certain, however, that GERHARD GRIBKOWSKY -- the man accused of accepting the bribe, who oversaw Formula One's sale to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in 2006 -- will do so" (London TELEGRAPH, 7/20).
BUSY BEGINNING: In New Orleans, Hunter Paniagua profiled AMY CHAMPION, who since becoming Univ. of New Orleans AD last year has "worked to restore UNO's sports reputation." Champion has "met obstacles along the way, struggling to find stability in NCAA membership and to rekindle the interest of students and the community." Champion previously coached women's basketball at UNO, and when the AD position became open in '09, she "didn't immediately put herself in the running." But after UNO officials "interviewed four candidates and didn't find the right fit, they turned to Champion," who had "developed a familiarity with the program that university officials desired." The school "received approval from the LSU Board of Supervisors in March and from the NCAA in April to move to Division II, an accomplishment Champion called the greatest of her career" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 7/19).
NAMES: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tamari notes Eagles QB MICHAEL VICK yesterday "went to Capitol Hill to endorse a proposal that would make it a crime to attend an animal fight or bring a child to such an event." Vick, who was released from prison in '09 "after serving 18 months for leading a dogfighting ring, appeared with leaders from the Humane Society of the United States to back the bill, now pending before Congress" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/20)....Browns QB COLT MCCOY, his father, BRAD, teamed with MIKE YORKEY to write "GROWING UP COLT." The recently released book is "primarily about life lessons learned through the guidance of parenting and faith." Colt McCoy said, "We were skeptical at first. When we were approach to write a book, I was just thinking, 'Why?' ... But they approached us more along the lines of writing this book in a way to kind of talk about some of the experiences I've had, the ups and downs, the things that I've faced in my life growing up, along with some of the lessons and the principles that my mom (DEBRA) and dad tried to use in raising me" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/20).
