An independent review of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s workplace "found that the majority of staff interviewed 'experienced or witnessed harassment both sexual and personal'" during former President MARCEL AUBUT’s tenure. Staff believed the board and senior leadership team were "aware of information that suggested harassment was occurring in their workplace and they were unable or unwilling to take steps to address it." The three-month review by employment lawyer CHRISTINE THOMLINSON was "initiated after the COC found itself in the middle of a growing sexual harassment scandal last October" (TORONTO STAR, 1/14).
FIFTH IN A LONG LINE: The 21st of 41 defendants in the U.S.’ "sprawling corruption case focusing on world soccer was brought to Brooklyn" yesterday to face charges. Former CONCACAF interim President ALFREDO HAWIT "pleaded not guilty" in U.S. District Court to the "charges against him, including wire fraud, money laundering and racketeering conspiracy." Hawit also was a VP of FIFA and was the "fifth defendant to be extradited" to the U.S. from Zurich (N.Y. TIMES, 1/14).
LET'S MAKE A MOVIE: Actor COLIN HANKS and producer SEAN STUART’s production outfit Company Name "is teaming with" current and former NFLers TROY POLAMALU, RYAN KALIL and JORDAN GROSS to "make a feature film about football players in American Samoa." The untitled project, a drama written by JIM BURNSTEIN and GARRETT SCHIFF, "centers on an assistant football coach in the '80s who goes to American Samoa on a fool’s errand to recruit a high school phenom" (DEADLINE.com, 1/13).
AND THE OSCAR MAY GO TO....: ROONEY MARA this morning was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in "CAROL." Mara is the great-granddaugter of Giants Founder TIM MARA and Steelers Founder ART ROONEY SR. Additionally, SYLVESTER STALLONE was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in "CREED" (Mult., 1/14).
AWARDS & HONORS: ESPN golf analyst DOTTIE PEPPER was named the '16 recipient of the William D. Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America, recognizing an individual who has consistently made an outstanding contribution to the sport (ESPN)....ESPN.com's IVAN MAISEL was awarded the Football Writers Association of America's Bert McGrane Award, given to the person who has performed great service to the organization and/or profession since '74 (ESPN)....The North Carolina Sports HOF "announced its new induction class," including Hurricanes assistant coach ROD BRIND'AMOUR, former NBAers SLEEPY FLOYD and ANTAWN JAMISON and Queens Univ. of Charlotte women's basketball coach SUSAN YOW (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 1/13).
NAMES: Bucks co-Owner MARC LASRY will be among those participating in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Challenge on Feb. 12 in Toronto. Raptors Global Ambassador DRAKE also will coach one of the teams (THE DAILY)....Several Raptors players and family members attended last night's EPL match between Chelsea and West Bromwich. The outing was led by F PATRICK PATTERSON, who said that he "attends Toronto FC matches 'as often as possible' and also caught multiple games in Brazil" during the '14 World Cup (CP, 1/13)....The LSU Press announced Tuesday that it will release a collection of PETER FINNEY's "best columns from his legendary sports writing career in New Orleans" in February. Titled "THE BEST OF PETER FINNEY, LEGENDARY NEW ORLEANS SPORTSWRITER," the book "features 75 of Finney's columns from his distinguished 69-year career" (NOLA.com, 1/12)....The Nike Political Action Committee is "hosting a lunch fundraiser for Sen. PATTY MURRAY (D-Wash.) next month" (POLITICO.com, 1/13)....U.S. skier PICABO STREET "faces misdemeanor charges after her arrest last month for allegedly assaulting her father." She was charged with "one count of assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, all class B misdemeanors" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/14).
